Program and Registration

Program

Below you can find an overview of Cell Migration Lectures and Practical Classes. Lectures and practical courses are individually selected based on previous training/experience and the outline of the research project.

Lectures

Lectures

The lectures can be attended in person or via online platforms from the partner universities

  • Dynamics of cellular contacts: Cell-cell contacts and cell motility, UNIBE (coordinated by B. Engelhardt) 3 ECTS
  • Molecular Biology of Inflammation, UNIBE (coordinated by B. Engelhardt) 3 ECTS
  • Lecture Series on Advanced Microscopy, UNIBE (coordinated by R. Lyck) 3 ECTS
  • Ask the expert – thematic modules Cancer and Immunology, UNIFR (coordinated by J. Stein) 2 ECTS (at least 4 semesters)
  • Seminar in Immunology and Cell Biology, BITG (coordinated by D. Legler),1 ECTS
  • Lecture/seminar series on selected topics of Cell Biology, IRB, 2 ECTS
  • Lecture course IRB "International PhD Program in Immunology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry”, IRB, 1 ECTS
  • Visualization and analyses of biological data - a course using R, Universität Konstanz (coordinated by D. Straile), 2 ECTS

Practical classes, courses

Practical classes, courses

  • GCB course Cell Migration, TKI at UNIBE with BITG, 5 days, 2 ECTS
  • GCB course Vascular Biology, TKI at UNIBE, 5 days, 2 ECTS
  • Microscopy Imaging Center (MIC) at UNIBE, Trainings and Workshops, variable ECTS
  • Principles in Transgenic Mouse Technology, TKI at UNIBE, 2 days, 1 ECTS
  • Module 1 in Animal Experimentation LTK1, courses to be booked individually, 2 ECTS
  • Determination of Macromolecular Structures, Universität Konstanz (coordinated by M. Kovermann, O. Mayans), 0.5 ECTS
  • Analysis and Exploration of Metabolic Networks, Universität Konstanz (coordinated by F. Schreiber, K. Klein, M. Aichem), 0.5 ECTS
  • Bioimaging I, Universität Konstanz (coordinated by M. Stöckl, E. May), 1 ECTS
  • Frontiers in Bioimaging, Universität Konstanz (coordinated by E. May. M. Stöckl), 1 ECTS
  • Proteomics, Universität Konstanz (coordinated by A. Marquardt), 1 ECTS
  • Protein Folding, Universität Konstanz (coordinated by M. Kovermann), variable ECTS
  • Principles and Application of Flow Cytometry & Cell Sorting, Universität Konstanz (coordinated by A. Sommershof), 2 ECTS
  • Versuchstierkundekurs, Universität Konstanz (coordinated by G. Mende), 2 ECTS
  • Scientific Presenting, Universität Konstanz (coordinated by M. Unterlass), 0.5 ECTS
  • Scientific Graphic Design, Universität Konstanz (coordinated by M. Unterlass), 0.5 ECTS
  • Statistical Literacy, Universität Konstanz (coordinated by P. Mayer), variable ECTS
  • Advanced Flow Cytometry workshop, UNIGE, 0.5 ECTS
  • Microscopy Applications for Immunological Research, IRB (coordinated by D. Morone, M. Thelen), 1.5 ECTS
  • Fun with Fiji/ImageJ, IRB, (coordinated by D. Morone, T. Brodie), 1 ECTS
  • ImageJ Workshop, Universität Konstanz (coordinated by M. Stöckl), 1 ECTS

Tutorials, Literature and Journal Clubs

Tutorials, Literature and Journal Clubs

The Cell Migration doctoral students will be brought up to date with the current literature in the field.

  • Immunology Tutorial – coordinated by GCB UNIBE– 3 ECTS
  • Journal Club – NeuTraVas Neuroinflammation, Cell Trafficking and Vascular Biology, TKI, 1 ECTS
  • E-Literature Club: On a monthly basis the PIs will upload a seminal publication or review to an e-reading platform (e.g. Perusall) allowing for shared reading – 1 ECTS
  • Journal Club in Cell Biology and Immunology, weekly, IRB, 1 ECTS
  • Journal Club in Cell Biology and Immunology, BITG, 1 ECTS
  • Journal Club in Cell Biology and Immunology, weekly, UNIFR, 1 ECTS
  • Faculty of Students: Following the “Faculty of 1000” scheme each PhD student will be assigned 1-3 relevant scientific journals and is asked on a weekly basis to recommend publications with a short comment to the internal web portal – coordinated by UNIBE, 1 ECTS

Additional parts of the program

Additional parts of the program

ECTS depending on activity and time

  • Laboratory Rotations: To support cross-disciplinary approaches, the program supports short-term laboratory rotations, in which interested PhD students have the opportunity to carry out up to two laboratory rotations in another laboratory of the participating PIs in the program.
  • Annual Cell Migration Retreat (0.5 ECTS): An important highlight of the program will be the annual retreat where all students present their work in short talks and posters. Moreover, students will receive independent feedback on their individual research project from invited international experts in the field. These retreats have proven to foster cross-disciplinary networking amongst the students and research groups working on cell migration in Switzerland.
  • Cytomeet (0.5 ECTS participation with presentation): The Cytomeet is a well-established one-day meeting for the Swiss scientific community interested in mechanisms of cell migration in vivo and in vitro. It takes place on a Tuesday in January of each year in Bern and is organized by Britta Engelhardt, Daniel Legler and PIs of the PhD Cell Migration program.
  • Soft skills and interdisciplinary courses: The program will advise students in participating in courses covering novel technologies, such as ´omics´ approaches in life sciences and medicine, computational data analysis, including machine learning and Artificial Intelligence which are already offered across the disciplines of the participating institutions.
  • For the supervision of a master student up to 2 ECTS can be gained
  • - 0.5 ECTS for supervising a medical master student during 8 weeks
  • - 1 ECTS for supervising a biomedical master student during 6 months
  • - 2 ECTS for supervising a master student during 1 year

Regulations of the PhD Program Cell Migration

1. Who can apply?

  • PhD students accepted at any of the participating Universities and Institutes
  • PhD students enrolled in the GCB of the University of Bern
  • PhD students with a focus on cell migration in their PhD project
  • PhD students benefiting in their PhD thesis project from skills obtained in this program


2. How do PhD students get to know the PhD program Cell Migration?

  • recommendation through their supervisor
  • recommendation through the staff of the GCB of the University of Bern or comparable programs at the participating Universities
  • recommendation by their GCB mentor, co-supervisor and/or supervisor
  • information on the GCB homepage
  • information on the appropriate homepages of the partner Universities and Institutions


3. Process for getting enrolled

  • Students contact the Coordinator of the Program – Prof. Britta Engelhardt (britta.engelhardt@unibe.ch) and the admin team (sekretariat.tki@unibe.ch)
  • Students receive the information about the program and the mandatory courses as well as i) the registration form and ii) the form for their individual curriculum, which they have to complete continuously.
  • Students return the completed and signed registration form to Prof. Britta Engelhardt (britta.engelhardt@unibe.ch) and the admin team (sekretariat.tki@unibe.ch) accompanied by documentation of their enrollment in the GCB or acceptance as PhD student in any of the participating Universities.
  • Enrollment in the PhD Program Cell Migration will be decided by the program coordinator, Prof. Britta Engelhardt.