Medical Biology and Clinical Genetics
A person responsible for the delivery, development, and quality of the study programme:
prof. Vanda Repiská, RNDr. PhD.
Institute of Medical biology, Genetics and Clinical Genetics FM CU, Sasinkova 4, 811 08 Bratislava
email: vanda.repiskafmed.uniba.sk
Teachers of the profile subject:
Assoc. prof. Daniel Böhmer, MD, PhD.
Assoc. prof. Ľuboš Danišovič, RNDr., PhD.
Assoc. prof. Helena Gbelcová, Ing., PhD.
Study advisor of the study programme:
Assoc prof. Ľuboš Danišovič, RNDr., PhD.
(lubos.danisovicfmed.uniba.sk; personal contact after agreement via e-mail)
List of the supervisors:
prof. Vanda Repiská, RNDr., PhD., Assoc. prof. Daniel Böhmer, MD, PhD., Assoc. prof. Ľuboš Danišovič, RNDr., PhD., Assoc. prof. Helena Gbelcová, Ing., PhD., Assoc. prof. Stanislav Žiaran, MD, PhD.
Place/s of realisation of the study programme:
The Medical Faculty, CU in Bratislava and its parts seat, including clinical workplaces, which are part of university hospitals providing an education of students at Faculty of Medicine, CU in Bratislava, with which the university has concluded ‘Contracts on practical training’ (University Hospital Bratislava, National Institute for Children's Diseases, Merciful Brothers University Hospital, St. Elizabeth Cancer Institute, National Oncological Institute, National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease)
Awarded academic degree: doctor ("philosophiae doctor", in short, "PhD. ")
The language in which the programme is organised: Slovak, English
The standard length of study in academic years: four years (internal form) / five years (external form)
Graduate profile and learning objectives:
The content of the doctoral study programme 'Medical Biology and Clinical Genetics' is focused on studying the cell and molecular mechanisms contributing to the regulation of essential processes providing the growth, differentiation and reproduction of the cell and disorders resulting in pathological conditions. During the doctoral study, a student in this study programme acquires knowledge in medical biology, mechanisms, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and pathological processes that run in the human body. It studies the biological nature and heredity of pathological processes at the level of an organism (DNA, polymorphisms, mutations, variable use of genetic information) and cellular and subcellular (DNA, RNA, chromosomes, genes). In the study, the students learn independently to formulate a scientific problem, formulate a scientific hypothesis, prepare and realise a scientific experiment, use biological model organisms and tissue cultures at the research, objectively assess obtained results and their statistical analysis. The main aim of these activities will be theoretical and practical management of methods for processing of biological material for relevant analyses (mainly microscopic techniques, cytogenetic analysis, molecular cytogenetics (FISH, SKY, mBand, CGH...), immuno and enzymohitochemistry, DNA analysis, molecular and genetic testing at the level of DNA, DNA, amplification and hybridisation techniques, gene expression measurement, sequential analysis and identification of products, whole genomic, exome, transcriptome analyses requiring complicated biostatistical processing, etc. The graduates from the study programme will be focused on analyses of cellular and human biological samples in scientific and diagnostic work, widening of diagnostic procedures for genetically conditioned diseases, for specific diagnosing, detection of origination, clinical manifestation, the molecular, biochemical, chromosomal and cellular origin of genetic and oncological diseases in particular age groups respecting ethical, legal and social norms. The requirement for the completion of the study programme is also the ability to present the research results to experts at conferences and scientific events and publish the papers in professional journals. The results of creative, experimental work contribute to scientific progress and knowledge. Still, their good scientific value allows their application in various branches of medicine, for example, clinical genetics, regenerative medicine and laboratory preparation of tissue replacements, management and running of the biobanks at various institutions (pathology, oncology, rare diseases and so on), experimental oncology, laboratory part of reproductive medicine, and so on.
Employability:
Graduates are sought at the healthcare workplaces (clinics or departments of clinical genetics, workplaces of reproductive medicine, experimental oncology, workplaces providing biobanking of biological samples, workplaces focused on regenerative medicine, for example at the preparation of tissue replacements at clinics of burns and reconstructive surgery, and so on). Graduates from the doctoral studies might find employment in the frame of education as university teachers or scientific research workers at universities focused on medicine, healthcare science, public healthcare and biology. Graduates from the study programme Medical Biology and Clinical Genetics at the Faculty of Medicine CU in Bratislava master a broad spectrum of scientific methods used in genetic and molecular and biological research, which they can creatively apply in their work and contribute to the development of the scientific knowledge. They are qualified for successful employment in the team leading on a broader spectrum of scientific and research institutions focused on medical, veterinary, or pharmaceutical sciences. They are professionally prepared to work creatively in scientific institutes of the Slovak Academy of Sciences at various research levels. A doctor – medical genetics, a doctor – laboratory medicine, laboratory diagnostician – laboratory and diagnostic methods in clinical genetics, laboratory diagnostician – laboratory medicine all belong among their other possible occupations that, however, for independent performance require also accredited specialisation education in the healthcare occupation.
Evaluation of the study programme quality by employers:
A request to assess the quality of the submitted study programme was sent to selected employers to express their opinion on the need for a new doctoral study programme focused on medical biology and clinical genetics. Delivered letters are available at the Department of scientific-research activities, doctoral studies and international relationships of the Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava. Relevant external stakeholders who have provided a favourable opinion on the quality of the study programme and support the origination of such study programme are: Biomedical Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Medirex, a.s., Oncological Institute of St. Elizabeth, Cytopathos s.r.o., Department of Clinical Genetics of the National Oncological Institute in Bratislava, National Institute of Rheumatoid Diseases in Piešťany.