Research for Animals

Freie Universität is one of five universities in Germany that train veterinarians. It is also an internationally renowned location for veterinary research. Source: David Ausserhofer

The Department of Veterinary Medicine has three campus locations in different parts of Berlin: Düppel, Dahlem, and Mitte. It has five animal clinics and 15 academic institutes. Source: Bernd Wannenmacher

The Department of Veterinary Medicine is spread across three locations in Berlin: Düppel, Dahlem, and Mitte. It has five veterinary clinics and 15 academic institutes. From the beginning of their studies, students enrolled in veterinary science as well as those working toward a doctorate in the field can gain insight into both the traditional and the current working areas of veterinary research.

Studying and Earning a Doctorate

After completing their degree at the Department of Veterinary Medicine, graduates may work as licensed veterinarians. Those interested in a research career in the field are given comprehensive advice regarding the development and implementation of their own research projects and in applying for external funding.

Doctoral Degree Program in Biomedical Sciences

Working together, the Department of Veterinary Medicine and the Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy offer outstanding students a doctoral degree program in Biomedical Sciences It was set up in 2008 under the auspices of Dahlem Research School and is a graduate training program in the field of basic and applied life sciences.

Research

At the Department of Veterinary Medicine there is a particularly broad spectrum of different scientific research profiles. This diversity makes it possible to successfully deal with complex problems using different approaches through interdisciplinary collaboration. Particular areas of emphasis in the department are, for example, research on microbiota and probiotics, food safety and product quality, pathogen-host interactions and zoonoses, and diseases of the central nervous system (CNS).

Collaborative Research Group Does Microbiota Research

Freie Universität is the principle investigator of the DFG-funded Collaborative Research Group 825 (SFB 852) “Nutrition and intestinal microbiota - host interactions in the pig.” In this group, the Department of Veterinary Medicine works with Charité, the joint medical school of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Other partners are Technische Universität Berlin, the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke, and the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) in Berlin.

International Ties

Scientists at the department are active in national and international commissions – in EU bodies as well as in professional societies, professional associations, and chambers of veterinary surgeons.

The International Animal Health unit conducts all the international postgraduate training programs in the Department of Veterinary Medicine. Three master’s degree programs focus on current challenges of veterinary medicine in specific regions of the world. The Veterinary Public Health program focuses on the Asian Pacific region, while the Food Chain Management program focuses on Latin America, and the Epidemiology program on Africa. Each master's degree program is conducted jointly with partner universities and health institutions in the region and is concluded with a jointly conferred master's degree from Freie Universität Berlin and one of the partner universities.

Through the ERASMUS exchange program, students have an opportunity to spend one or two semesters abroad. The Department of Veterinary Medicine has cooperation agreements with numerous universities in Europe.

International Research Training Group

The German Research Foundation (DFG) has established an International Research Training Group (GRK) at the Department of Veterinary Medicine. In GRK 1673, Functional Molecular Infection Epidemiology, veterinary scientists from Freie Universität and the University of Hyderabad investigate the expression of infectious diseases as a function of genetic factors.

Veterinary Literature

The holdings of the Veterinary Medicine Library include more than 160,000 volumes. In addition to recent publications on veterinary research and related fields, research can also be conducted here with literature reaching back to the 16th century. More than 8,000 documents are available in the Digital Library of the department.

The Veterinarium Progressum is the department’s education center for its approximately 500 employees as well as external participants.

In addition to the Department of Veterinary Medicine, there are eleven other academic departments and three central institutes at Freie Universität:

Academic Departments

• Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy
• Department of Earth Sciences
• Department of Education and Psychology
• Department of History and Cultural Studies
• Department of Law
• Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
• Department of Philosophy and Humanities
• Department of Physics
• Department of Political and Social Sciences
• Department of Veterinary Medicine
• School of Business and Economics
• Medical School - Charité - University Medicine Berlin

Central Institutes

• Institute for East European Studies
• Institute for Latin American Studies
• John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies

News from 02/01/2012