Biomedical Informatics

Characteristics of the study programme

Biomedical informatics is a rapidly developing field whose content matter is, above all, the use of computers and information technologies, system approach, statistics and epidemiology and mathematical methodologies in medicine.

Biomedical informatics is experiencing permanent development, and at present it is focused on these major problem areas: the area of support to clinical decision-making, biomedical statistics, robotics, computer modelling, image processing; and the area of medical information systems. In clinical medicine it means the following areas: clinical computing, analyses of images, issues of biosignal, computer modelling, artificial intelligence (including expert systems), support of decision-making, issues of statistics and biometrics, classification in medicine, computers in operating the devices, robotic and artificial organs. In the areas of information system, the issues of their implementation in health care settings are tackled as well as specific questions of data protection and ethical problems and creation of hospital information systems. In the areas of theoretical medicine, it is mainly about modelling of physiologic functions and issues of bioinformatics.

Admission procedure requirement specific to the study programme

The conditions and course of the admission procedure for the part-time of study are the same as the conditions for the full-time form. 

We recommend to contact your potential supervisor in advance and consult the suitable form of preparation for the interview. Each study programme has its own specifics, so the supervisor can help you to prepare for the specialized entrance examination (the interview).

Topics of dissertation thesis

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. The candidate consults the chosen topic with the potential supervisor and agrees on its more precise specification. In case of any doubt, we recommend contacting the chairman of the SAB. If necessary, he can recommend a consultation on the topic with another specialist according to the focus of the intended project.

If the candidate does not know which topic/supervisor to choose, he/she will contact the chairman of the SAB, with whom he/she will consult on a suitable topic and a potential supervisor.

This choice is preliminary, the admissions board may, after consultation with the candidate, nominate another supervisor.

Dissertation topics offered

Supervisors of the study programme

Each supervisor must be approved by the SAB. The criteria for admitting new supervisors are determined by the SAB. If the proposed supervisor has not yet been approved by the SAB, this must be done no later than the enrollment of the applicant in the study (provided that the applicant is accepted). You can find a list of supervisors approved by the SAB here. After clicking, the supervisor's workplace and contact information will be displayed.

Requirements during the study

Study obligations for full-time and part-time forms of study are the same. 

The student can choose the second course from other SABs from the DSPB or also one of the above listed courses (two courses of Istitute of Information Theory and Automation Czech Academy of Sciences).

Part of the ISP is an English language examination (examination at the Department of Languages of Second  Faculty of Medicine CU, state language examination or internationally recognized language examination, e.g. TOEFL, Cambridge Certificate). The Dean's Provisions no. 2/2024 states that all students should attend the faculty Scientific conference in the 4th year of study (and also again in the 6th and 8th year of study in case the student extends their studies).

At least two original publications on the topic of the thesis in journals with IF and passing the SDE are prerequisites to the defence of the dissertation.

​Requirements for internships

At least one one-month or longer placement abroad is expected. This can be replaced by participation in an international grant project or another form of direct participation in international co-operation, at the supervisors scope and discretion.

Listed courses

The student is required to pass at least two obligatory courses. One of these two courses must be: B90206 Biomedical informatics and statistics; B90246 Modeling of physiological functions; B90277 Clinical informatics and bioinformatics. The other course may be chosen from the courses listed below:

B90206 Biomedical informatics and statistics
B90246 Modeling of physiological functions
B90277 Clinical informatics and bioinformatics
B90182 Modeling of biomedical systems
B90072 Physiology regulation system in normal and pathology
B90278 Process modeling in health information systems
NPGR029 Variational methods in image processing (organized by organized by Istitute of Information Theory and Automation Czech Academy of Sciences) 
NPGR032 Digitální zpracování obrazu (organized by Istitute of Information Theory and Automation Czech Academy of Sciences) 

Requirements for the SDE

• Publications on the topic of the thesis in journals with IF
• English language examination
• The student submits research work concerning the topic of the thesis and outlines the proposition of the thesis. He/she defends it in the qualified discussion.
• The student answers two theoretical questions. Students can choose either two questions from informatics or one from statistics and one from informatics.

The course of the SDE

When registering for the SDE, the student submits a "Literature review" of 10–40 pages (including research). Impacted publications are required by the SAB to be submitted only in the application for the dissertation defence, so they are not required for the SDE application. The examination questions for the SDE are asked both on the topic of the “Discussion” and from the questions of the core courses taken. The questions from the core courses will be given to the student after the completion of the courses, or the student may request them before the SDE.

​Examination topics for the SDE

Publication activity requirements

Two original publications on the topic of the thesis in journals with IF (the student must be the first author of at least on of the publications). Elaboration of the research work to the SDE.

Defence requirements

Elaboration of a dissertation on a specified topic at the required level and documentation of impacted publications in the application for the defense of the dissertation. After fulfilling the condition of two IF publications (submission of published articles or confirmation of acceptance of articles) and passing the SDE, the student is admitted to the defence.

The subject area board requires 3 copies of the summary of the dissertation as well as 3 copies of the dissertation bound in hardback.

Profile of a graduate of the study programme

A graduate acquired a comprehensive education aiming to achieve transdisciplinary research excellence in informatics in biomedical applications of informatics. He or she gained advanced knowledge and skills in information science, system science, analysis of images and biosignals, information systems, mathematical modelling and in biostatistics. Graduate is able to apply this knowledge in e-health, medical imaging, bioinformatics, in design and analysis of clinical trials, in optimalization of control processes in health care and healthcare economics. Graduate gained a deep understanding of the field and its anchoring in theory, practice and interventions in the context of health care and biomedical research.

Information about graduate employment 

Application in the healthcare sector, especially in the management and data processing in hospitals. Also in medical, health, science and engineering faculties in research in instrument development and informatics methodologies. Equal application in the private sector.