Submit your application during this period
International applicants for doctoral study (Czech and Slovak Republics applicants NOT included)
Microbiology
Doctoral degree in full-time or combined form. The language of instruction is Czech.
The programme can be studied only as a single subject.
Application deadline depending on the admission procedure chosen (midnight 30 November 2026 or 15 December 2026)
What will you learn?
The programme’s goal is to develop students into top specialists in microbiology of prokaryotic and eucaryotic cells developed within the Department of Experimental Biology at Faculty of Science, MU. Graduates should be ready to take on further scientific careers in academic institutions, but also for possible employment in health care or veterinary facilities, in food, chemical or pharmaceutical industry and in biotechnology companies with own research facilities, and as specialist lecturers.
The program actively supports its graduates in pursuing their scientific careers even further by encouraging long-term stays in post-graduate positions abroad.
The individual laboratories of the Microbiology programme cover the following research areas in which doctoral students are also trained:
Taxonomy and diversity of microorganisms
- Antibiotic rezistance of prokaryotes
- Food-safety and fast proof of pathogens
- Emerging viral infections
- Polyphasic classification of prokaryotes
- Synthetic biology
- Methanogenic archaea
The link between programmes are shared technologies, joint workshops, specialized seminars and conferences. Students are motivated by the high professional quality of research in a competitive, yet collaboration-friendly environment. Performance of individual students is recognized not only financially, but also, for example, by participating at prestigious conferences.
“Life on the Earth is not possible without microbes.”
Practical training
The student is responsible for at least one stay abroad in microbiology laboratory in minimal duration of one month during the study programme.
Further information
https://www.sci.muni.cz/do/sci/web/vzd/studijni_plany/Mikrobiologie.pdf
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
Career opportunities
Graduates of the doctoral degree programme in Microbiology are highly qualified professionals with advanced expertise in modern microbiological methods, experimental design, data analysis, scientific communication, and project management. They are well prepared for independent research and leadership positions in academia, public research institutions, and international research organizations.
Graduates find employment as researchers, postdoctoral fellows, university lecturers, laboratory managers, and scientific specialists at universities and research institutes worldwide. Their expertise is also highly valued in the private sector, including biotechnology, pharmaceutical, diagnostic, environmental, agricultural, food, and industrial companies focused on research, development, innovation, and quality control.
Owing to their training in molecular microbiology, microbial genomics, bioinformatics, microbial ecology, host-microbe interactions, and applied biotechnology, graduates are competitive on both national and international labour markets. They contribute to addressing current societal challenges related to human and animal health, antimicrobial resistance, sustainable biotechnology, environmental protection, food safety, and the development of novel microbial products and technologies.
The programme also equips graduates with transferable skills in critical thinking, problem solving, interdisciplinary collaboration, grant preparation, scientific publishing, and communication with both professional and non-specialist audiences, enabling successful careers in research management, technology transfer, regulatory affairs, science policy, consulting, and other knowledge-intensive sectors.
Admission requirements
Admission to Doctoral degree programmes in 2026/2027 (beginning: Spring 2027)
— Submission deadline until midnight 30 Nov 2026
Admission procedure
Student must show very good knowledge of general microbiology, molecular biology, and biochemistry related to the theme of the PhD thesis.
The entrance examination is organized as an oral discussion when the committee evaluates and assigns points for the applicant’s expertise and abilities for scientific work (0-100 points) and skills in the English language (0-90 points).
Student must show very good knowledge of general microbiology, molecular biology, and biochemistry related to the theme of the PhD thesis.
Candidates for the PhD programme are requested to introduce their proposed doctoral project to the committee during the entrance interview. This should take the form of a short PowerPoint presentation with a maximum duration of 10 minutes. The presentation should include:
- A brief introduction to the research topic.
- The motivation for undertaking the project.
- The planned project objectives (and, if applicable, the central hypothesis or hypotheses).
- The primary research methods to be utilised.
