The highly interdisciplinary research program of this CRC requires continuous training of all participating early career researchers (ECRs; i.e. doctoral students and postdocs), which enables them to benefit as much as possible from the instrumental and methodological infrastructure developed in the individual working groups and to further expand them in line with the planned research activities to ensure maximal success. Therefore, the qualification program of the Integrated Research Training Group (IRTG) in this CRC was constructed to provide individual support for all doctoral candidates (DVM, MD, PhD) and postdocs. The program contains courses that give access to important working and analytical methods in the field of hydrogel research, phenomena at biological interfaces and the effects of pathogens, as well as teach important key qualifications that prepare them optimally for their later professional development. Both, ECRs directly funded by the CRC and associated doctoral candidates and postdocs, who work in CRC scientific areas, will be involved in the activities of the graduate program, such as the Students’ Day, the annual Students’ Retreat as well as outreach activities. In this way, the IRTG brings together researchers of natural and (veterinary) medical sciences within a single structured program, thereby allowing the members of the IRTG to develop a common language and knowledge base across different disciplines, which will significantly broaden their employability in academia or industry. These activities will be complemented by established rules and quality standards in the individual supervision of each member of the IRTG.