PhD students can expect an extraordinary wealth of research expertise, a wide range of courses, intensive individual mentoring, an international community of researchers from over 40 countries and a lively student life. 

Research at the Biozentrum embraces a wide range of research fields. Yet the 31 research groups also share a main focus: the strong interest to understand how molecules and cells create life. We have studied this mystery for more than 50 years and are one of the leading Life Sciences institutes in the world, spawning several Nobel laureates.

As a PhD student at the Biozentrum, you will become part of an international community. More than 130 young scientists from around the world are currently doing their PhD here. You will engage in an independent research project under the supervision of a Biozentrum faculty member and a PhD Advisory Committee. Apart from a strong mentoring program, you will also benefit from the open and collegial atmosphere that encourages creativity and critical thinking. 

To find out first hand from a student how it is to do a PhD at the Biozentrum, read the interview with Talia Ulmer.

Graduate Teaching Program
Besides the practical training in the latest methods and techniques in modern-day molecular biology research, you will profit from the rich, interdisciplinary Graduate Teaching Program offered in collaboration with scientists from the Friedrich Miescher Institute (FMI), the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE) of the ETH Zurich, the Department of Biomedicine (DBM), and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (SwissTPH). 

The program includes lecture cycles in Infection Biology, Neuroscience, Growth and Development, Structure and Function of Macromolecules, Computational and Systems Biology, Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine and also training in practical skills such as "How to be a scientis", scientific communication, imaging, proteomics, genomics and biophysical techniques. 

Community and career development activities
As a PhD student, you will also regularly attend scientific meetings and organize, together with your colleagues, your own seminar series, PhD Club, career guidance events and an annual two-day PhD Retreat . 

To promote scientific exchange and interdisciplinary teamwork between the research groups, we organize the weekly Discovery Seminars, which are followed by a get-together, as well as a symposium or a multi-day retreat every year. These offer young scientists, in particular, a platform to gain experience in presenting their research findings. 

Application
We are looking for talented and motivated graduates, with a background in biological or biomedical sciences, physics, chemistry, mathematics or computer science. You can either apply

• directly to one of our 31 research groups or
• for a Biozentrum PhD Fellowship

Information on admission, duration, etc., a checklist and other documents can be found under key facts here. If you have any questions, please contact the PhD Student Office

Geschäftsordnung Biozentrum International PhD Program