Overview
The doc.fund "Molecular Metabolism" is an international PhD training program for outstanding students of molecular biosciences who want to learn and research the scientific field of "Molecular Metabolism" (MOBILES).
MOBILES was approved as one of 6 Austrian consortia for a 4.5-year funding period from 10/2019 to 03/2023 by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). The program has been integrated into doctoral initiatives of the University of Graz, including doctoral schools for natural sciences, the university-wide "Doctoral Academy Graz", as well as the excellence initiative "BioHealth - Biosciences in Metabolism and Ageing".
The doc.fund MOBILES aims to provide outstanding young scientists with excellent scientific training in various areas of molecular biology, infection biology and biochemistry.
Based on these specialist areas, the dissertation research within the program deals with questions relating to
- Nutritional and age-related changes in metabolism,
- regulation of lipid metabolism and
- bacterial modulators of metabolism.
Based on the expertise of our consortium, different model organisms [bacteria, yeast, cell culture, fly and mouse (BYCFM)] or combinations thereof are used to best answer each of the MOBILES research questions.
The program is interdisciplinary, with outstanding contributions from
- biochemistry
- microbiology/infection biology
- pharmacology
- Analytical chemistry
- structural biology
Goals of doc.funds MOBILES in the training of doctoral candidates
Our students will ...
- become autonomous, independent researchers with expertise in the interdisciplinary, multifaceted and future-oriented research field of "molecular metabolism".
- learn how to use our model organisms (bacteria, yeasts, cell cultures, flies, mice) optimally for clinically relevant research questions, how to plan laboratory experiments correctly and how to transfer the results to humans.
- gain international experience and build up their own global network
- receive comprehensive training, including scientific writing and presentation as well as social and leadership skills
- gain initial experience in supervision, training and teaching, e.g. as teaching assistants in laboratory courses and seminars.