From a scientific point of view, the study of health literacy in connection with chronically ill patients is still a very young field of research in Germany. For this reason, the Robert Bosch Stiftung is funding an interdisciplinary doctoral program at Hannover Medical School with young scientists who are approaching the topic from different perspectives. The aim of the program is to gain valuable insights into the interplay between health literacy, coping with illness and the systemic conditions and to improve the care situation of affected people in the future by developing innovative models.