As Captivating As Life Itself    By Julia Becker

If undesirable substances enter a healthy bloodstream, the human body automatically fights the intruders with antibodies. When human beings are cold, their body hair stands on end to provide extra warmth and protect them from hypothermia. If we injure ourselves, our nerves immediately send out protective pain signals. And it's not just humans - the same is true of the animal kingdom: every living creature is a fascinating, precisely interlocking system of biological and chemical processes.

Understanding these natural life processes and technically reconstructing them is the core challenge of the field of research known as the life sciences. Its work concentrates on discovering natural structures, understanding biological mechanisms and decoding chemical reactions. The resulting knowledge can facilitate technical innovations and medical advances.

Tracing the fascination that is life with interdisciplinary expertise

Scientific progress has so increased the complexity of this field of research that it can now only be understood with interdisciplinary expertise. "It is no longer possible to deal with modern life sciences in any other than an interdisciplinary manner. Biologists working next to biochemists, biotechnologists and molecular physicians is already a matter of course in laboratories today" explains Carsten Roller of the German Life Sciences Association (Verband Biologie, Biowissenschaften und Biomedizin in Deutschland, VBIO). The life sciences now cover a large number of disciplines, including biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, biomedicine, biophysics, biotechnology, nutritional sciences, genetics, immunology, food technology, microbiology, molecular biology, neurobiology, pharmacology, pharmacy and cell biology. There are 160 different job titles alone in the life sciences research area. Training aimed solely at a single subject is therefore in many cases no longer sufficient for a successful career: "Either you have interdisciplinary training, or you work with other disciplines and have learned to understand the language the others use", says Carsten Roller.

The fascination of diversity

The example of Silke Kraus illustrates the form a successful interdisciplinary education of this kind can take. In addition to her degree course in Pharmacy, the 35-year-old also studied business management and trained as a pharmacist for medicinal product information. The young woman completed both her second degree and her further education during the early years of her career. "The learning only really started after my pharmacy degree, and it won't end until I retire", says Kraus, who signed her first employment contract a day before her final examination. The diversity of the life sciences continually fascinates her: "Today, a pharmacy degree allows you to do so much more than just become a pharmacist", says Kraus. "If you continue to educate yourself, particularly in business-related subjects, you will find that all manner of opportunities are open to you." Today, the pharmacist works in a managing role for pharmaceuticals corporation ratiopharm. As a team leader in portfolio management her job is to develop strategies with her staff to determine when certain medicines are launched in which countries, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams of experts across departments. In addition, the pharmacist reviews the profitability of products that are already on the market.

University or university of applied sciences? Depends on the subject!

With the exception of some apprenticeship careers in biotechnical laboratories, a career in the life sciences starts with a qualified degree course. The range of available courses is extremely diverse: there are now over 1,300 bioscientific degree courses in Germany to suit almost every career path and specialisation. The demand for young scientists is currently at a similarly high level in almost all subject groups.

Personal career objectives should be an important consideration in choosing a university. Depending on the subject area and intended profession, future scientists should choose between studying at a university of applied sciences or a university. For example, pharmacy and biochemistry are traditional university degree courses, while in the biotechnical subjects graduates of universities of applied sciences are often in demand. "Universities of applied sciences are used to working closely with industry and preparing graduates for their future workplaces early on by means of mandatory practical semesters", explains expert Carsten Roller of VBIO.

Additional qualifications and postgraduate degrees offer better chances of a good job

Once they have gained their first degree, young scientists are generally expected to complete a PhD. A postgraduate degree increases the chances of gaining a well-paid job and achieving a successful career in a company. In addition to the doctorate, another guarantee for a good start into the world of work is continuous further education and training. Those who want to successfully establish themselves should try to gain as much practical experience as possible alongside their degree course. Excellent English language skills are also an advantage, as English is the working language in the life sciences in Germany too. Scientists who additionally have specialist knowledge in the field of economics are excellently equipped to embark on their chosen career.

Positive developments on the labour market - despite the economic crisis

Scientists in the field of life sciences have nothing to worry about: once they have completed their studies and PhD and achieved good or very good grades, their chances on the labour market are excellent. Current figures provided by the German Federal Employment Agency indicate a positive trend despite the economic crisis: With an average of 2,500 unemployed biologists a year, unemployment fell by three percent in 2009, while on the other hand there were 800 registered vacancies - two percent more job offers than in the previous year. In pharmacy, the outlook is even better: according to the Federal Employment Agency, on average in 2009 only 600 pharmacists were searching for work - half as many as in the year 2000. The pool of vacancies available to these unemployed pharmacists consisted of, in total, 1,400 jobs registered with the Federal Employment Agency in 2009. Only the field of biochemistry has been significantly affected by the economic crisis: between 2002 and 2009 the annual average number of unemployed biochemists increased from 400 to 600, while there were 200 job vacancies for scientists seeking employment last year.

academics :: June 2010