HGF Health CF network Spatial Omics School
Helmholtz Health Core Facility Network Spatial Omics School 
Welcome
Welcome to the application portal for the Helmholtz Health Core Facility Network Spatial Omics School (SOS).
The Spatial Omics School is designed for PhD candidates and early-career postdoctoral researchers who would like to strengthen their theoretical and practical expertise in spatial omics. The programme brings together experts in spatial biology, omics technologies, biomedical imaging, data science, and research data management.
Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee participation. Applications will be reviewed by a scientific selection committee. Once you accept an offered place, your registration is binding.
About the Spatial Omics School
The Spatial Omics School is a modular training programme covering the complete spatial omics workflow: from biological and technological foundations to experimental implementation, data generation and analysis, and finally interpretation and application in biomedical research.
Participants will be introduced to key spatial omics technologies, experimental design, sample preparation, imaging- and omics-based readouts, and computational approaches for analysing spatially resolved datasets. Wet-lab sessions will provide practical insight into selected experimental steps and demonstrate how sample handling, assay design, and data generation affect downstream analysis and biological interpretation.
The programme also addresses data structure, quality control, documentation, reproducibility, and metadata annotation.
The teaching format combines lectures, expert talks, wet-lab sessions, hands-on data analysis, case studies, interactive discussions, and community-oriented exchange.
The school is organised across three Helmholtz Health Centres:
- Module 1 – Helmholtz Munich (HMGU), München: Foundations of Spatial Transcriptomics and Visium HD Workflows
9–12 November 2026, followed by an online session on 27 November 2026 - Module 2 – Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg: Spatial Multiomics, Data Workflows and Integration
1–5 February 2027 - Module 3 – Max Delbrück Center (MDC), Berlin: Spatial Omics Across Scales
26–30 April 2027
Participants may apply for one, two, or all three modules, depending on their interests, prior knowledge, and training needs. The preliminary programme may still be adjusted, and detailed schedules will be provided before the start of each module.
Please consult the preliminary programme for an overview of the three modules and their thematic focus.
Application and selection process
Applications will be evaluated by a scientific committee.
The selection will be based primarily on the applicant’s motivation, scientific background, and the relevance of the selected module or modules to their current research and training needs.
Required application documents
Please prepare a motivation letter before starting your application.
The motivation letter (no more than two A4 pages) should explain why you would like to participate, how the selected module or modules relate to your research, which skills or knowledge you would like to develop, and how you intend to apply the training in your future work.
Only complete applications submitted by the deadline can be considered.
Participation fee
The participation fee is:
- €500 for employees of Helmholtz institutions
- €800 for external participants
The fee applies per module and includes:
- participation in the full course programme, including theoretical and practical sessions
- lunch on each course day
- one social event during the module week.
Travel and accommodation are not included in the participation fee. Participants are responsible for organising and paying for their own travel and accommodation.
Payment details and applicable deadlines will be provided to successful applicants.
Application deadline: 31. AUGUST 2026
Applications submitted after the deadline may not be considered.
Further information
Following the selection process, successful applicants will receive detailed information.
We are looking forward to your registration
ORGANIZERS
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SPONSORS
This course was made possible through Course Funding by HIDA, which supported its development and implementation.
Module 1 @ HMGU sponsored by
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This event is subject to the DKFZ data protection policy