Molecular and Cell Biology and Genetics

This doctoral study programme is organized by the Faculty of Science in English and the studies are subject to tuition. There is an alternative option for the international applicants to be accepted in the free programme administered in Czech with the possibility of receiving a scholarship. The study language of the programme is still English (Czech is the administrative language). Before officially applying, please contact us at admission@sci.muni.cz to find all the necessary information related to the scholarship and see our FAQ’s.

Podat přihlášku

International applicants for doctoral study (Czech and Slovak Republics applicants NOT included)
Termín podání přihlášky do půlnoci 15. 12. 2025.

Co se naučíte

The program is a product of the 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 bring benefits to both of them. The aim of the program is to provide excellent scientific education in the field of molecular and cell biology and genetics. The graduates thus should be proficient to accomplish research of the nature of living phenomena on molecular, cellular, tissue and 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 the 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 on plants is concentrated mainly on the study of genes of model plants and plants used in agriculture. In animals and humans, research is focused on the genetical structure of populations, molecular diagnosis of prenatal and postnatal pathogenic situations, genetics of tumours, the study of signalling processes connected with the regulation of proliferation, differentiation and programmed cell death in tumour 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. Successful conference presentations or published articles are awarded by a special stipend.

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

Praxe

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.

Chcete vědět víc?

Additional information can be found in following addresses:

http://www.sci.muni.cz/cz/DoktorskeStudium/Prehled-programu-a-oboru

http://www.sci.muni.cz/cz/UEB

Uplatnění absolventů

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, experimental work itself, including rigorous interpretations of results and presentations 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 the Czech Republic. Many graduates leaves for postdoctoral stays abroad, especially to westeuropean countries, USA, Canada, Japan, Australia. They often become highly-appreciated members of research teams there.

Podmínky přijetí

Admission procedure
The admission interview is usually in an online form and consists of two parts:
1) Expert interview – the committee examines the applicant's professional competence and motivation on the basis of his/her CV, motivation letter and letter of recommendation, submitted by the applicant together with the application form. During the interview candidates present their PhD research project including methodology, and expected outputs in the presence of the supervisor. The committee also evaluates the candidate's knowledge of molecular and cell biology and genetics, with an emphasis on the area of planned research and his/her ability to put the findings into a general context (maximum 100 points),
2) Language part – the committee evaluates the candidate's ability to present and discuss his/her previous/current scientific (diploma) work and the concept of the planned PhD research in English. (max. 100 points).

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.

Termíny

2. 1. – 15. 12. 2025

Termín pro podání přihlášek

Podat přihlášku

Výzkumná zaměření dizertačních prací

Jednooborové studium

Advanced neuroblastoma models for drug discovery
Školitel: doc. RNDr. Jan Škoda, Ph.D.

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children and remains a major therapeutic challenge. Despite intensive multimodal therapies, about half of the high-risk neuroblastoma patients eventually die from the disease, highlighting the urgent need for more predictive preclinical models to support the identification of novel and clinically effective therapeutics. This PhD project aims to utilize and refine advanced in vitro and in vivo models of neuroblastoma to improve drug discovery and validation. Specifically, the work will focus on 3D tumor spheroid cultures, which better replicate the architecture and heterogeneity of pediatric solid tumors compared to conventional 2D models. Complementary in vivo models will be used to assess therapeutic responses in a systemic and physiologically relevant context. These models will be applied to test therapeutic approaches that act on mitochondrial synthetic lethality (Borankova et al., Cell Death Dis. 2023) or additional targets identified by our group (Kameneva et al., Nat Commun. 2022). The overall goal is to establish a robust platform that bridges the gap between preclinical and clinical neuroblastoma research, ultimately facilitating the discovery of more effective and clinically relevant therapies for high-risk neuroblastoma.
Poznámky

Funding:
AZV ČR, funds by the Department of Experimental Biology (Laboratory of Tumor Biology) and by the International Clinical Research Center (Laboratory Oncology Translational Research). The candidate will have a 0,5 FTE covered by the grant/institutional support + scholarship + will have full support in applying for other sources of funding (Brno PhD talent, travel grants, individual research projects, etc.). The candidate will have the opportunity to present their results at various international conferences and will be supported in undertaking a short-term research stay abroad at relevant institutions, including collaborating groups at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the University of Cambridge, DKFZ, University College Dublin or the Medical University of Vienna.

