Experimental and Clinical Oncology

Characteristics of the study programme

The doctoral study programme "Experimental and Clinical Oncology" provides full education with a complex expert knowledge of contemporary oncology, from basic and experimental ones through preclinical specialities to clinical oncology. Students acquire and master basic principles of science and research work. They are able to employ results of scientific work (including papers in journals with a recognised impact factor and presentations at international conferences and congresses).

Graduates are able to apply independently for a grant project (thus secure financial funding of further research). They are also able to take part in an international scientific cooperation. Last but not least, the successful completion of doctoral studies is an important starting point for a further academic career.

The candidate chooses the preliminary topic individually and contacts a potential supervisor; candidates can also choose one of the topics listed below - the choice is not, however, limited to the offered topics. He/she consults the chosen topic with the potential supervisor and agrees on its more precise specification.

 

 

Dissertation topics offered

 

Study requirements

Two compulsory courses: 

B90280 Experimental oncology (compulsory for all PhD students)
B90281 Clinical oncology (compulsory for all PhD students)

1st year

• English language exam (IS code D0400003, more info at the Department of Languages website)
• Writing a review article on the topic under study and submitting it to a peer-reviewed journal (it can be a domestic journal without IF). Full-text article + confirmation of submission to the journal is sufficient to fulfill the requirement. It is not necessary that the article has already been accepted by the journal during the first year of study. Other recommended study obligations (their possible non-fulfillment must be justified in writing by the student, approved by the supervisor and the student must commit to fulfilling them in the 2nd year of study).
• Completion of a presentation skills course or other course focused on the presentation of scientific results (e. g.: DS001, MPGS0029, B90068, CPGS005)
• At least 1 month of internship at a top national institution (other than the student's workplace) involved in experimental or clinical oncology. 
• Completion of at least one course in experimental and/or clinical research methodology (e. g.: CPGS005 and above) or a course in biomedical statistics (e. g.: B90206)

2nd year

• Presentation of a lecture or poster in English at a professional conference (in the Czech Republic or abroad). The presentation does not necessarily have to contain the first scientific results, but can be just an overview or a case report. The student must be both the presenting and the first author.  
• At least 1 month internship (DS025) at a foreign institution involved in oncology research. A possible alternative may be involvement in a grant with foreign participation or other form of direct participation in international collaboration 
• Completion of compulsory courses

3rd year

• Co-authorship of at least 1 article in-extenso published in a journal with impact factor higher than 1,5 
• Presentation of research outcomes at a conference/congress abroad 
• completion of the State Doctoral Exam

4th year

• Second presentation of research outcomes at a conference abroad 
• Scientific conference at the 2nd medical faculty (mandatory for all students in the 4th year of study)
• Publication of research outcomes in an article published in an international research journal with an impact factor higher than 1,5. This article cannot be an abstract, case study or review article. 
• Defence of the doctoral thesis

Internship requirements

• An internship at a department of oncology in the Czech Republic (expected duration is at least one month) 
• An internship abroad (expected duration is at least one month)

Courses

B90280 Experimental Oncology – compulsory course, in Czech and English; will take place in the summer semester, syllabus available towards the end of 2024

B90281 Clinical Oncology – compulsory course, in Czech and English; will take place in the summer semester, syllabus available towards the end of 2024

DS001 Basics of scientific methodology

MPGS0029 Course on fundamentals of the scientific work

B90068 The Base of the scientific work at the ASCR

CPGS005 Introduction to Practical Research Methodology

B90206 Biomedical informatics and statistics

DS002 Scientific conference

B02981 Biomedicine and Biotechnology

MPGS0034 Advances in Molecular Biology and Genetics

Requirements for the SDE

• At least two articles connected to the dissertation thesis were published in journals with an impact factor. The candidate has to be the first author of at least one of the publications. One review article of the topic of the dissertation published in a peer-review journal; the candidate has to be the first author. 
• Fulfillment of the study requirements outlined in the individual study plan. 

Publication activity requirements

• One review article of the topic of the dissertation published in a peer-review journal (does not have to be international or with an impact factor) 
• Publication of research outcomes in an article published in an international research journal with an impact factor higher than 1,5. This article cannot be an abstract, case study or review article. 

Defence requirements

The Subject Area Board requires 3 printouts of the dissertation summary as well as 3 copies of the dissertation bound in hardback.

Profile of a graduate of the study programme

Graduates from the doctoral study programme "Experimental and Clinical Oncology" are fully educated scientists with a complex expert knowledge of contemporary oncology, from basic and experimental ones, through preclinical specialities to clinical oncology. They acquired and mastered basic principles of science and research work. They can employ results of scientific work (including papers in journals with a recognised impact factor and presentations at international conferences and congresses). Graduates are able to apply independently for a grant project (thus secure financial funding of further research). They are also able to take part in international scientific cooperation. Last but not least, the successful completion of doctoral studies is an important starting point for a further academic career.