Animal physiology, immunology and developmental biology

The aim of the program is to prepare top specialists in specific scientific fields developed within the Department of Animal Physiology and Immunology at the Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University. Graduates are prepared for further scientific careers at workplaces of basic or applied research at the international level, but also for possible employment in companies with a research background, in medical facilities and as professional lecturers.

The program focuses on the research formation of students in the rapidly developing fields of physiology, immunology and developmental biology. Students are trained to conduct research in the areas ranging from cellular to organ level to models of whole animal organisms from cells to humans. Modern molecular biology techniques and state-of-the-art imaging techniques are applied. The program covers research topics ranging from veterinary through biomedical applications to general basic research issues. In particular, the most represented topic is the research of cellular signaling, which is crucial for understanding the processes controlling embryonic development, tissue differentiation and regeneration, as well as processes of carcinogenesis or immune regulation. The program integrates methodological approaches of molecular biology, molecular embryology and cell biology with morphological and behavioral approaches.

The course is designed to motivate prospective students through checkpoints. A greater number of methodologically oriented courses, internships, and openness to contacts with biotechnology companies ensure interconnection with the practice of modern biological research. Emphasis is placed on using English as a basic tool for scientific work.

Students are motivated by the high professional quality of research in an open and friendly environment. The performance of individual students is appreciated both financially and, for example, through participation in prestigious international conferences.

Practical training

The program includes compulsory student practice at potential employers as a tool for establishing links with future employers.

Further information

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

The program is designed to be comparable with high-quality foreign universities programmes and graduates work well at top research institutes, whether from academic or non-academic institutions. The director of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Key Manager of Roche Diagnostics, Postdoc at the Karolinska Institutet or the director of the embryological laboratory are examples of positions where our graduates found employment and refer for the program. Graduates of the doctoral study program are therefore entitled to carry out independent scientific and research activities in the field of basic and applied research, but they are also employed in management positions thanks to their language and managerial competencies. In a broader sense, they are prepared to carry out all activities related to scientific work; to deal with conceptual issues, scientific-organizational activities and teaching.