The prestigious program aims to attract outstanding early-career researchers to one of the world’s leading life sciences institutes and offers full funding for doctoral studies. Applications for the current call are open until May 8, 2026, with up to ten fellowships awarded each year based strictly on excellence.
“The Biozentrum is an institute that has always attracted good researchers,” says Prof. Marek Basler, head of the PhD Fellowships Program. “By providing the Biozentrum PhD Fellowships program, we also have a unique tool to actively recruit outstanding, international junior scientists.” Basler emphasized that not all ten fellowships are necessarily awarded each year, underscoring the program’s rigorous selection process.
A defining feature of the fellowships is their rotation-based structure. Rather than committing to a specific lab or project from the outset, fellows rotate through at least two research groups before choosing where to complete their PhD. This flexibility allows candidates to explore a broad range of topics and find the best fit for their research interests and career goals.
“For me, the greatest advantage is the rotation system, which is quite unique,” says current fellow Alexander Kuznetsov. “You can work in two or three labs before you decide where to finally do your PhD. That’s great because the PhD takes four years, and so much depends on your relationship with the supervising PI.”
Since its launch in 2007, the fellowship program has supported more than 100 PhD students from about 30 countries. Alumni highlight its impact beyond research training. “The fellowship was my first opportunity in a competitive environment to be recognized,” says alumnus Sebastian Rühl, now a senior scientist at T3 Pharma. “It gave me a lot of self-confidence for my future career, and I also appreciated the strong community at the Biozentrum.”
The PhD fellowships program continues to draw talented early-career researchers from around the world to the Biozentrum and further strengthens its international research community.
Interested persons can apply here.