Core Areas and Research Training Groups
There are currently 5 core areas for the faculty:
- International Health
- Oral Sciences
- Epidemiology and Public Health
- Lung Biology and Disease
- Genomic and Molecular Medicine - Personalized Approaches to Childhood Health
In addition, there are numerous Collaborative Research Centers (SFBs) and Research Training Groups that offer their students a Ph.D. in Medical Research as part of their corresponding graduate program.
Since not all institutes and clinics are part of a core area or are associated with a corresponding research training group, there is the option of an "individual Ph.D. in Medical Research"
As the Ph.D. Medical Research is an international doctoral program, all information is available in English.
International Health
"International Health" combines health-related research in the widest sense, and development cooperation.
Oral Sciences
“Oral Sciences” is an interdisciplinary program promoting research activities in oral health related issues.
Epidemiology & Public Health
A doctorate in our internationally oriented Ph.D. program enables graduates from different scientific fields to sharpen their competence in epidemiology and the public health sector. Multidisciplinarity on a high level helps train young scientists in epidemiological approaches and public health questions in their future professional life.
The research projects range from clinical questions to health services research and evidence-based prevention.
Lung Biology & Disease
The Research School "Lung Biology and Disease" is an international, interdisciplinary and thematically focused MD and PhD training program, established at the Comprehensive Pneumology Center Munich (CPC-M), Germany, a translational lung research center member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL).
Genomic and Molecular Medicine - Personalized Approaches to Childhood Health
„Genomic and Molecular Medicine - Personalized Approaches to Childhood Health“ is an international and interdisciplinary Ph.D. program that offers research and training opportunities in a wide range of topics including genomics and the overall „omics“-approach to pediatric medicine as well as aspects of immunology, epigenetics and biochemistry.
Individual Ph.D.
Not all institutes or clinics offer a core area for the Ph.D. or are part of a research training group. Therefore, potential Ph.D. candidates can make use of the possibility of applying for an individual Ph.D. in Medical Research.
SFB 914
Studying the signals that navigate leukocytes within the vascular system and between different compartments on the cellular and molecular level is the main focus of the SFB 914. This requires a broad metholodological spectrum ranging from molecular and cellular biology tools and physiological in vivo approaches to complex bio-imaging applications.
SFB 1243
The SFB 1243 Cancer Evolution (Genetic and Epigenetic Evolution of Hematopoietic Neoplasms) studies different aspects of cancer development in an evolutionary framework, in particular the grounds for the poor prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia and indolent lymphomas. Using interdisciplinary approaches, the projects aim to decipher molecular mechanisms, measure the evolution of genetic, epigenetic and transcriptional heterogeneity in patients, mice and cellular systems, and to quantify relevant parameters by applying computational models.
SFB 1123
The main focus of the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1123 Atherosclerosis – Mechanisms and Networks of Novel Therapeutic Targets is to study in-depth the molecular networks in atherogenesis, atheroprogression and atherothrombosis as the pathological sequence underlying coronary artery disease, in order to identify and verify novel targets for treating atherosclerosis. With this aim in mind, our CRC brings together researchers of different disciplines, institutions and universities in Munich.
SFB 1064
The SFB 1064 focuses on fundamental aspects of chromatin dynamics. It aims at understanding principles and mechanisms that endow chromatin organisation with diversity, flexibility and plasticity to respond to environmental and developmental cues. CRC research strives for an integrated understanding of chromatin structure and function from atomic resolution, via molecular interactions and mechanism to finally reach the microscopically resolvable structures of nuclei in physiological settings.
SFB 1054
The SFB 1054 will explore control and plasticity of cell-fate decisions in the immune system, identify input signals that determine stability and flexibility of differentiation, and characterize the molecular basis for how these signals are decoded.
i-Target
Tumor immunotherapy is currently subject of intense scientific and clinical development. The requirement of well trained scientists in this research field is rapidly increasing, both in industry and academy.
Three fields of immunotherapy will be investigated: Targeted cell-based therapies, targeted antibody therapy and immunomodulatory therapy (that counteracts tumor-derived immunosuppression).
IMPRS-TP
The IMPRS-TP PhD program provides interdisciplinary training in molecular, cellular and systemic psychiatric research to outstanding doctoral students in an environment of scientific excellence and collaboration to foster translational research. In addition to traditional PhD positions, we offer a unique integrated PhD/residence program in psychiatry to exceptional medical doctors.
