CITEC

BMFTR-funded project trains specialists at the interface of computer science and medicine Digitalization is transforming medicine, creating a noticeable shortage of specialists who can conduct research at the intersection of computer science and healthcare. This is precisely the gap that the new qualification program CUMIN aims to fill. Funded by the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the program is now launching at Bielefeld University to train tomorrow's experts.

The CUMIN qualification program specifically targets master's students and doctoral candidates from STEM and related disciplines. The goal is to inspire and empower highly qualified young talents for the challenges and opportunities of eHealth research. The name CUMIN stands for Curriculum for promoting medical interest and interdisciplinary network building (Note: using the German acronym structure).

Over a three-year period, a practice-oriented curriculum prepares participants for a scientific career in digital health. The content includes topics such as data platforms in medicine, algorithmic approaches in systems medicine, and clinical decision support systems, thus showing strong alignment with CITEC's research areas. The program is deliberately more than just a lecture series. Participants apply their knowledge practically across six modules that include block seminars, a hackathon, and excursions to clinics or industry partners. At the end, they develop their own research proposal, which can lay the foundation for a doctorate or further project.

This interdisciplinary initiative is led by Prof. Dr. Philipp Cimiano, head of the Semantic Databases research group and Principal Investigator at the CITEC Cluster of Excellence, and Prof. Dr. Annika Hoyer. Head of the research group Biostatistics and Medical Biometry at the Medical School OWL at Bielefeld University. As a strategic cooperation project, CUMIN combines the expertise of Bielefeld University and Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences (HSBI) to ensure unique, practice-oriented training.

Prof. Cimiano emphasizes the relevance of this synergy for CITEC: "With CUMIN, we are creating a unique opportunity to attract talented computer scientists and natural scientists to medical research. The development of intelligent assistance systems for medicine is a central theme at CITEC. This program will help train the next generation of researchers in this field." More information about the program and application process can be found on  https://www.uni-bielefeld.de/zwe/citec/research/projects/cumin/