Overview
The program focuses on the study of biological processes at molecular and cell level, particularly the complex interactions of cells with their environment and among informational macromolecules (DNA, RNA, proteins), using state-of-the-art approaches and techniques of molecular biology and bioinformatics. It intersects with most biological areas and highly impacts modern medicine and the development of new biotechnologies with applications in food and pharmaceutic industry, agriculture, etc.
Start of studies in the winter semester (October)
Opening of applications and publication of the dissertation topics: 15. 2. 2026
Application by: 30. 4. 2026
Detailed information about the study programme
Offer of dissertation topics:
- Bilayered Vascular Wall Engineering via Co-Culture of Endothelial and Mesenchymal Stem Cells
- Biocatalytic preparation of conjugated polyphenols
- Biochemical characterisation of immune receptors and their ligands
- Cellular and Molecular Characterization of Regeneration-Initiating Cells in Amphibian and Fish Models
- Decoding Antibiotic Resistance: The Mechanism of mRNA-Dependent ABCF-Mediated Translation Rescue
- Dissecting Bordetella interaction with the respiratory epithelium
- Epitranscriptomic control of mRNA fate in pollen
- Functional and structural analysis of enzymes involved in insect terpenoid biosynthesis
- Genetic tools for circadian clock disruption in non-neural brain tissues studied by luminescence microscopy
- Integrative Transcriptomic Mapping of Brain Pathologies in Human Organoid Models.
- Mechanism of somatic hypermutation targeting and its role in the B lymphoma formation
- Mechanisms at the nexus of membrane protein biogenesis and degradation at the endoplasmic reticulum
- Mechanisms leading to cancer cachexia development in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Focus on metabolic regulation and immunomodulatory lipid signaling
- Mechanisms promoting cellular transformation and resistance to chemotherapy
- Metabolic basis of DHODH synthetic lethality with hexosamine biosynthesis and glycosylation in lung adenocarcinoma
- Microbial communities: Rules for cell adhesion and biofilm organization
- Studying complete viral populations using metagenomic sequencing
- Studying the role of antioxidant dipeptides in stem cell metabolism
- Studying the role of antioxidant dipeptides in stem cell metabolism
- Synthesis of deoxyribozymes using DNA amplification methods
- The impact of management on the activity of microbial communities in forest soils
- The impact of the inactive X chromosome on metabolic differences between male and female tissues throughout the body
- Two-step spinal cord injury treatment with immunomodulatory exosomes and second generation PI3Kdelta gene therapy
- Understanding the specificity of intramembrane proteases using biophysical principles and artificial intelligence
- Vertebrate Head Origin: an insight from Genetics, Single-Cell Transcriptomics, and Machine Learning.
Profile of the graduate
The graduate displays deep theoretical knowledge in molecular and cell biology, genetics and virology, with focus on some specific branch of these scientific fields. He/she is able to propose an optimum solution of a given scientific problem, to choose suitable methodical approaches and to correctly evaluate and interpret the obtained data. He/she also shows practical ability to apply various modern methods and techniques of molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, bioinformatics and biostatistics. The graduate can independently solve complex research problems using his/her creative thinking based on the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired during the doctoral study. He/she can find employment particularly in the reseach/development sector with focus on biology and biomedicine (both fundamental and applied research).
Application submission
The application is submitted electronically through the Charles University study information system. The completed application must be submitted electronically in the study information system no later than on 30. 4. 2026 for study programmes starting in the winter semester (October).
The admission fee is 100 EUR and it is paid for each submitted application.
Required application appendice is the agreement of a supervisor in the format of the following form available here. We recommend reaching out to the supervisor as soon as possible (ideally before 31. 3. 2026 for study programmes starting in the winter semester), so the application could be send out in time in case the agreement is granted.
Entrance exam
The regular date of entrance exam for all doctoral programmes starting in the winter semester (October) is in June 2026 (to be specified), an alternative date is in June 2026 (to be specified).
The request for an alternative day is submitted and approved via the electronic information system.
The form of the entrance exam is an oral interview, which mainly concerns the issues of the planned dissertation and the candidate’s knowledge within the field of expertise of the given study programme.
Find more information in:
Important links
Detailed description of the study on the website of the Department of Genetics and Microbiology
Applicants with specific needs
If you have a physical handicap, you can apply for a modification of the entrance exam. For more information read the Conditions of the admission procedure for doctoral study programmes.
Departments involved in this programme
Department of Genetics and Microbiology
Guarantor of the study programme
doc. RNDr. Dana Holá, Ph.D.
dana.hola@natur.cuni.cz
Do you have a question?
Complete information about the admission procedure can be found on the website for applicants. For questions, please contact the admissions contact persons.
