Integrative Molecular Medicine

The comprehensive study of organ functions in health and disease requires multidisciplinary approaches and extensive networking. The PhD Program in Integrative Molecular Medicine (imMed) offers students a scientific environment, which combines basic and clinical research and offers a broad range of advanced training opportunities. The research groups affiliated to imMed apply state-of-the-art technologies to address complex biomedical questions on a molecular, cellular and systemic level. 

The PhD students of the PhD Program in Integrative Molecular Medicine (imMed) can either register at the University of Zurich or the ETH Zurich. The thesis projects integrated in the PhD program are mainly part of  cooperative projectsinvolving basic and clinical research groups of the Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology (ZIHP).

To prepare the next generation of scientists in biomedical research, the PhD program provides graduate courses on various topics such as introduction to human physiology and laboratory techniques as well as transferable skills like statistics, project management for research, scientific writing and career planning. The PhD program organizes an annual retreat and strongly invites participation at the  annual symposium of the Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology

• Introduction to Flow Cytometry 
• Introduction to human physiology: Membrane transport / Signal transduction 
• Mouse physiology and pathophysiology
• Introduction to human physiology: Sensory systems: How we hear and see
• Introduction to human physiology: Respiration and blood
• Supervision of physiology lab classes (BIO 682)
• Transferable Skill Courses of the Life Science Zurich Graduate School

Application is possible in two ways:

1) Via the Life Science Zurich Graduate School LSZGS, Track I (for students without PhD project)

Applications are evaluated by the admission committee of the PhD Program in Integrative Molecular Medicine (imMed). The selected candidates are invited for an interview. Candidates have the opportunity to visit group leaders with open PhD positions. (Accommodation and travel expenses are covered by the PhD program.) The accepted candidates should start work within six months of acceptance to the program. Candidates accepted to a PhD program are automatically accepted to the other PhD programs of the LSZGS and can change the program if the chosen PhD position is closer to the topic of another PhD program.

Rejected applications cannot be resubmitted.

Graphic chart of the procedure Track I (PDF, 96 KB)

2) Directly to the PhD Program, Track II (for students who have already started their work in the lab)

After having chosen a thesis supervisor and a PhD project in the research field of integrative human physiology, application for the PhD program is possible within 3 months after starting work in the lab.
Applications are evaluated by the admission committee of the PhD Program in Integrative Molecular Medicine (imMed). The selected candidates are invited for an interview.

Rejected applications cannot be resubmitted.

Expenses

Living expenses depend very much on the individual student. These figures should therefore be regarded as a guideline only (in CHF): 

The expected minimum cost of living for students therefore comes to a total of CHF 1,750 per month.