cancer biology phd program uzh

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PhD Program Biomedicine

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The comprehensive study and understanding of organ function in health and disease requires multidisciplinary approaches in basic, applied and translational biomedical research. The PhD program “Biomedicine” (BioMed) is part of the Life Science Zurich Graduate School (LSZGS) and imparts knowledge, concepts and modern technologies to address complex questions in biomedical sciences on a molecular, cellular and systems level with the vision to advance clinical translation and improve patient care. BioMed offers students a strong and interactive program that combines groups from the University of Zürich (UZH), the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETHZ) and the University Hospital Zürich (USZ). The highly international scientific environment at the institutions combines cutting-edge research with a modern teaching curriculum.

The PhD students of the PhD program in Biomedicine can not only choose from a broad selection of research topics and participate in front line science, but can also take advantage of a large number of graduate courses on various topics. Topics range from human physiology to cancer biology, stem cells, genomic medicine and laboratory techniques. They also include transferable skills like statistics, project management for research, scientific writing and career planning. The PhD program organizes an annual retreat for scientific exchange and networking among students.

The PhD students of BioMed can either register at the University of Zürich or the ETH Zürich, depending on the affiliation of their direct supervisor and her/his research group.

Students can apply to the program via Track I by May 1st and November 1st through the website of the LSZGS or via Track II (see application ). Enrollment into the program is decided by an admission committee.

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PhD Program in Cancer Biology

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Institute of Molecular Cancer Research

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We carry out cutting edge research on molecular mechanisms of DNA repair and replication stress. We study causes and consequences of genomic instability, a major driving force for tumorigenesis, and aim to identify new targets for cancer therapy.

We use animal models and organoids to study mechanisms of tumorigenesis and immune responses induced by pathogens or chronic tissue damage. We synergise with clinical researchers to explore potential clinical applications of our findings.

We train and educate the next generation of scientists in cancer biology by coordinating Master and PhD Programs and organising seminars with high-quality speakers.

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Infection and Immunity Zurich

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The following PhD programs coordintated by the Life Science Zurich Graduate School , fit within the scope of the Node Infection and Immunity Zurich:

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Joint Doctorate at the Faculty of Science of the UZH and the ETH Zurich

A joint doctorate at the Faculty of Science of the UZH and the ETH Zurich is only open to applicants whose responsible professor, with the right to confer a PhD at the Faculty of Science, has a double professorship at the UZH and at the ETHZ.

Doctoral Program

• Cancer Biology
• Computational Science
• Drug Discovery
• Evolutionary Biology

Doctoral Program (cont.)

• Molecular Life Sciences
• Neuroscience
• Systems Biology

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Graduate Campus

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The following list gives an overview of doctoral programs and graduate schools at the seven faculties of UZH:

Faculty of Theology and Religions | TRF

Doctoral Program in Study of Religions

Doctoral Program of Theology

Faculty of Law | RWF

Doctoral Program of the Faculty of Law

Doctoral Program in Biomedical Ethics and Law - Law Track

Doctoral Program Asia and Europe

Faculty of Business, Economics and Informatics | WWF

Zurich Graduate School of Economics

Marlene Porsche Graduate School of Neuroeconomics

Doctoral Program in Finance

Doctoral Program in Informatics

Graduate School of Business

Faculty of Medicine | MeF

Doctoral Program in Biomedical Ethics and Law - Medical Track

Doktoratsprogramm Care & Rehabilitation Sciences

Doctoral Program Clinical Science in Clinical Science

Vetsuisse Faculty | VSF

Doctoral Programs Vetsuisse

Faculty of Arts | PhF

Doctoral studies at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Faculty of Science | MNF

Doctoral Program in Computational Science

Doctoral Program in Public Understanding of Science

Doctoral Program in Theoretical Astrophysics and Cosmology

Life Science Zurich Graduate School

Doctoral Program in Cancer Biology

Doctoral Program in Ecology

Doctoral Program in Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Doctoral Program in Evolutionary Biology

Doctoral Program in Biomedicine

Doctoral Program in Microbiology and Immunology

Doctoral Program in Molecular Life Sciences

Doctoral Program in Neuroscience

Doctoral Program in Plant Science

Doctoral Program in RNA Biology

Doctoral Program in Science and Policy

Doctoral Program in Systems Biology

Graduate School of Chemical and Molecular Sciences Zurich

Graduate School in Geography

Doctoral Program in Physics

Zurich Graduate School in Mathematics

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Life Science Zurich Graduate School

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Each PhD Program offers its PhD students a specialized set of introductory and advanced courses as well as symposia and retreats.

