Doctoral study programme "Experimental and Clinical Oncology" provides full education with a complex expert knowledge of contemporary oncology, from basic and experimental ones, through preclinical specialities to clinical oncology. Students acquire and master basic principles of science and research work. They are able to employ results of scientific work (including papers in journals with a recognised impact factor and presentations at international conferences and congresses). Graduates are able to apply independently for a grant project (thus secure financial funding of further research). They are also able to take part in an international scientific cooperation. Lest but not least, successful completion of doctoral studies is an important starting point for further academic career.

Courses rendered by the Field Board of Experimental and Clinical Oncology
B90280 Experimental oncology (compulsory for all PhD students)
B90281 Clinical oncology (compulsory for all PhD students)

Study obligations
It is the responsibility of the student and the supervisor to incorporate these obligations (after possibly further specification according to the topic) into the individual study plan for the given year of study. If this is not done, the individual study plan will not be approved by the Field Board.
1st year of study
1. English language exam
2. Writing a review article on the topic under study and submitting it to a peer-reviewed journal (it can be a domestic journal without IF). Full-text article + confirmation of submission to the journal is sufficient to fulfill the requirement. It is not necessary that the article has already been accepted by the journal during the first year of study. Other recommended study obligations (their possible non-fulfillment must be justified in writing by the student, approved by the supervisor and the student must commit to fulfilling them in the 2nd year of study).
3. Completion of a presentation skills course or other course focused on the presentation of scientific results.
4. At least 1 month of internship at a top national institution (other than the student's workplace) involved in experimental or clinical oncology. It is assumed that the foreign internship will last at least 1 month. It can be replaced by involvement in a grant with foreign participation or other form of direct participation in international cooperation.
5. Completion of at least one course in experimental and/or clinical research methodology or a course in biomedical statistics.

2nd year of study
1. Presentation of a lecture or poster in English at a professional conference in the Czech Republic or abroad. The presentation does not necessarily have to contain the first scientific results, but can be just an overview or a case report. The student must be both the presenting and the first author. Other recommended study obligations (their possible non-fulfillment must be justified in writing by the student, approved by the supervisor and the student must commit to fulfilling them in the 3rd year of study).
2. At least 1 month internship at a foreign institution involved in oncology research. A possible alternative may be involvement in a grant with foreign participation or other form of direct participation in international collaboration.
3. Completion of at least one course specifically focused on experimental or clinical oncology. Courses (in the Czech Republic or abroad) focused specifically on the topic under study are also welcome.
(4.) Possible completion of postponed requirements from the first year of study.

3rd year of study
1. co-authorship of at least 1 article in-extenso in a journal with an impact factor of more than 1.5
2. Presentation (as 1st author) of own scientific results in English at least at one international congress or conference abroad. Other recommended study obligations (any failure to meet them must be justified in writing by the student, approved by the supervisor and the student must commit to meeting them in the 4th year of study).
3. Completion of the state examination
(4.) Possible completion of postponed obligations from the 2nd year of study.
4th year of study
1. Second presentation of own results at an international congress (first author)
2. Main publication of the results obtained in an international journal with an impact factor higher than 1.5 (the student is the first author of at least one article with own results, published in-extenso). This main article cannot be a mere abstract, a case report or an overview.
3. Possible fulfillment of postponed obligations (state exam) from the 3rd year of study.
4. Writing and defending the doctoral dissertation.

In specifically justified cases, at the written request of the student, the study (combined form) may be extended up to a total duration of 8 years. In this case, at the end of each academic year, the supervisor and the field board assess whether the student has made concrete progress in his/her studies. However, extensions are not granted in the event of failure to meet the two core requirements in the first year. If, during any academic year, the student fails to meet the obligations, or to demonstrate any specific activity, the student will be terminated (classification "C").

Requirements on creative activities
The student will be obliged to submit at least 2 original scientific publications published in journals with an impact factor in relation to the topic of the dissertation before passing the state doctoral examination. The PhD student is the first author of at least one of them. One review publication related to the topic of the doctoral dissertation published in a peer-reviewed journal where the doctoral student is the first author.   Requirements on placements taken It is expected to complete an internship abroad of at least 1 month. It can be replaced by participation in a grant with foreign participation or other form of direct participation in international cooperation.  

State doctoral examination
Conditions for applying for the examination:
- Fulfillment of all the obligations given in the individual study plan.
- Confirmation from the supervisor that these obligations have been fulfilled and his/her consent to the application for the state examination.
- Submission of at least two published original scientific papers in journals with an impact factor higher than 1.5. In at least one of them, the applicant must be the first author and this first-authored article must contain the results of his/her own research (it cannot be a review article, editorial, case report, abstract, etc.). It is acceptable for this article to be published by the relevant journal in an 'e-pub ahead of print' format.
The process of the state examination:
The Examination Committee shall be composed of at least three members and shall be composed of members of the Field board. The applicant's supervisor (the supervisor is not a member of the examination board) is present during the examination. The examination will begin with a discussion of the hypotheses of the forthcoming dissertation. The candidate will then draw a pair of questions, one from experimental oncology and one from clinical oncology. The candidate may request a maximum preparation time of 15 minutes.  

Topic areas to the State doctoral exam:
- molecular and tumour biology
- Cell lines (2D-models, 3D-organoids)
- experimental oncology involving experimental animals
- preclinical oncology
- Predictive pathology
- microbiome and microbiota
- tumour immunology (relevance in pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment)
- clinical oncology (epidemiology, screening, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis of disease; implications of modern anti-cancer therapy; quality of life of patients)
- palliative and thanatological care
- translational medicine (in oncology)