Information about Supervisor:
Assoc. Prof. Jan Škoda, Ph.D. is a cancer biologist with extensive expertise in pediatric cancer research and a long-standing focus on identifying molecular targets and therapeutic strategies to eliminate therapy-resistant cells in aggressive childhood tumors. He has published 28 articles on this topic, and his research has attracted 34.5M CZK in competitive research grants (2x AZV, 2x GAČR, ECR Kickstart Grant). The supervisor has gained international research experience at excellent institutions (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, The University of Sydney) and established additional productive international collaborations across Europe (Karolinska Institutet, DKFZ, The University of Cambridge, TU Dresden, etc.). He currently leads the Laboratory of Tumor Biology and the Laboratory Oncology Translation Research groups at the Department of Experimental Biology (Faculty of Science, Masaryk University) and the International Clinical Research Center (St. Anne’s University Hospital Brno), respectively. He has been supervising/mentoring 4 PhD, 5 Master’s, and 5 Bachelor’s students, several of them awarded for their research, e.g., 3x Dean’s Awards for Outstanding Master’s & Bachelor’s Students, or Brno Ph.D. Talent Scholarship. The supervisor fosters a collaborative and supportive team environment, working closely with PhD students to support their career development – graduates have been highly competitive on the job market, securing research positions in R&D companies and prestigious institutions such as Karolinska Institutet.

Školitel

doc. RNDr. Jan Škoda, Ph.D.

Změny v kontrole buněčného cyklu a dělení chromozomů v časném embryu savců
Školitel: doc. MVDr. Martin Anger, CSc.

Časný embryonální vývoj savců se vyznačuje zvýšeným výskytem poruch, vedoucích k jeho předčasnému ukončení. Tento problém ovlivňuje jak přirozený vývoj, kde zapříčiňuje snížení fertility, tak i umělé oplodnění, kde dochází ke ztrátám cenných buněk. Nejčastěji se poruchy týkají dělení chromosomů a souvisí se sestavením dělícího aparátu a s regulací buněčného cyklu. Z vývojového hlediska se toto období vyznačuje rychlými změnami v chování a aktivitě buněk, z nichž některé jsou zatím velmi málo prozkoumány. Projekt bude tedy zaměřen na objasnění kontrolních mechanismů časného vývoje, zejména regulace buněčného cyklu a dělení chromozomů, a na objasnění jejich role během poruch vývoje. V laboratoři budou využity techniky mikroinjekce, mikromanipulace, konfokální časosběrné mikroskopie a také analýza transkriptomu a proteomu buněk.



 

Early embryonic development in mammals is characterized by high incidence of errors, which leads into its premature termination. That makes it a problem during natural conception, causing subfertility, as well as during artificial reproduction, causing loss of valuable cells and embryos. The most common causes are those related to chromosome segregation, and they are associated with errors in cell cycle and spindle apparatus regulatory mechanisms. This period of development is characterized by rapid changes in cellular behavior, some of which are still not understood well. The project will be aimed on elucidation of fundamental control mechanisms of early development, especially those concerning cell cycle regulation and control of chromosome segregation, and also on the link between these mechanisms and failure of development. Techniques, such as micromanipulation, microinjection, time lapse microscopy and functional microscopy will be utilized for the project.

Poznámky

Laboratoř: Výzkumný ústav veterinárního lékařství, v.v.i.

Školitel

doc. MVDr. Martin Anger, CSc.

Školitelé

Informace o studiu

Zajišťuje Přírodovědecká fakulta
Typ studia doktorský
Forma prezenční ano
kombinovaná ano
distanční ne
Možnosti studia jednooborově ano
jednooborově se specializací ne
v kombinaci s jiným programem ne
Doba studia 4 roky
Vyučovací jazyk angličtina
Spolupracující instituce
  • Akademie věd ČR
  • Biofyzikální ústav AV ČR
Oborová rada a oborové komise
Poplatky za studium
Studium v cizích jazycích je zpoplatněné, platba je za akademický rok
3 000 EUR
Více informací

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