Success for Young Researchers: Dr. Hanhan Liu and Dr. Vasilena Sitnilska Accepted into the Medical Faculty’s Mentoring Program

The Department of Ophthalmology is pleased to announce that Dr. Hanhan Liu and Dr. Vasilena Sitnilska have been accepted into the prestigious “MhÄK – Mentoring for Female Physicians Pursuing Habilitation at the University of Cologne’s Faculty of Medicine” program. With their acceptance into the program, Dr. Sitnilska and Dr. Liu will have the opportunity to further develop their scientific careers in a targeted manner and prepare for a future professorship.

Both clinician-scientists are part of SFB 1607 at the University Eye Clinic in Cologne, with Dr. Liu serving as a subproject leader and Senior Physician Dr. Sitnilska as an associate clinician.

The two-year mentoring program begins on June 15, 2026, and is aimed at female physicians engaged in research who are working toward a habilitation. The program centers on individual interaction with a professor from the participant’s own field. This personal contact provides valuable insights into academic career paths and offers space for reflection and the further development of one’s own professional goals. The mentoring is supplemented by a structured support program featuring seminars on research expertise, career planning, and soft skills. Additionally, participants benefit from active networking with other mentees and experienced researchers.

With the MhÄK program, the Faculty of Medicine aims to specifically support outstanding young female researchers and counteract the so-called “leaky pipeline” phenomenon. Despite women accounting for over 60% of medical degree graduates, this proportion drops to about 39% among those holding a habilitation and to around 24% among professors. The program addresses this issue directly and supports female physicians in pursuing their scientific careers in the long term.

The Department of Ophthalmology and SFB 1607 warmly congratulate Dr. Hanhan Liu and Dr. Vasilena Sitnilska on this award and wish them every success in their participation in the mentoring program.