Classes

1^st semester

• Part I - Dissertation seminars in molecular mechanisms of inflammation, metabolic diseases and cancer (2 hours/week)
• Part I - Literature clubs in molecular mechanisms of inflammation, metabolic diseases and cancer (2 hours/week)
• Fundamentals for physicians / graduates in natural sciences (2 hours/week)

2^nd semester

• Part II - Dissertation seminars in molecular mechanisms of inflammation, metabolic diseases and cancer (2 hours/week)
• Part II - Literature clubs in molecular mechanisms of inflammation, metabolic diseases and cancer (2 hours/week)
• General principles and skills: Biostatistics (2 hours/week)
• Presentation of a progress report to the Thesis Committee

3^rd semester

• Part III - Dissertation seminars in molecular mechanisms of inflammation, metabolic diseases and cancer (2 hours/week)
• Part III - Literature clubs in molecular mechanisms of inflammation, metabolic diseases and cancer (2 hours/week)
• Presentation at the Doctoral Day

4^th semester

• Part IV - Dissertation seminars in molecular mechanisms of inflammation, metabolic diseases and cancer (2 hours/week)
• Part IV - Literature clubs in molecular mechanisms of inflammation, metabolic diseases and cancer (2 hours/week)
• Presentation of a progress report to the Thesis Committee

5^th semester

• Part V - Dissertation seminars in molecular mechanisms of inflammation, metabolic diseases and cancer (2 hours/week)
• Part V - Literature clubs in molecular mechanisms of inflammation, metabolic diseases and cancer (2 hours/week)
• Presentation at the Doctoral Day

6^th semester

• Part VI - Dissertation seminars in molecular mechanisms of inflammation, metabolic diseases and cancer (2 hours/week)
• Part VI - Literature clubs in molecular mechanisms of inflammation, metabolic diseases and cancer (2 hours/week)
• Submission of the doctoral thesis

 

Schedule overview (pdf)

 

Dissertation seminars focus on the molecular architecture of eukaryotic cells and cell organelles, as well as the molecular principles of cell motility, regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis, receptor signaling and intracellular signaling pathways, eukaryotic transcription and translation, stem cell biology, the general principles of drug action and the molecular pathophysiology of major diseases. Methodological seminars and workshops introduce students to cell culture and transfection techniques, methods for protein expression, purification and analysis, routine molecular techniques used for diagnosis and therapy of neoplastic diseases, microscopy and flow cytometry and RNA methodologies including siRNA and in situ hybridization. The principles of good scientific and clinical practice, biomedical ethics, project management and intellectual property rights will be addressed in propedeutic seminars.

Fundamentals for physicians and graduates in natural sciences are provided in lectures and workshops with respect to the basics of current molecular techniques and hte basic principles of physiology, pathology, immunology and internal medicine.

General principles and skills: Biostatistics include the planning of a project, study design and determination of sample size; descriptive methods for qualitative and quantitative data; probability and distributions; statistical interference (estimation, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing); test procedures for two or multiple groups; analysis of cross-classified data; regression and correlation analysis.

Weekly literature club meetings ("critical paper review") address current topics in the field. Thesis seminars give the students the opportunity to present their current research and discuss their results with fellow students and the faculty of supervisors.

Annual progress reports are presented to the Thesis Committe along with written summaries to be submitted to the Dean of Doctoral Studies.

The annual Doctoral Day at the Medical University of Graz habours presentations from all PhD students demonstrating their current research results to the public.