At the beginning of the presentation, the candidate should briefly summarise their professional CV/academic background. To conclude, please mention any planned or already arranged international placements or internships.
Good knowledge of the English language is essential, which will allow the student to not only read scientific literature, but also to talk and write about their scientific research.The entrance examination is organized as an oral discussion when the committee evaluates and assigns points for the applicant’s expertise and abilities for scientific work (0-100 points) and skills in the English language (0-90 points).
More information about admission process for international applicants in general can be found here.
Date of the entrance exam
The applicants will receive information about the entrance exam by e-mail usually at least 7 days before the exam.
Please, always check your e-mails, including spam folders.
Conditions of admission
Minimum requirements for successful examination are 85 points for scientific part and 60 points for language part of the entrance examination.
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.
International applicants for doctoral study (Czech and Slovak Republics applicants NOT included)
— Submission deadline until midnight 15 Dec 2026
Admission procedure
Candidates must show very good knowledge of general microbiology, molecular biology, and biochemistry related to the topic of their proposed PhD thesis.
The entrance examination is organized as an oral discussion when the committee evaluates and assigns points for the applicant’s expertise and abilities for scientific work (0-100 points) and skills in the English language (0-90 points).
Candidates must show very good knowledge of general microbiology, molecular biology, and biochemistry related to the topic of their proposed PhD thesis.
During the entrance interview, candidates are requested to introduce their proposed doctoral project to the committee in the form of a short PowerPoint presentation, lasting no more than 10 minutes. The presentation should include:
- A brief introduction to the research topic.
- The motivation for undertaking the project.
- The planned project objectives (and, if applicable, the central hypothesis or hypotheses).
- The primary research methods to be utilised.
At the beginning of the presentation, the candidate should briefly summarise their professional CV/academic background. To conclude, any planned or already arranged international placements or internships should be mentioned.
Good knowledge of the English language is essential, which will allow the student to not only read scientific literature, but also to talk and write about their scientific research.The entrance examination is organized as an oral discussion when the committee evaluates and assigns points for the applicant’s expertise and abilities for scientific work (0-100 points) and skills in the English language (0-90 points).
More information about admission process for international applicants in general can be found here.
Date of the entrance exam
The applicants will receive information about the entrance exam by e-mail usually at least 7 days before the exam.
Please, always check your e-mails, including spam folders.
Conditions of admission
Minimum requirements for successful examination are 85 points for scientific part and 60 points for language part of the entrance examination.
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.
Admission to Doctoral degree programmes in 2026/2027 (beginning: Autumn 2026)
— Data from the previous admission procedure (1 Jan – 30 Apr 2026)
Admission procedure
Student must show very good knowledge of general microbiology, molecular biology, and biochemistry related to the theme of the PhD thesis.
The entrance examination is organized as an oral discussion when the committee evaluates and assigns points for the applicant’s expertise and abilities for scientific work (0-100 points) and skills in the English language (0-90 points).
Student must show very good knowledge of general microbiology, molecular biology, and biochemistry related to the theme of the PhD thesis.
Candidates for the PhD programme are requested to introduce their proposed doctoral project to the committee during the entrance interview. This should take the form of a short PowerPoint presentation with a maximum duration of 10 minutes. The presentation should include:
- A brief introduction to the research topic.
- The motivation for undertaking the project.
- The planned project objectives (and, if applicable, the central hypothesis or hypotheses).
- The primary research methods to be utilised.
At the beginning of the presentation, the candidate should briefly summarise their professional CV/academic background. To conclude, please mention any planned or already arranged international placements or internships.
Good knowledge of the English language is essential, which will allow the student to not only read scientific literature, but also to talk and write about their scientific research.The entrance examination is organized as an oral discussion when the committee evaluates and assigns points for the applicant’s expertise and abilities for scientific work (0-100 points) and skills in the English language (0-90 points).
More information about admission process for international applicants in general can be found here.
