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As an internationally acting comprehensive research university, Heidelberg University understands the high theoretical and methodological competence of its subjects and subject cultures as an essential feature of scientific work. Much of the university research and teaching activities are brought together in the framework of the federal and state Excellence Initiative under the umbrella of four major research fields, the four “Fields of Focus (FoF)”. Within the FoFl “Molecular Foundations of Life, Health, and Disease”, the molecular life sciences represent a research focus of the university that enjoys particularly high national and international visibility. The “Heidelberg Molecular Life Sciences” (HMLS) initiative has been developed by Heidelberg University within the framework of the Future Concept. The Heidelberg Molecular Life Science (HMLS) Research Council (now Field of

Focus 1 Research Council} supports the development of technological facilities (Core Facilities) through financing and advisory service. A Core Technology Platform is currently established to ensure a sustainable core technology infrastructure and to foster technology development. In the Excellence Strategy, FoF 1 will support development of cutting-edge technologies and their adaptation towards a broad application within the Core Technology Plat fo rm. New technology infrastructures are currently developed, e.g. in spatial transcriptomics and spatial proteomics, and in bringing high-end cryo-electron microscopy to broad usage. In addition, the platform serves as an excellent training platform for PhD students and postdocs, and supports regular joint training activities offered by the associated Core Facilities.

As a partner in this project, Heidelberg University intends to cooperate with the EMBL towards training of the Fellows. Heidelberg University can host up to four Fellows per year in the period 2020-2024 through secondments and introduce them to the ways of working, instrumentation and procedures at Heidelberg University. Duration of secondments will be between 2 and 6 months and will be arranged in communication with the Fellow. Fellows who will do secondments at Heidelberg University will come from the field related or complementary to the field of work of Heidelberg University .

At Heidelberg University Fellows will have a possibility to learn methods and procedures and recent technical developments in electron microscopy, flow cytometry, FACS, mass spectrometry (including metabolomics), imaging (including imaging under biosafety 2/3 conditions), NGS, neurobehavioral analyses, spatial transcriptomics, and protein crystallizat ion. The Fellows will also have a chance to get acquainted with the operation of core facilities providing user services for the above­ mentioned techniques. Heidelberg University will dedicate supervision capacity for each fellow on secondments. During secondments, Fellows can stay employed by EMBL.

Heidelberg University intends also to host mini-secondments in a duration of up to two weeks, during which Fellows will shadow operations at Heidelberg University.