Welcome to Research Training Group 2624!
This RTG is funded by the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) and the time period of the first phase is 04/2021 - 09/2025.
Aim and Mission
The aim of the Research Training Group is the development and application of biostatistical methods for the analysis of high-dimensional data for modelling and risk assessment in toxicology. Doctoral researchers acquire knowledge in toxicology and the ability to develop and apply statistical methods for questions in pharmacological and environmental toxicology. In toxicology, innovative statistical methods are required to optimally exploit the ever-growing, heterogeneous, molecular flood of data for adequate modelling and risk prediction. In addition to conventional one-dimensional dose-response models, models that are more complex need to be developed. High-dimensional omics data are used in modelling both as an interaction factor for toxicological exposure and as a target.
Research programme
The three project areas are regression, prediction, and integration. To model health indicators, modern regression techniques will be developed that analyse the genetic influence on the association between toxicological exposure and health, using methods with high-dimensional predictors for gene-exposure interactions. The estimation of the minimum effective dose of a compound will be specified by selecting and combining genetic markers, using methods from statistical learning. Modelling approaches will be developed for the simultaneous consideration of different doses and exposure times. Suitable data integration through the combination of different molecular data sources and additional biological knowledge will allow more informative toxicological risk predictions and better distinctions of toxicological effects.
Qualification programme
The RTG offers an elaborate qualification programme. Doctoral and postdoctoral researchers gain an outstanding qualification profile, based on scientific training in biostatistics, toxicology and statistical analysis of high-dimensional molecular data as well as courses on technical skills and transferable skills. Doctoral researchers are jointly supervised by researchers from statistics and toxicology, and they benefit from the expertise of both and from established cooperations. Scientific interaction and networking will be supported by a regular seminar, including lectures by international visiting researchers, and international visibility will be strengthened through conference participation and workshop organisation.


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Location & approach
The campus of TU Dortmund University is located close to interstate junction Dortmund West, where the Sauerlandlinie A45 (Frankfurt-Dortmund) crosses the Ruhrschnellweg B1 / A40. The best interstate exit to take from A45 is “Dortmund-Eichlinghofen” (closer to South Campus), and from B1 / A40 “Dortmund-Dorstfeld” (closer to North Campus). Signs for the university are located at both exits. Also, there is a new exit before you pass over the B1-bridge leading into Dortmund.
For travelling to the Department of Statistics, convenient parking places can be found at Vogelpothsweg (Gates 21 / 24) or alternatively at the Otto-Hahn-Straße (Gates 28 / 30 / 35).
TU Dortmund University has its own train station (“Dortmund Universität”). From there, suburban trains (S-Bahn) leave for Dortmund main station (“Dortmund Hauptbahnhof”) and Düsseldorf main station via the “Düsseldorf Airport Train Station” (take S-Bahn number 1, which leaves every 15 or 30 minutes). The university is easily reached from Bochum, Essen, Mülheim an der Ruhr and Duisburg.
You can also take the bus or subway train from Dortmund city to the university: From Dortmund main station, you can take any train bound for the Station “Stadtgarten”, usually lines U41, U45, U 47 and U49. At “Stadtgarten” you switch trains and get on line U42 towards “Hombruch”. Look out for the Station “An der Palmweide”. From the bus stop just across the road, busses bound for TU Dortmund University leave every ten minutes (445, 447 and 462). Another option is to take the subway routes U41, U45, U47 and U49 from Dortmund main station to the stop “Dortmund Kampstraße”. From there, take U43 or U44 to the stop “Dortmund Wittener Straße”. Switch to bus line 447 and get off at “Dortmund Universität S”.
The H-Bahn is one of the hallmarks of TU Dortmund University. There are two stations on North Campus. One (“Dortmund Universität S”) is directly located at the suburban train stop, which connects the university directly with the city of Dortmund and the rest of the Ruhr Area. Also from this station, there are connections to the “Technologiepark” and (via South Campus) Eichlinghofen. The other station is located at the dining hall at North Campus and offers a direct connection to South Campus every five minutes.
The AirportExpress is a fast and convenient means of transport from Dortmund Airport (DTM) to Dortmund Central Station, taking you there in little more than 20 minutes. From Dortmund Central Station, you can continue to the university campus by interurban railway (S-Bahn). A larger range of international flight connections is offered at Düsseldorf Airport (DUS), which is about 60 kilometres away and can be directly reached by S-Bahn from the university station.
Interactive map
The facilities of TU Dortmund University are spread over two campuses, the larger Campus North and the smaller Campus South. Additionally, some areas of the university are located in the adjacent "Technologiepark".
