Program-specific mandatory courses
Basic Lecture Series Epidemiology (4 ECTS, 4 hours)
Basic Lecture Series 1 provides an overview of epidemiological study designs and covers selected topics in chronic disease epidemiology (e.g. epidemiology of cancers and cardiometabolic diseases, life course epidemiology, social inequalities, underlying factors of the obesity pandemic) and principals of infectious disease epidemiology (e.g. infectious disease modelling, environmental surveillance, vaccinology).
Basic Lecture Series 2 will focus on novel biomarkers (including genetics, epigenetic and transcriptomics as well as methods to study the exposome) and on advanced epidemiological methods (including state-of-the art statistical modelling of complex data structures based on the principles of causal inference).
Program specific elective courses
- Practical Seminar (6 ECTS, 4 hours)
The aim of Practical Seminar Epidemiological Methods 1 is to gain practical experience in calculating relevant measures of disease incidence and association, evaluating diagnostic studies and screening programs, and other aspects of applied epidemiology, in addition to a basic understanding of epidemiological study designs.
The Practical Seminar Epi Methods 2 focuses on methods for causal inference, starting with and introduction to causal languages (counterfactuals, do-operator), graphical models, advanced methods for adjustment for confounding, mediation and effect modification, analysis strategies for complex longitudinal data, instrumental variables (Mendelian randomization) and basic concepts of genetic epidemiology. All exercises are carried out using the statistical programming language R (https://www.r-project.org). Previous participation in the propedeutics Medical Biostatistics 2 beforehand is advantageous.
- Journal Club(s) Epidemiology (18 ECTS, 12 hours)
Journal clubs provide students with the opportunity to critically review and discuss published (or unpublished) research papers among peers and faculty, thus deepening their knowledge of basic concepts in epidemiology as well as more advanced topics covered in the basic lectures.
- Thesis Seminars (18 ECTS, total of 12 hours)
The thesis seminars are central to the supervision process. The weekly meetings provide space and time for students to share their new findings (in the form of progress reports) with their supervisor(s) and fellow students in their research group. Supervisors and fellow students should provide feedback on the scientific aspects of ongoing projects and provide guidance on project and time management strategies.
Program-specific mandatory courses
Basic Lecture Series Epidemiology (4 ECTS, 4 hours)
Basic Lecture Series 1 provides an overview of epidemiological study designs and covers selected topics in chronic disease epidemiology (e.g. epidemiology of cancers and cardiometabolic diseases, life course epidemiology, social inequalities, underlying factors of the obesity pandemic) and principals of infectious disease epidemiology (e.g. infectious disease modelling, environmental surveillance, vaccinology).
Basic Lecture Series 2 will focus on novel biomarkers (including genetics, epigenetic and transcriptomics as well as methods to study the exposome) and on advanced epidemiological methods (including state-of-the art statistical modelling of complex data structures based on the principles of causal inference).
Program specific elective courses
- Practical Seminar (6 ECTS, 4 hours)
The aim of Practical Seminar Epidemiological Methods 1 is to gain practical experience in calculating relevant measures of disease incidence and association, evaluating diagnostic studies and screening programs, and other aspects of applied epidemiology, in addition to a basic understanding of epidemiological study designs.
The Practical Seminar Epi Methods 2 focuses on methods for causal inference, starting with and introduction to causal languages (counterfactuals, do-operator), graphical models, advanced methods for adjustment for confounding, mediation and effect modification, analysis strategies for complex longitudinal data, instrumental variables (Mendelian randomization) and basic concepts of genetic epidemiology. All exercises are carried out using the statistical programming language R (https://www.r-project.org). Previous participation in the propedeutics Medical Biostatistics 2 beforehand is advantageous.
- Journal Club(s) Epidemiology (18 ECTS, 12 hours)
Journal clubs provide students with the opportunity to critically review and discuss published (or unpublished) research papers among peers and faculty, thus deepening their knowledge of basic concepts in epidemiology as well as more advanced topics covered in the basic lectures.
- Thesis Seminars (18 ECTS, total of 12 hours)
The thesis seminars are central to the supervision process. The weekly meetings provide space and time for students to share their new findings (in the form of progress reports) with their supervisor(s) and fellow students in their research group. Supervisors and fellow students should provide feedback on the scientific aspects of ongoing projects and provide guidance on project and time management strategies.