Date of the entrance exam
The applicants will receive information about the entrance exam by e-mail usually at least 7 days before the exam.
Please, always check your e-mails, including spam folders.
Conditions of admission
Minimum requirements for successful examination are 85 points for scientific part and 60 points for language part of the entrance examination.
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.
Deadlines
Submit your application during this period
Admission to Doctoral degree programmes in 2026/2027 (beginning: Spring 2027)
Study options
Single-subject studies
-
Full-time studies in czech
What will you learn? -
Combined studies in czech
What will you learn?
Dissertation topics
Single-subject studies
Genomic analysis of pathogenic strains of enterobacteria resistant to antimicrobials using new generation sequencing approach and bioinformatics
Supervisor: doc. RNDr. Monika Dolejská, Ph.D.
Rostoucí incidence bakterií rezistentních k antimikrobiálním látkám a jejich celosvětové šíření představují jedny z předních hrozeb současné medicíny a způsobují závažné komplikace v terapii infekčních onemocnění. Nárůst rezistence je sledován také u patogenních kmenů enterobakterií, které vyvolávají různé infekce člověka i zvířat. Genomika a celogenomové sekvenování (WGS) výrazně posouvají současné poznání v mikrobiologii a staly se důležitými přístupy pro pochopení rysů a vlastností bakterií rezistentních k antibiotikům. Současné WGS technologie však také přinášejí nové výzvy v analýze sekvenačních dat z důvodu obrovské komplexnosti, plasticity a diverzity bakteriálních genomů. Cílem této dizertační práce je práce s daty ze sekvenování nové generace (Illumina, Oxford Nanopore), která zahrnuje především návrh a použití in silico metod pro bioinformatické zpracování WGS dat.
Increasing incidence of bacteria resistant to antimicrobial agents and their global spread is one of the most important threats to current medicine, causing serious difficulties in the therapy of infectious diseases. Growing resistance has been documented also in pathogenic strains of enterobacteria that cause various infections in humans and animals. Genomics and whole genome sequencing (WGS) have the capacity to greatly enhance our knowledge in microbiology and they have become an important approach in our understanding of traits and specific features of antibiotic resistant bacteria. However, current WGS technologies also pose new challenges for sequence analysis due to the enormous complexity, plasticity and diversity of bacterial genomes. The aim of the PhD study will be to work with data from NGS systems (Illumina, Oxford Nanopore), to design and apply in silico methods for bioinformatics processing of WGS data.
Increasing incidence of bacteria resistant to antimicrobial agents and their global spread is one of the most important threats to current medicine, causing serious difficulties in the therapy of infectious diseases. Growing resistance has been documented also in pathogenic strains of enterobacteria that cause various infections in humans and animals. Genomics and whole genome sequencing (WGS) have the capacity to greatly enhance our knowledge in microbiology and they have become an important approach in our understanding of traits and specific features of antibiotic resistant bacteria. However, current WGS technologies also pose new challenges for sequence analysis due to the enormous complexity, plasticity and diversity of bacterial genomes. The aim of the PhD study will be to work with data from NGS systems (Illumina, Oxford Nanopore), to design and apply in silico methods for bioinformatics processing of WGS data.
Supervisor
Plasmids in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance and their interactions with the bacterial host
Supervisor: doc. RNDr. Monika Dolejská, Ph.D.
Celosvětové rozšíření významných mechanismů rezistence prostřednictvím úspěšných genetických elementů je rostoucím problémem současné medicíny, s obrovským dopadem na zdraví člověka, zvířat a prostředí. Pochopení přenosu a šíření genů rezistence k antibiotikům v bakteriálních populacích je nezbytným předpokladem pro úspěšný boj s rapidně narůstající rezistencí k antibiotikům. Projekt je zaměřen na různé aspekty plazmidů spojených s rezistencí ke kriticky významným antibiotickům izolovaných z různých bakterií a širokého prostředí. Za využití sekvenování nové generace (Illumina, Oxford Nanopore Technologies) a bionformatické analýzy sekvenačních dat bude studována struktura, plasticita a evoluce plazmidů stejně jako jejich potenciál se šířit a udržovat v bakteriálních komunitách. Role přídatných mechanismů a faktorů odpovědných za jejich udržování, šíření a zvyšování fitness bakteriálních hostitelů budou zhodnoceny a uvedeny do kontextu rezistence k antibiotikům. Cílem projektu je přinést nové informace o vlastnostech a rysech rezistentních plazmidů stojících za jejich úspěchem.
