Doctoral Programme in Molecular and Cellular Systems of Life

The Doctoral Programme in Molecular and Cellular Systems of Life (MaCS) is an international doctoral program providing structured training in life science areas requiring multidisciplinary skills and capability to engage in multiprofessional cooperation.
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The Doctoral Programme in Molecular and Cellular Systems of Life (MaCS) will provide advanced scientific training at a globally competitive level.  By attending the structured doctoral training programme in MaCS you will engage in following layers of activity:  

  • You will typically work full time for your thesis as a member of a research group instructed by your supervisor
  • Your thesis work is supported and monitored by a thesis committee that consists of experts in your field. 
  • During your thesis project, you will learn research competence, project management, independence, creativity, and critical thinking. 
  • You will learn scientific communication, presentation, and networking skills. You will participate in relevant international scientific meetings in your field and attend seminar series to support your thesis work.
  • Through specific advanced training you will acquire good knowledge on research integrity issues as well as logical reasoning in life science research. 
  • You will broaden your scientific horizon by attending the scientific content courses and gain a strong basic knowledge in thematic research areas represented in MaCS
  • You will benefit from up-to-date scientific facilities.  Research infrastructures that are vital for research and doctoral training are available to support your research work. An open inter-campus culture for young researchers enhances effective use of these resources.
  • You will improve your career prospects. In addition to subject-related course work you will gain transferable skills. Depending on your career goals, you can choose to develop key competencies in leadership and project management, teaching, communication, as well as business and innovation. 
  • You can participate in courses and other learning opportunities in UH and elsewhere. The wide provision of transferable skills training enables you to undertake demanding expert duties in many professions in academia, industry, commerce, and policy making. 
In international comparisons, research in the University of Helsinki ranks among the leading European universities and the top 100 in the world.
Key research areas

The spectrum of scientific fields in MaCS include: 

  • Molecular and cellular biosciences
  • Genetics and genomics
  • Neurobiology
  • Developmental biology and physiology
  • Bioinformatics and systems biology

Research in the MaCS doctoral programme covers a broad spectrum of interconnected fields within molecular and cellular biosciences, including plant biology and neurobiology. Data-driven research in fields such as bioinformatics, computational biology, and systems biology is also welcome. The research projects of doctoral researchers in MaCS range from in-depth analyses on molecular mechanisms controlling biological processes to global systems level investigations and are often interdisciplinary in nature, also beyond MaCS’ core fields of research.

Research in MaCS covers all domains of life from archaea and microbes to eukaryotes, as well as virus research. While research in MaCS programme often has its roots in curiosity-driven basic research, many projects include aspects of societally relevant applications, such as those related to biotechnology or human health.
Events and Activities

Will be published in the spring 2026.
Courses and Studying

Will be published in the spring 2026.
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