Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences participates on PhD study of 5 Faculties of 3 Slovak Universities, it is an external educational institution of the following Study programes:
| UNIVERSITY | SCIENCE |
|---|---|
| Faculty of Natural Sciences Comenius University in Bratislava | Molecular Biology |
| Genetics | |
| Microbiology and Virology | |
| Animal Physiology | |
| Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava | Biochemistry |
| Faculty of Science Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice | Zoology and Animal Physiology |
Theses for PhD study at the Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences for the academic year 2026/2027
Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice
Deadline for application: 31. 5. 2026
More information on website of the faculty here.
| Study program: | zoology and animal physiology |
| Form of study: | daily |
| Thesis: | Activation of endogenous mechanisms leading to neuroprotection after stroke |
| Supervisor: | RNDr. Petra Bonová, PhD. |
| Email: | bonova@saske.sk |
| Keywords: | brain ischemia, ischemic tolerance, conditioning |
| Annotation: | Stroke represents a serious socio-economic problem with limited treatment options. Recently, the phenomenon of ischemic tolerance, i.e. endogenous stimulation of the mechanisms with the ability to induce neuroprotection, has become an attractive solution for the prevention and treatment of such conditions. Objectives: 1. Study of mechanisms of ischemic tolerance 2. Defining the role of peripheral blood cells in inducing ischemic tolerance 3. Testing of in vivo and ex vivo conditioning methods 4. Testing of conditioning methods in animal models of ischemic-reperfusion injury of nerve tissue |
Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava
Deadline for application: 31. 5. 2026
More information on website of the faculty here.
| Study program: | animal physiology |
| Form of study: | daily |
| Thesis: | New approach in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) therapy: combined administration of antipsychotics and probiotics |
| Supervisor: | RNDr. Jana Osacká, PhD. |
| Email: | jana.bundzikova@savba.sk |
| Keywords: | PTSD, antipsychotics, neuroplasticity, microbiom |
| Annotation: | Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious psychiatric disorder that affects various biological processes, including changes in neurogenesis and neuroplasticity. Atypical antipsychotics, drugs used in the treatment of PTSD, in addition to suppressing the negative manifestations of PTSD, also have undesirable side effects, including affecting the intestinal microflora. Recently, the role of the intestinal microflora in psychiatric diseases, including PTSD, has been emphasized. However, the interconnections between antipsychotic treatment, intestinal microflora and the brain in PTSD have not been fully clarified yet. Therefore, the aim of the dissertation will be to reveal: 1. The effectiveness of combined antipsychotic-probiotic treatment on behavioral changes and neuroplasticity in an animal model of PTSD. 2. The effectiveness of combined antipsychotic-probiotic treatment on behavioral changes and neuroplasticity after re-exposure of PTSD-like animals to a stressor. 3. Effects of combined antipsychotic-probiotic treatment on gut microbiota profile and gut bacteria translocation in animals with PTSD. |
| Study program: | genetics |
| Form of study: | daily |
| Thesis: | Identification of genes regulating apocrine secretion |
| Supervisor: | RNDr. Robert Farkaš, CSc. |
| Email: | robert.farkas@savba.sk |
| Keywords: | apocrine secretion, intracellular transport, mechanism of externalization, genetic screening, phenotype analysis, gene interactions |
| Annotation: | Apocrine secretion is Golgi-independent nonvesicular transport and secretory mechanism found only in metazoan eukaryotes. In contrast to well known exocytosis, it is poorly characterized noncanonical secretion. The aim of the project is identification of molecular determinants (genes and proteins) controling process of apocrine secretion and to uncover components of this novel signaling pathway. |
| Study program: | genetics |
| Form of study: | daily |
| Thesis: | Analysis of the biological functions of poorly characterized splicing factors |
| Supervisor: | Ing. Ľuboš Čipák, PhD. |
| Email: | lubos.cipak@savba.sk |
| Keywords: | pre-mRNA splicing; regulation of gene expression; genome stability; affinity purification; S. pombe |
| Annotation: | The aim of the dissertation will be to elucidate the biological functions of the so far poorly characterized splicing factors in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. |
| Study program: | molecular biology |
| Form of study: | daily |
