A: Requirements for obtaining the function FGL (Research Group Leader)

The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Basel has defined uniform criteria for the status of a research group leader for all its departments; these are listed below. The prerequisite for obtaining the FGL function in research departments is proof of successful independent research. The function of a research group leader can be obtained in three ways:

1. University appointment/nomination (structural professorships, assistant professorships and endowed professorships)
2. SNF Eccellenza, ERC funded persons
3. Internal employees by the departement management 

In order to be able to submit an application for research group leadership, the following criteria are required. In addition, the question of resources (laboratory space, etc.) and the strategic importance of the research topic must be clarified and approved by the head of department.

• Candidates must have competitively acquired project funding from SNSF Divisions II or III as the main applicant. Departments can define further competitive funding as standard for FGL status in agreement with the faculty management (e.g. DBM, NIH RO1; DBE, Innosuisse project with a minimum duration of 2 years; DKF, Ambizione, PRIMA, IICT, ...). Alternatively, the head of the department can decide to credit research productivity as a benefit, the research productivity can be claimed. This is defined as at least one original publication as first or last author per year in subject-specific journals (Impacts in the upper third of the subject-specific journals) or at least one publication in top interdisciplinary journals per three years (Lancet, NEJM, JCI, PNAS, Nature-, Cell-, Science-Journals etc.)

• Curriculum vitae with proven experience in research activities in a field relevant to the department (DBM, laboratory research; DBE, medical technology research; DKF, clinical research; DPH, epidemiological and health care research; DSBG, research in exercise, sports science and sports medicine)
   
• The research group must have a minimum critical size of 3 persons including FGL (excluding Master students).
   
• Clinically active FGLs should be appropriately exempted from clinical duties.
   
• The research of the FG meets the quality standards of the respective departments.

Research groups can be led by a maximum of two FGLs, the group size must be at least 6 (instead of 3) employees including FGL in this case.

B: Requirements for the renewal of the research group leadership

• The FGL function (A1 - A3) is periodically evaluated and confirmed by the departments in accordance with the criteria defined under A3 (after 6 years at the latest).

• If the criteria defined under A3 are no longer met, the FGL function will continue to be granted for a maximum of 2 years.
   
• If the criteria according to A3 are not met for a period of more than two years, the FGL function is terminated by the head of department. In the case of structural professorships, the revocation is made in agreement with the Faculty Management.
   
• If the research group affected does not have a second FGL who can continue to lead the research group, the loss of the FGL function also leads to the formal dissolution of the research group

C: Dissolution in case of emeritus status or leaving  
Research group leaders who are either emeritus or no longer working at a clinic of the Medical Faculty Basel lose their research group status. A possible continuation of the FG status must be actively requested. In this case, the DKF management will check whether the criteria for maintaining the FG status are still fulfilled. The framework conditions for the extension of the FG status are contractually defined.

Scientific Review
A selection of research groups is evaluated annually by the Scientific Advisory Board of the DKF. In this way, the entire team receives independent and forward-looking feedback on their scientific performance from international experts.

Funding
The DKF offers research groups numerous consulting, services and training offers at special rates. You can find an overview here.