At the institutionary level, there are a number of specialized courses e.g. on microscopy, laboratory animal science, etc. on offer as well.

For details, please check the websites of the individual programs and institutions.

PhD Programs

Biomedical Ethics and Law - Medical Track

Biomedicine

Biomolecular Structure and Mechanism

Cancer Biology

Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Evolutionary Biology

Integrative Molecular Medicine

MD-PhD Program

Microbiology & Immunology

Molecular Life Sciences

Molecular and Translational Biomedicine

Neuroscience

Plant Sciences

RNA Biology

Science and Policy

Systems Biology

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Studium Biologie Masterstudium

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• BC-i subprogram (Basic/Clinical-internship)

EXAMPLES OF MASTER THESIS TOPICS (FULL LIST AT THE BOTTOM)

MSc Coordinator of the Master in Cancer Biology

  Prof. Dr. Massimo Lopes  (lopes * imcr.uzh.ch)

Study Coordinator  

Dr. Karin Isler  (studienkoordination * biol.uzh.ch)

Note: Admission to the MSc in Cancer Biology at UZH requires a BSc in Biology, Biomedicine or Biochemistry at the UZH, or general admission to the MSc in Biology at UZH according to procedures and deadlines described here . Hence, detailed questions of external MSc candidates regarding this MSc program, its requirements and procedures will be answered only after they have been granted admission to the MSc study program at UZH (please specify this in your e-mail).

OVERVIEW The program involves leading experts in various aspects of Cancer Biology, ranging from basic research on genome stability and epigenetics, to cancer animal models and molecular investigations on the onset and therapy of specific cancers in a clinical setting. Laboratories hosting master students belong to three faculties (Faculty of Science, Faculty of Medicine and Vetsuisse Faculty) and are distributed in various Institutes at the Irchel Campus, at the Children’s Hospital and at the University Hospital Zurich. The program operates in close exchange with the programs in Molecular Life Sciences, Immunology and Biomedicine.  

CANCER BIOLOGY Cancer is a leading cause of human death and comprises a broad group of diseases involving unregulated cell growth in various organs. The causes of cancer are diverse and only partially understood, representing a complex biological question that requires a multidisciplinary, "holistic" approach. Similarly to cancer etiology, both early diagnosis and effective therapy of most cancers await identification of specific biomarkers and molecular targets, differentiating cancer cells from normal cells in different tissues. As a consequence, the improvement of therapeutic regimens for different cancers strictly depends on deep mechanistic understanding from the earliest molecular events underlying cancer onset to its later stages of progression and invasion. Improving our mechanistic understanding of cancer and potentiating our therapeutic portfolio will thus require training of a new generation of cancer biologists, capable of orienting clinical researchers towards new diagnostic and therapeutic tools, based on mechanistic insight and unbiased molecular investigations.

MASTER'S DEGREE COURSE Students choosing this Master program are interested in understanding basic molecular pathways that regulate genome instability events underlying cellular transformation, crucial characteristics of cancer initiating cells, their interaction with tumor microenvironment and their molecular characteristics that offer therapeutic opportunities. Each student attends a selected subset of interactive lectures, addressing different aspects of basic cancer research, and focusing on specific cancer types to deduce general concepts in cancer onset and therapy. Choosing among a diversified set of block courses, students learn how to grow cancer cells and/or analyze tumor‐relevant samples, applying a broad range of molecular tools, spanning from in‐silico approaches to in‐vitro biochemistry, single‐molecule analysis, in‐vivo immunostainings, analysis of tissue microenvironments and therapeutic responses in animal cancer models. In doing so, they will be confronted with the analysis and interpretation of the data in the light of molecular, cell biological and medical relevance. In addition, students will use chemical and genetic perturbations to modulate onset and therapy of specific cancers. By the end of the program, each student is expected to have developed a solid foundation leading to a mechanistic understanding of cancer at the molecular level, and is capable of addressing new biological questions inherent to the onset or therapy of specific cancer types.