IMPRS-LS
The IMPRS for Molecular Life Sciences (IMPRS-LS) offers a structured PhD training program in the areas of biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, molecular medicine and neurobiology to outstanding doctoral students from all over the world. The PhD program takes an integrative and interdisciplinary approach to connect these disciplines and the participating players, thereby promoting networking and scientific cooperation as integral part of our doctoral training policy.
ChroMe
ChroMe’s research targets an important nexus between metabolism and chromatin. This holds great promise to develop novel metabolic disease therapeutics, predict disease risk and take new preventive measures that can correct the genetic and epigenetic predisposition to obesity and diabetes. The research goals of ChroMe are to understand how chromatin is steered by metabolism to sustain health or cause disease, and to exploit our knowledge and expertise to develop new therapies.
POKAL
The Research Training Group "Predictors and Clinical Outcomes of Depressive Disorders in Primary Care (POKAL)" (GRK 2621) wants to support general practitioners (GPs) in the care of patients with depression. In their research training group, junior scientists will be developing clinical research in the field of general practice and thereby helping improve care structures, processes and results. It includes a comprehensive qualification concept, which enables doctoral candidates of relevant subjects, as well as prospective GPs to receive a structured scientific education parallel to their clinical training.
GRK 2338
The Research Training Group “Targets in Toxicology - Deciphering Therapeutic Targets in Lung Toxicology” is a newly founded structured Ph.D. program which brings together twelve research partners in the Munich region. Principal investigators from the LMU Munich, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Technische Universität München, and the Bundeswehr Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology have teamed up to acquire an in-depth mechanistic understanding of toxic lung injury and to develop the new concept of “precision toxicology” in acute and chronic toxic lung injury.
ITN Keep Control
Balance and gait deficits are ubiquitous among the older population, and lead to enormous personal, occupational and health care burden. Emerging pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to date have only small to moderate effects on these deficits. This is likely due to remaining fundamental questions on underlying mechanisms and treatment.
Keep Control consists of a rare EU-wide combination of experts from clinical, biomechanic and neuroscience research, along with experts from the industry, who all aim at gaining a better understanding and treatment of balance and gait deficits in older adults.
MvPI Infection research
Das Max von Pettenkofer-Institut (MvPI) der LMU bietet unter dem Dach der MMRS ein neues strukturiertes internationales Promotionsprogramm (ab Wintersemester 2019/2020) mit dem Namen "Infection Research on Human Pathogens@MvPI an. Dieses Promotionsprogramm kombiniert die Bearbeitung eines individuellen Promotionsprojekts (Doktorarbeit) aus dem Bereich Infektionsforschung (mit Schwerpunkten aus Mikrobiologie/bakterielle Pathogene, Mikrobiotaforschung, Virologie und Infektionsimmunologie) mit programmspezifischen Rahmenveranstaltungen zur Vertiefung und umfassenden thematischen Abrundung in zentralen und aktuellen Themen der Infektionsforschung sowie weiteren praktischen Kursen und Angeboten zu transferable Skills.
T-OP: Training Network for Optimizing Adoptive T cell Therapy of Cancer
Over the last years, immunotherapy – using a patient’s own immune system to fight tumours – has emerged as an important complement to standard treatments. Adoptive T cell therapy (ACT), the collectioin and transformation of the patient’s own T cells to treat cancer. T-OP targets a pioneering research question: how do cytokines influence the therapeutic outcome of ACT products? T-OP brings together interdisciplinary and cross-sectorial teams spanning large and small-sized companies as well as experts in different aspects of cell therapy, immunology, protein engineering and bioinformatics. T-OP will train by research 15 Early Stage Researchers (ESR), enabling them to develop efficient therapeutic solutions and to tackle economic opportunities.
ImmuTrain
IMMUTRAIN is an Innovative Training Network bringing together experts in the fields of monoclonal antibodies, dendritic cells, T-cells and immunomodulatory nucleic acids with a considerable industrial involvement. The network comprises nine academic research groups and five industrial partners in a total of nine European countries. IMMUTRAIN creates actively synergies between those sectors by forming and promoting young researchers to match the challenges of immunotherapies. Particular focus is placed on combinatorial therapies and on the new emerging field of bispecific antibodies used to target both the tumor and the patient´s immune system. 15 Ph. D. students (Early Stage Researchers, ESR) reinforced by the project leaders investigate innovative therapeutic strategies and provide the rationale for future clinical trials. Throughout their projects, ESR learn to integrate academic and industrial aspects and sharpen their experimental and complementary skills in a well-designed and diversified training program.