The ITC selection process

The Board of Trustees of the Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds (BIF) of the Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds (BIF) selects the overarching topic and chair for each ITC based on proposals from the scientific community. It looks for relevant topics at the cutting-edge of science and scientific personalities, able to bring together leading scientists from different sub-disciplines.

Chairs should be internationally renowned scientists who have made major contributions to the field. Once chosen, they define their topic as well as select a co-chair and participants.

The BIF endeavours to support its ITC chairs as comprehensively as possible: We take care of all organizational matters and fund the entire conference, including participants' travel and accommodation.

ITCs take place each spring and autumn. Decisions are made two years in advance. Please submit proposals for topics and chairs by the end of September to be in time for the autumnal Board meetings.

Proposing an ITC

Written proposals for chairs and topics for an ITC should be informal and brief (max. three pages). Each submitted proposal should describe:

  • What major contributions the proposed chairpersons have made to the respective field
  • Why the topic is relevant, timely, and at the cutting edge of science
  • Why representatives of the proposed subdisciplines should be brought together.

Please email your proposal to Iris Bodenbender

Selection criteria for ITCs

  • Conference topics must be in an area of basic biomedical research, highly topical, and/or cover a field where major advances are to be expected, and/or are currently being made. For examples, please refer to Past conferences.
  • Conference chairs and co-chairs must be internationally renowned scientists who have made major contributions to the subject area(s) of the respective ITC
  • Chairpersons should be able to bring together the leading scientists of two or three different scientific communities to stimulate interdisciplinary exchange and cooperation
  • At least one of the chairpersons should be a scientist working in Europe.