Research and Training Program

At the Vienna BioCenter, your PhD begins exactly where the science does - in the lab, surrounded by curious, driven people who love what they do. From day one, you're part of a research group, developing your own project in an environment built to support you. Alongside your research, a purposeful curriculum and training program helps you develop the skills, independence, and confidence to thrive — during your PhD and long after. 

At the core is research

The Vienna BioCenter is a world-leading science hub, that excels at collaboration. As a PhD student here, you won't just benefit from your home institute — you'll be part of a broader scientific community at the Vienna BioCenter, with access to state-of-the-art core facilities and infrastructure that will take your science to the next level. 

PhD students in the Vienna BioCenter PhD Program work across ~60 research groups spanning the GMI, IMBA, IMP and Max Perutz Labs. Research ranges from molecular mechanisms to genome biology, cell biology, developmental biology, and beyond. The science happens in the labs — explore each participating institution's research groups below.

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Our role: set you up to thrive

The PhD Program team is here to make sure you have everything you need — the mentorship, the skills, and the support — to do science that matters and build a career that lasts. The PhD Program is guided by the Steering Committee, informed by the PhD representatives, and implemented by the Scientific Training team.

Curious how it all fits together?

Let Connie show you — our animated guide walks you through the full PhD journey, from arrival to thesis defence. 

A flexible curriculum designed for and with PhD Candidates

The program has a concise mandatory core training. One keystone is the 3-week introductory course called Prime Your PhD. The course covers a variety of professional skills needed to succeed as a PhD student, such as scientific writing, presentation skills, and scientific ethics. It is also key to forming a cohort of students to mutually support each other throughout the PhD. Other mandatory components include attendance and presentation in the long-running interdisciplinary Monday Seminar and an annual mentoring meeting with the supervisor to discuss career development. In addition, we offer various elective courses. For detailed information on the curriculum, see the “Student Lounge.”

A solid mentoring structure

Many of our faculty have undergone extensive leadership training, lifting the standards of mentorship and supervision across campus. In addition, every PhD student at the Vienna BioCenter is supported by more than just their supervisor. Your Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) brings together two additional mentors — senior scientists who guide not only your research project, but also your professional development and career trajectory. The TAC meets with you regularly throughout your PhD, giving you a dedicated space to reflect, course-correct, and plan ahead — independent of your day-to-day lab dynamic. 

A training program to develop well-rounded professional scientists

A variety of programs and resources on campus (detailed below) are available for skill development a la carte--students take advantage if and when they have the need, in agreement with their supervisor and Thesis Advisory Committee. To expose PhD students to the wider researcher community, participation and presentation in international courses and conferences is encouraged. Furthermore, students are encouraged to suggest and develop new courses or training initiatives. The Scientific Training program strongly supports bottom-up and peer-learning training.

Building your skills: what's available to you

Training at the VBC is deliberately flexible. Beyond the core curriculum, a wide range of resources is available for you to draw on when you need them — whether that's sharpening a technical skill, preparing for a conference, or thinking about what comes next. 

Here, we categorize the programs and resources on campus based on the professional development framework below, though many of them are relevant to multiple categories. All of the categories are addressed by the following two resources:

  • Professional and career development from Scientific Training: The Scientific Training team offers approximately two trainings per month on the Vienna BioCenter campus or online to develop transferable skills (see our calendar). We also provide a comprehensive guide to help you find training resources both on and off campus, organized by skill. The mandatory Prime Your PhD introductory course includes training in most of the skills shown in the guide.
  • u:rise (University of Vienna): There are regular offerings in skills such as scientific presentations, coding, use of AI, self-management, career development, teaching, conflict management, and so on. Nature Masterclasses are included. All PhD students have access (plus postdocs with university contracts).

Programs and resources on campus, organized by skill

Skills related to the research process

  • Computational biology trainings (VBCF): Practical courses in data analysis and bioinformatics (2-4 per month).
  • How Do You Do It? (HDYDI): A monthly peer-teaching seminar where PhD students and postdocs share skills they've mastered. The subject could be a specific method, technique or piece of equipment, or a skill or a life hack that lets them thrive in science. The slides and/or recordings of the past seminars are uploaded here (password protected).
  • Facility trainings (VBCF): Many of the Vienna BioCenter's core facilities offer direct, hands-on training in their technologies and platforms. You learn from the experts who run the equipment, when you need it to advance your research.
  • Institute seminars: Various open seminars featuring both internal and external speakers are organized by each institute in the program. See calendar here.
  • Journal clubs and “work in progress” seminars: These lab meetings and institute-specific series are organized locally and independently; your research group will point you to the relevant ones.

Skills related to knowledge exchange

  • Monday Seminar: The flagship interdisciplinary seminar series consists of three 15-min presentation given by PhD students and postdocs. Students present every 1-1.5 years, followed by a feedback session with the faculty. Participation (attendance and presentation) is mandatory.
  • RISE Lectures(Research/Inspiration/Support/Empowerment): The Vienna BioCenter faculty invite ten internationally renowned scientists per year to give a talk in the established and prestigious Vienna BioCenter lecture series. Senior PhD students whose research falls into the speaker’s field are chosen to give the 15-minute RISE lecture preceding the seminar. This talk grants them exposure on campus and an opportunity to interact closely with the speaker.

Skills related to working with others

  • Vienna BioCenter Alumni Network: This platform is built for current researchers at Vienna BioCenter to connect with alumni. Through the platform, the Scientific Training team provides career development and networking events, community (no need to “connect” to other members), career resources (career path stories, job board), news, and a mentoring program.
  • Annual PhD Symposium: Every year, students make a great effort to organize the Vienna BioCenter PhD Program Symposium which is supported by the institutes and through sponsorship. Leading scientists present their latest discoveries within the symposiums' selected range of topics. Postdocs and other researchers are also welcome to attend.
  • Annual retreats: The student and postdoc reps each organize their own annual retreat at locations outside Vienna. The aim of these retreats is to facilitate discussion about scientific topics and networking across research groups. Some institutes and research groups organize additional retreats.
  • Postdoc mentoring program: For postdocs to offer advice, guidance, and insights to PhD students from the perspective of someone who has been in their shoes not long ago. This is an opportunity for growth of both the mentor and mentee.

  • Industry Insights: This trainee-led initiative aims to bridge academia and industry through events such as company presentations and networking sessions.
  • The Scientific Training unit organizes two workshop series annually: a Fall Career Focus on academia, and a Spring Career Focus on careers beyond academia.