About the employer
The IMPRS for Molecular Life Sciences: From Biological Structures to Neural Circuits is a center of excellence for the training of PhD students in the areas of biochemistry, cell biology, molecular medicine, neurobiology and structural biology. The research school takes an interdisciplinary approach to integrate these different research areas to provide a multidisciplinary PhD program.
The IMPRS-LS is operated by the MPI of Biochemistry and the MPI for Biological Intelligence, in foundation, but also works in close collaboration with the Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) and the Technical University Munich (TUM). Our students either are based at one of the MPIs or conduct their research at one of our partner universities. IMPRS-LS is proud to work with the LMU and TUM, which consistently rank amongst the best universities in Germany.
Our interdisciplinary network and curriculum
IMPRS-LS acts as a platform to encourage better networking and scientific exchange as an integral part of our doctoral training. In addition to high-level scientific training in a top-class research environment, the IMPRS-LS offers a comprehensive curriculum of further training and activities. The curricular program covers a wide array of transferable skills and includes multi-step career mentoring, specifically aimed at preparing our doctoral students for the challenges of a professional career on the global market, whether that will be in academia, industry, or beyond.
We offer our students:
- Excellent career opportunities in a vibrant international research community.
- An English-speaking structured PhD program organized by Munich-based Max Planck Institutes and Universities.
- State-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge research projects.
- Individual supervision and mentoring from research scientists who are leaders in their respective fields.
- Full funding for international and German students, with no tuition costs and additional funding for scientific trainings and internships.
Our research areas
Our students’ and their supervisors’ research activities center around three distinct but well-connected research branches: they strive to uncover molecular mechanisms regulating biological processes, analyze the resulting complex biological systems and decipher the intricate network of neural circuits. More than 60 distinguished and internationally recognized group leaders actively participate in the PhD program and offer challenging and cutting-edge PhD projects in the following areas:
- Biochemistry
- Biophysics
- Bio-imaging
- Computational Biology
- Gene Regulation
- Immunology
- Neurobiology
- Neurodegeneration
- Protein Structure
- Signaling
- Systems Biology
Our people
With over 200 current students and 60 faculty members, the IMPRS-LS here in Munich is one of the largest International Max Planck Research Schools in Germany. Whilst the research school has expanded substantially in the last decade, we maintain close relationship with our students and friendly atmosphere, which characterizes our program.
The diversity in our PhD program, both in terms of people and research, is vital to our success as a cutting-edge research school; around half of our students are German and the remaining half are international, coming from 43 different countries around the world. IMPRS-LS works closely with our research faculty and collaborative partners to ensure our doctoral program best reflects the needs of our students. We work hard to foster an inclusive environment defined by flexibility and care and aim to support our students to allow them to achieve their full potential in their chosen area of research. Our successful approach to PhD student training and program organization speaks for itself; at the end of their studies, our students contribute to an average of of 3 publications. An impressive 20% of our students have their work published in the top journals Nature, Science or Cell as first or co-first author.
Living in Munich
The cosmopolitan city of Munich is at the forefront of scientific research in Germany and, situated in the heart of Bavaria, uniquely combines traditions and history with great infrastructure of the modern city. Munich has a lively, international feel, with cultural and entertainment opportunities for each taste and beautiful Alpine nature within just an hour of travel.
Munich benefits from the presence of a large number of research institutes, two worldwide high-ranked universities and many non-university science-related establishments as well as numerous biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Thus, Munich is not only a great place to live in, but also a vivid environment for research and fruitful collaboration within academia and between academia and industry.
Want to join us?
If you are interested in conducting world-class research in a lively and dynamic environment, the IMPRS-LS PhD program is for you. Our program will be a unique and unforgettable experience and the fact that 95% of our students would recommend the program to others speaks for itself.
If you are talented, creative and enthusiastic about science, we would be delighted to welcome you to join us at the IMPRS-LS Munich. Call for fully-funded PhD positions is open every year from September to November.