The worldwide dissemination of emerging resistance mechanisms via successful genetic elements is growing concern in current medicine, with the huge impact on health of humans, animals and the environment. Understanding how antibiotic resistance genes are mobilized and spread in bacteria is a desirable pre-requisite to combat antibiotic resistance. The project will be focused on various aspects of plasmids associated with resistance to critically important antibiotics isolated from various bacteria and wide sources. New-generation sequencing (Illumina, Oxford Nanopore Technologies Structure) and bioinformatics analysis of sequencing data will be used to study the plasticity and evolution of the resistance plasmids as well as their potential to spread and persist in bacterial communities. The role of additional accessory mechanisms and factors in the plasmid maintenance, transfer and fitness of bacterial hosts will be evaluated along with the resistance to antibiotics. The aim is to bring new knowledge on traits and features of resistance plasmids that are behind their success.
The worldwide dissemination of emerging resistance mechanisms via successful genetic elements is growing concern in current medicine, with the huge impact on health of humans, animals and the environment. Understanding how antibiotic resistance genes are mobilized and spread in bacteria is a desirable pre-requisite to combat antibiotic resistance. The project will be focused on various aspects of plasmids associated with resistance to critically important antibiotics isolated from various bacteria and wide sources. New-generation sequencing (Illumina, Oxford Nanopore Technologies Structure) and bioinformatics analysis of sequencing data will be used to study the plasticity and evolution of the resistance plasmids as well as their potential to spread and persist in bacterial communities. The role of additional accessory mechanisms and factors in the plasmid maintenance, transfer and fitness of bacterial hosts will be evaluated along with the resistance to antibiotics. The aim is to bring new knowledge on traits and features of resistance plasmids that are behind their success.
Supervisor
Supervisors
- Mgr. Magdaléna Crhánová, Ph.D.
- doc. RNDr. Monika Dolejská, Ph.D.
- prof. RNDr. Jiří Doškař, CSc.
- doc. Mgr. Pavel Dvořák, Ph.D.
- doc. RNDr. Luděk Eyer, Ph.D.
- doc. Ivan Kushkevych, Ph.D.
- MVDr. Kateřina Nedbalcová, Ph.D.
- prof. RNDr. Roman Pantůček, Ph.D.
- Mgr. Lucie Podešvová, Ph.D.
- prof. RNDr. Ivo Rudolf, Ph.D.
- prof. RNDr. Daniel Růžek, Ph.D.
- prof. RNDr. Ivo Sedláček, CSc.
- doc. RNDr. Pavel Švec, Ph.D.
- prof. Ing. Tomáš Vítěz, Ph.D.
- prof. Mgr. Monika Vítězová, Ph.D.
- MVDr. Monika Zouharová, Ph.D.
Study information
| Provided by | Faculty of Science | |
|---|---|---|
| Type of studies | Doctoral | |
| Mode | full-time | Yes |
| combined | Yes | |
| distance | No | |
| Study options | single-subject studies | Yes |
| single-subject studies with specialization | No | |
| major/minor studies | No | |
| Standard length of studies | 4 years | |
| Language of instruction | Czech | |
| Collaborating institutions |
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| Doctoral board and doctoral committees | ||
Do you have any questions?
Send us an e-mail
to
doc. Mgr. Pavel Dvořák, Ph.D.
Consultant
| e‑mail: |
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