| Thesis: | Molecular analysis of genes regulating apocrine secretion |
| Supervisor: | RNDr. Robert Farkaš, CSc. |
| Email: | robert.farkas@savba.sk |
| Keywords: | apocrine secretion, intracellular transport, mechanism of externalization, generating transgenic constructs and their phenotypic analysis, protein-protein interactions, proteomics |
| Annotation: | Apocrine secretion (AS) is Golgi-independent nonvesicular transport and secretory mechanism found only in metazoan eukaryotes. In contrast to well known exocytosis, it is poorly characterized noncanonical secretion. The aim of the project is identification of molecular determinants (genes and proteins) controling process of AS and to uncover components of this novel signaling pathway. |
| Study program: | molecular biology |
| Form of study: | daily |
| Thesis: | Detection of new mutations in patients with hematologic malignancies |
| Supervisor: | RNDr. Katarína Lopušná, PhD. |
| Email: | katarina.lopusna@savba.sk |
| Keywords: | hematological tumors, mutations, NGS, Sanger sequencing |
| Annotation: | The treatment of aggressive hematological malignancies represents a significant clinical challenge, and its effectiveness remains limited. The identification of new biomarkers based on genomic DNA and RNA sequencing is therefore essential for improving diagnostic procedures and therapeutic strategies. The aim of this project is: 1. to analyze NGS data available in public databases using basic bioinformatics tools, 2. to identify genetic mutations in patients with hematological tumors from blood samples, 3. to experimentally confirm newly identified mutations using Sanger sequencing. |
| Study program: | microbiology and virology |
| Form of study: | daily |
| Thesis: | Agens of rickettsioses and other tick-borne diseases: Perspectives of non-antibiotic therapy |
| Supervisor: | Mgr. Eva Špitalská, DrSc. |
| Email: | eva.spitalska@savba.sk |
| Keywords: | tick-borne pathogen, tick, human, variability, disesase, nanomaterials |
| Annotation: | Rickettsioses are among the oldest known diseases transmitted by vectors. Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne infection. The geographical distribution of rickettsiae is related to their vectors. New cases of rickettsioses and new locations, where the presence of these bacteria is recognized, are still being identified. Antibiotic resistance is a global problem and maybe one day the treatment of tick-borne diseases will not be effective. To know agents, their variability, diagnosis of diseases caused by them, and their treatment in the early stage of acute infection using new nanomaterials are the aims of the study. |
| Study program: | microbiology and virology |
| Form of study: | daily |
| Thesis: | Subtyping and detection of herpesvirus mutations using PCR and sequencing |
| Supervisor: | RNDr. Katarína Lopušná, PhD. |
| Email: | katarina.lopusna@savba.sk |
| Keywords: | herpesviruses, mutations, NGS, Sanger sequencing |
| Annotation: | Patients with tumors suffer from immunodeficiencies that impair the function of one or more components of the immune system. Viral infections pose a particularly high risk in this regard. The proposed topic focuses on the differential diagnosis of non-specifically identifiable herpesviruses in patient samples, as well as the identification of mutations associated with antiviral resistance. The aim of the proposed project is: 1. detection of HCMV, HHV-6, and EBV from blood samples and fingernails of patients using PCR and quantitative PCR (qPCR) 2. identification of HCMV, HHV-6, and EBV mutations that could be associated with resistance 3. experimental confirmation of newly identified mutations using Sanger sequencing. |
Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava
Deadline for application: 31. 5. 2026
More information on website of the faculty here.
| Study program: | biochemistry |
| Form of study: | daily |
| Thesis: | The role of protein kinases in the regulation of pre-mRNA splicing |
| Supervisor: | Ing. Ľuboš Čipák, PhD. |
| Email: | lubos.cipak@savba.sk |
| Keywords: | protein kinase; pre-mRNA splicing; regulation of gene expression; affinity purification; S. pombe |
| Annotation: | Regulation of pre-mRNA splicing represents a key step in gene expression. Although the basic mechanisms of splicing are well understood, the roles of many regulatory factors, particularly protein kinases, remain insufficiently studied. The aim of this dissertation will be to elucidate the biological functions of selected protein kinases in the regulation of splicing processes in the fission yeast S. pombe. The work will focus on identifying the substrates of these kinases, analyzing their impact on spliceosome dynamics, and characterizing the phenotypic consequences of disrupting their activity. |