Organized by the fe|male brain initiative and funded by the Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR, Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space), this is the second GAPSY Summer School to receive funding. GAPSY2 focuses on sex- and gender-sensitive preclinical, clinical, and translational research to address the gender data gap in mental health and illness, integrating neurobiological aspects (such as sex-specific differences in brain structure, neurotransmitter systems, and hormonal regulation) into the study of mental health and neuroscience.
The programme provides four days of comprehensive training (a bootcamp) across all phases of the research pipeline, enabling participants to consider sex and gender as critical variables in experimental design, data collection, statistical analysis, and clinical translation. It will be strenuous, but well worth it. Our goal is to equip students, researchers, and clinician-scientists with the interdisciplinary competencies needed to apply sex and gender-sensitive methods, develop evidence-based guidelines, and ultimately improve health equity. Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) is integrated as an essential topic.
Why does it matter?
The gender data gap is not a "women's issue"; it is an "everyone issue". It is a scientific crisis that leads to ineffective treatments for everyone. By bringing together students, clinicians, and researchers, we can build a more accurate model of human mental and neurological health. Your perspective, enthusiasm, and participation are vital.
Key Details
Begins: Monday, 5 October - Registration begins at 10:00, Official programme begins at 13:00; Ends: Thursday, 8 October - Official programme ends at 13:00
Yes, our "summer" school takes place in October!
Who Should Attend?
We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and gender identities (including women, non-binary individuals, and men) with a connection to neuroscience, mental health, psychology, or clinical medicine, and a demonstrated interest in sex and gender differences as they relate to research and personalized therapy. Please share this link with colleagues, friends, students, and researchers in your networks.
https://tuebingenresearchcampus.com/en/research-in-tuebingen/tnc/events/2026-summer-semester/gapsy2
Eligible participants include:
Relevant fields: Psychology, Allied Health, Neuroscience, and related areas including, but not limited to (e.g., neurobiology, neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, cognitive/computational/behavioural/molecular/cellular/systems neuroscience, neuroimaging, neuropharmacology, neurogenetics, neuroimmunology, neuroendocrinology, neurology, neuropsychology, psychiatry, clinical psychology, biomedical engineering, bioinformatics, psychophysiology, and interdisciplinary areas)
Faculty
We are currently:
Developing the curriculum
Planning recruitment for 20-30 young researchers
Assembling an esteemed faculty, including international and University of Tübingen lecturers
How to Apply?
If invited to participate, you will be expected to submit the following to keep your place.
Funding
Summer School Funding and Logistics Information
Funding Disclaimer & Process
All financial support is subject to the availability of summer school funds. While we strive to minimize personal costs, we cannot fully guarantee reimbursement of every expense. Wherever possible, we intend to handle costs via direct invoicing rather than reimbursement. Participants who can obtain travel funding from home institutions are encouraged to do so, as this enables us to extend support to those who cannot.
Accommodation & Meals
Hotel: Rooms are booked under a group-rate block. Breakfast is provided at the hotel. Please confirm you would like to reserve a room and if you are willing to share a room with another applicant that you know.
Meals: Lunches, refreshments, and evening dinners will be catered, in a restaurant, or provided through the venue’s cafeteria.
Check-in/out: October 5 (check-in) through October 8 (check-out) for eligible participants.
Poster Production:
Participants may submit their posters to the Summer School organizers for direct printing if received by the deadline (TBD). If direct printing is not feasible, you may print the poster independently and submit a valid receipt for reimbursement.
Travel Expenses:
We aim to cover public transportation costs to and from Tübingen for participants unable to secure their own travel funding. As with other expenses, this depends on available funds. Valid receipts are required for all reimbursement claims.
Historical Context:
In the previous year, all participants were made whole. No participant had to bear the expenses of summer school personally unless they secured their own travel funding to attend. We hope to maintain this level of support where budgetary constraints allow.
Applications will be blindly judged on merit, consistent with the candidate's level and type of training.
Partial financial and/or accommodation support may be provided to select candidates if additional funding is received.
See information about the past Bridging the Gender Data Gap in Mental Health - GAPSY(1) in 2025
https://tuebingenresearchcampus.com/en/research-in-tuebingen/tnc/events/past-events/2025-in-review/bridging-the-gender-data-gap-in-mental-health-gapsy
Download instructions below: 20260615_instructions_to_applicants.pdf
Tübingen is a special place for research. Very few locations offer such a wide range of research areas in such close proximity - both physically and figuratively. Not only are all of Tübingen's research institutions just a stone's throw away from each other, they also collaborate closely within the Tübingen Research Campus.
Visit page
Life in Tübingen is life in the heart of Europe and in one of Germany's most scenic and economically competitive regions. It's a bustling mediaeval town with a young, international, and vibrant population and a rich cultural and artistic scene. Lectures, concerts, film festivals, and more: life in Tübingen never gets boring.
Visit page
The Neurosciences in Tübingen with more than 100 active research groups have the potential to rank among the most successful neuroscientific sites in Europe.
Visit page
