The study program provides students with advanced theoretical and practical knowledge in microbiology. The students employ current microbiological, molecular biology, bioinformatic, biochemical, analytical and biophysical methods for the study of microorganisms. The key area of research includes the regulation of physiology of microbial cell with respect to 1) production of antimicrobial compounds and mechanisms of resistance 2) pathogenesis of infection diseases 3) interaction of microorganisms with their environment. The research is also targeted at biodegradation abilities of microbial communities in biogeochemical cycles including bioremediations. 

Study obligations
Completion of two obligatory courses in first and second year of study:
B90041 Pokroky v molekulární biologii a genetice - Advances in Molecular Biology
MPGS0013 Pokroky v mikrobiologii - Advances in microbiology.
Completion of two other optional courses depending on the previous education and the topic of dissertation. These courses can be completed at the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics or any faculty of medicine. The completion of these four courses is the prerequisite for the State Doctoral Exam. Another obligation is the official English language certificate (FCE, CAE, TOEFL) or the English language exam at Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies (ÚJOP UK). The State Doctoral Exam must be successfuly completed at the end of the third year of study at the latest.

Requirements on creative activities
Original independent experimental work with published results of which the student is the main author. Two English presentations on the annual doctoral conference in the first four years of study. At least two original publications related to the topic of the thesis in journals with IF (at least in one of the publications, the doctorand must be the first author).

Requirements on placements taken
A stay abroad at a relevant professional institution, not shorter than one month, active participation on the international scientific conferences and congresses where the student reports on the results of his/her scientific research. If the student does not take a study placement abroad, he/she needs to directly participate in an international co-operation, e.g. in an international creative project with results published or presented abroad, etc.

Other study obligations
The student should be actively involved in the preparation of grant projects of his/her department. The student prepares his/her own proposal of grant GA UK.

State doctoral exam
The objective of the State doctoral exam is to check the student’s way of scientific thought, i.e. his/her ability of comprehension of the nature of the problem, including the ability of conceiving own ways of solution to the given problems. At the exam, the students are supposed to prove their knowledge of their chosen field to the full extent of the undergraduate level but also the knowledge of trends in research and modern methodology of recent biomedicine as applied to the topic area of his/her dissertation thesis.

State doctoral exam is oral and consists of two topics:
Obligatory topics:
1) Physiology of microorganisms
2) Genetics of microorganisms

Optional topics (the student chooses one of the topics, according to the topic of his/her dissertation):
Molecular biology
Medical microbiology

The exam is aimed at:
1) testing the level of theoretical knowledge , the ability of orientation in the field of study
2) testing the knowledge of the principles and the methodes and techniques currently used in microbiology, both generally and in relation to the topic of the dissertation
3) testing of the detailed knowledge of the problemacy of the dissertation topic

During the exam the student shall present his/her reasearch in a short speech to the members of the committee.