Molecular and Cell Biology and Genetics

The program is product of fusion of former independent Molecular and Cellular Biology with General and Molecular Genetics. We propose the fusion to reflect modern holistic approaches dominating in both fields that converge them to close proximity and bringing benefits to both of them. The aim of the program is providing excellent scientific education in the field of molecular and cell biology and genetics. The graduates thus should be proficient to accomplish research of living phenomena on molecular, cellular, tissue or organismal levels. To achieve this aim, students are systematically guided to advance their theoretical knowledge in the field and master practical skills in applications of modern methods of molecular and cellular biology, genetics and other related fields. The key themes include study of genes and genomes and their expression in microorganisms, plants, animals and humans. Special attention is paid to their relations to pathological conditions. Research performed on microorganisms is focused preferentially on molecular diagnosis and genomics of selected pathogenic and clinically significant bacterial strains and their interactions with bacteriophages. Research of plants is concentrated mainly on genes of model plants and plants used in agriculture. In animals and humans, research is focused on genetical structure of populations, molecular diagnosis of prenatal and postnatal pathogenic situations, genetics of tumors, study of signalling processes connected with deregulation of proliferation, differentiation and programmed cell death in tumor cells and detection of genetical factors associated with certain polygenic diseases. Students are free to perform independent research in well-equipped laboratories and experienced supervisors are nominated to guide them in this effort. Students are continuously confronted with progress in the field by discussions in regular laboratory meetings, institutional seminars or conferences. Students successfully presenting their results in conferences or written articles can be awarded by special scholarships for excellent representation of the Deparmtent of Experimental Biology and following activities:

• papers in international journals or chapters in monographies, considering ranking of the journal (IF, Q), placings of the student among co-authors, number of co-authors, proportion of the student efforts on the published results.
• presentation of the results on conferencies, considering placings of the student amnog co-authors, number of co-authors, proportion of the student efforts on the published results and the type of the conference (international or domestic).

“Windows of the living cell universe wide-opened.”

Practical training

The students who are interested in applied research can collaborate with companies as Repromeda (assisted reproduction), MB Pharma (devising phage preparations) or to participate in grant projects funded by TACR leading to applied outcomes. We aim to further support contractual research with applied potential, search for suitable partners and provide them with option to collaborate with students interested in this kind of research.

Further information

Additional information can be found in following addresses:

The Office for Doctoral Studies, Quality, Academic Affairs and Internationalization takes care of doctoral students SCI MU

https://www.sci.muni.cz/en/students/phd

On the department's website, you can find the following information:

• Forms (application forms for state examinations and defences, various applications, etc. )
• Legislation (links to: MU Study and Examination Regulations, Scholarship Regulations of MU, Terms of Scholarship Programmes of the Faculty of Science)
• Dissertations (Guidelines for dissertations, templates)
• Manuals (guidelines for Individual Study Plans, study and research obligations in DSP, etc.)
• Doctoral study programmes (recommended study plans, examination committees, overview of accredited programmes)
• Deadlines for the doctoral state examinations and defences
• Enrolment (information needed for the enrolment to the next semester)
• Graduation

but also office hours, contacts, news, information on skills development and scholarships.

Detailed information on stays abroad can be found on this website:

https://www.sci.muni.cz/en/students/phd/develop-your-skills/stay-abroad

Graduates find positions in various research institutes, universities, hospitals and other medical facilities and laboratories oriented to virology, microbiology, genetics, biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology, pathology, etc. They are ready to perform independent research, draft scientific projects, create grant applications, design experimental work itself, interprete results rigorously and present them in oral as well as written forms. They are also educated to act as teachers. Graduates from this program are sought-after by employers and many of them currently work on positions of leading researchers, university teachers, top managers and directors in various research and education institutions in Brno, Prague, Ostrava, České Budějovice, Olomouc, etc. Many graduates leaves for postdoctoral stays abroad, especially to west-european countries, USA, Canada, Japan, Australia. They often become highly-appreciated members of research teams there.

More information about admission process for international applicants in general can be found in the section Admission Process.

Date of the entrance exam
The applicants will receive information about the entrance exam by e-mail usually at least 10 days before the exam.
Please, always check your e-mails, including spam folders.

Conditions of admission
To be admitted, a candidate must obtain a total of 70 out of 100 points in the expert knowledge part and 60 out of 100 points in the language part.
Successful applicants are informed of their acceptance by e-mail and subsequently receive an invitation to the enrolment.

Programme capacity
The capacity of a given programme is not fixed; students are admitted based on a decision by the Doctoral Board after assessing their aptitude for study and motivation.