COMPULSORY THEORETICAL COURSES Students must acquire a minimum of 4 ECTS from the courses below. However, students are strongly encouraged to collect as many ECTS as possible from these courses and to attend some of these courses already during the BSc program:

Additional 4 ECTS can be acquired from any UZH / ETHZ modules. However, choice is recommended from this additional list of modules, which cover important aspects of cancer research or transferable skills: 

Recommended elective modules in the basic studies: BME 235, BME 247, BCH 202, BCH 215, BIO 390, STA 120

PRACTICAL BLOCK COURSES  

During the Master’s program, a minimum of 12 ECTS have to be acquired from two of the block courses listed below: 

General instructions - Final Exams BIO520/BIO516 (PDF, 112 KB)  

RESEARCH GROUPS LEADERS FOR MASTER THESES

Additional groups are possible upon request, providing there is direct significant contribution to teaching activities within the Master’s program.

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Uzh course catalogue.

Master (Mono 90)

• Description – Modules – Requirements – Organization

MASTER THESIS TOPICS

Open master positions can be found here (update May 2024):

• BASLER_The role of Wnt ligands in serrated colorectal cancer tumorigenesis (PDF, 273 KB)
• BORNHAUSER_Leveraging insights into leukemia biology to develop novel therapeutic strategies (PDF, 396 KB)
• FRITSCH_Acquired resistance to BRAF V600E targeting in colorectal cancer (PDF, 2 MB)
• MAGNANI_We aim to advance cancer immunotherapy with non-viral engineering of nextgeneration chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells (PDF, 638 KB)
• PENENGO_The interferon system in the control of DNA replication and genome stability (PDF, 669 KB)
• PENENGO_Ubiquitin phosphorylation as new signaling system in genome stability (PDF, 2 MB)
• SCHWANK_In vivo generation of CAR PBMC therapies against solid tumors (PDF, 187 KB)
• SCHWANK_Development of chimeric cytokine receptors for CAR T cell therapies against solid tumors (PDF, 151 KB)
• SENDOEL_MSc Position Cancer Biology (PDF, 6 MB)

LEARNING AGREEMENT

The module BIO338 Introduction to Scientific Writing (0 ECTS, one day in September or February) is mandatory for all Biology Master’s students. The module should be taken before writing the Master’s Thesis.

• Learning Agreement
• Finishing your bachelors (transferring credits to masters) (PDF, 50 KB)
• Example questions BIO520 (PDF, 57 KB)
• Final Exams (BIO520/BIO516) - General instructions (PDF, 104 KB)

For interested BSc students

Recommended core elective modules during your Bachelor's degree program if you plan to take the Master's degree course in "Molecular and Cellular Biology": BME 235, BME 247, BCH 202, BCH 215, BIO 390, STA 120 

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• Application
• PhD Programs
• Courses for PhD students

Program specific courses

• Transferable and Methodological Skills Courses
• Participant Homepage

Biomedical Ethics and Law - Medical Track

Biomedicine

Biomolecular Structure and Mechanism

Cancer Biology

Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Evolutionary Biology

Integrative Molecular Medicine

MD-PhD Program

Microbiology & Immunology

Molecular Life Sciences

Molecular and Translational Biomedicine

Neuroscience

Plant Sciences

RNA Biology

Science and Policy

Systems Biology

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Zurich PhD Program in Molecular Life Sciences

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Miriam Sarah Weber, Postdoctoral Scientist at ETH Zürich. Keratin filaments mouse keratinocyte

Marina Kunzi, How does cell size affect cell function? (Neurohr, Gabriel) research group. Pretty bursting cells

Phd program in molecular life science.

The Zurich Ph.D. Program in Molecular Life Sciences is a joint program of the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich , two highly prestigious Swiss universities with excellent research facilities.

The program offers research and education opportunities in a highly stimulating interdisciplinary, collaborative and international environment. It provides various platforms to bring all the students together, for instance annual retreats and weekly/monthly meet-ups.

Students accepted into the program perform their research project in one of the participating research groups , according to their scientific interest.

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