Partner Groups of the MPI-CBG

The "Max Planck Partner Groups" are an instrument created by the Max Planck Society for the purpose of strengthening the ties between Max Planck Institutes and foreign research institutes and of intensifying cooperation between individual scientists through jointly conducted projects.

The two Partner Groups of MPI-CBG are led by its two former postdoctoral fellows, now heading their own independent research groups. Marta Miaczynska was working in the group of Marino Zerial in Dresden in years 2001-2005 and now leads the Laboratory of Cell Biology at the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw. David Stanek was working in the group of Karla Neugebauer in years 2000-2005 and now heads the Laboratory of RNA Biology at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Prague.

Marta Miaczynska keeps her ties with Marino Zerial's group and concentrates on studying the biogenesis of endosomes and their role in intracellular signaling. David Stanek collaborates with Joe Howard and Karla Neugebauer on light microscopy development and nuclear compartmentalization of the splicing cycle. In addition to direct collaboration, the Partner Groups organized tri-lateral workshops where scientists from Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic met and discussed their science. One workshop on "Cell Biology of Intracellular Transport Processes" was held in 2006 in Warsaw and another one on "Regulation of gene expression" in 2007 in Prague.

Partner groups are headed by visiting scientists with proven research records and profiles who, after completing their research residency at a Max Planck Institute, return to their home base to lead an appropriately equipped research group. Within the scope of Partner Group funding, scientists are given the opportunity to continue their research at their home institute under favourable working conditions and in close contact with their former host institute. For the Max Planck Society, the Partner Groups are a means of facilitating access to high-performance research institutes overseas.

All directors of Max Planck Institutes are eligible to nominate potential candidates as head of new Partner Groups. Recommendations are rated on the basis of the quality of the submitted research project as well as of its potential in terms of the research profile of the partner institute. Fundamental for each new Partner Group is a Cooperation Agreement between the Max Planck Institute and its partner institute overseas.

All Partner Groups are supported by a bilateral Scientific Advisory Board, initially for a three-year period. After successful evaluation by the Board, the Partner Group can be extended by a further two years. As a rule the Max Planck Society will allocate 20,000 euros p.a. per Partner Group.