In an exciting development for 2024, our colleague Dr. Birte Seffert embarks on a nationwide tour to meet with the Klaus Tschira Boost Fund Fellows across Germany. The Keeping Up with the Boost Fellows series aims to shine a spotlight on the journeys, challenges, and achievements of our Fellows. 

What if the key to understanding a rare disease could also unlock new insights into our immune system’s origins? That’s exactly the question driving immunologist Sabrina B. Bennstein’s research. Sabrina recently transitioned from Heinrich-Heine University to the University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Institute of Immunology, where she is diving into the mysteries of the thymus—a complex organ with a big role in our immunity.

Her work focuses on innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), crucial players in our immune system. But how do they develop? Preliminary findings suggest a surprising connection: ILCs may share a developmental pathway with T-cells within the thymus. To investigate this, Sabrina is studying young patients with DiGeorge syndrome, a rare condition with varying thymic functionality.

Why is this important? Sabrina’s innovative research could redefine how we understand immune development and help pave the way for new therapeutic approaches.

The Boost effect: Funding plus confidence

The Klaus Tschira Boost Fund supported Sabrina during a challenging phase and bolstered her confidence after earlier grant applications were unsuccessful. But more than that, the honest talks with her fellow Boosties offered valuable tips and insights encouraging her to embrace change and explore new directions.

Sabrina did exactly that, as she became a group leader at RWTH Aachen University and is now planning her habilitation. There she shares experiences and provides valuable advice for researchers at similar stages of their academic careers.

Building and leading a junior research group

“You can’t fully prepare for it,” says Sabrina candidly. Nonetheless, she emphasizes the value of prior supervisory experience. She gained confidence by mentoring doctoral candidates and students, which helped her transition. However, she notes that much of the role involves “learning on the job,” particularly when managing responsibilities and organizational tasks.

The habilitation: What is needed

One of Sabrina´s current projects is to pursue her habilitation – still one of three pathways to a professorship in Germany (the other pathways being getting a major junior research group grant or obtaining a tenure-track professorship). She sees three crucial factors needed for habilitation:

1. Plan your teaching: A substantial teaching record is usually required. Without regular teaching opportunities, habilitation becomes difficult to achieve.
2. Strategically place publications: Publications as first or last author outside the doctoral dissertation are mandatory. Thoughtful publication planning can be advantageous.
3. Understand institutional requirements: Each university has specific habilitation criteria that you should review in advance.

We are happy to have Sabrina as part of our community of Boost Fellows and are looking forward to seeing her continue exploring the immune system’s secrets—one thymic cell at a time!

The KT Boost Fund is a joint program of GSO and the Klaus Tschira Foundation for postdoctoral researchers in the Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer Science. It offers flexible funding for risky and interdisciplinary research on the way to academic independence. Funding can be used to hire staff, buy equipment, or build collaborations – tailored to the research project.