'I am a medical student and was funded for one year by the MedK, the Medizinerkolleg Münster, for my experimental medical doctoral thesis. The MedK is a scholarship, which has been developed to promote scientific research among medical students and to support the entry into scientific work.

For more than one year I am now part of project 7 'Deciphering the FSH signaling on spermatogenesis' of the Clinical Research Unit 'Male Germ Cells'. The focus of my medical doctoral thesis was the effect of the FSH Beta polymorphism c. -211 on spermatogenesis in human testis. FSH is the most important hormone regulating spermatogenesis in the male and the polymorphism. FSHB is well known for its impact on male's reproductive function and its reduction of FSH serum levels.

However, the effects of FSHB c.-211 on the histological architecture are so far unknown. The aim of my studies was to explore how this polymorphism alters spermatogenesis quantitatively.

The MedK provided me with methodological seminars and a financial support for one year.

Looking back on this great time I am very happy for participating and can highly recommend the MedK- scholarship to any medical student aspiring an experimental doctoral thesis.'