The International Max Planck Research School for Environmental, Cellular and Molecular Microbiology (IMPRS-Mic) is a joint initiative of the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology and the Philipps-Universität Marburg. The school aims to provide students with state-of-the-art interdisciplinary scientific training in modern Microbiology, leading to a PhD degree. The program seeks a young, motivated scientists with outstanding qualifications a Master's (or equivalent) degree.
The ambition of the IMPRS-Mic is to provide students with a molecular understanding of cellular processes that allow microbes to compete, adapt and differentiate in their natural environments, and also to illustrate how microbes can be used in systems and synthetic biology. This requires integration of environmental, cellular, and molecular aspects of Microbiology with quantitative and biotechnological approaches. The microorganisms we study include bacteria, archaea, fungi and microalgae, covering the following research areas:
Molecular & cellular Microbiology
Microbial metabolism
Microbial diversity & evolution
Microbial biogeochemistry
Microbial ecology
Microbial genomics
Microbial symbiosis
Modelling of microbial systems
Plant-microbe interactions
Protein structure analysis
Synthetic Microbiology
Systems Microbiology
The three-year PhD programme aims to equip students with first class education through an individually tailored curriculum, accompanied by joint seminars and colloquia, workshops and courses, and scientific retreats. Important aims of this curriculum are to provide different perspectives on the Microbiology research and to introduce a wide range of techniques that can be applied in Microbiology, as well as to foster interactions among students.
The PhD Curriculum
During the three-year PhD programme students carry out their research projects in the laboratory of one of the participating faculty members. In addition to this practical training, students attend faculty seminars, methods workshops, institute colloquia, and local and international conferences covering environmental, cellular and molecular aspects of Microbiology. Students are also engaged in teaching activities as tutors in Masters or Bachelors level courses.
Funding and Fees
Tuition fee
There is no tuition fee for the IMPRS Marburg. The only fee required is the bi-annual semester fee at the Philipps-Universität, which amounts to approximately 300 Euros. The semester fee includes the so-called Semesterticket, which entitles students to use public transportation (including local train service) free of charge.
Costs of Living
The costs of living (including accommodation in a student dormitory) in Marburg range from 500 to 600 Euros per month for a single person. A lunch at the canteen amounts to approximately 3 Euros.
Housing
Single rooms are available in student dormitories administered by the Studentenwerk Marburg (monthly rent ranging from 180-220 Euros). The coordination office will, upon request, assist you in reserving a room. Off-campus housing (mostly private) is usually more expensive, but offers a wide range of options.
Contracts
Students admitted to the school will be supported by a three-year contract, based on the Collective Wage Agreement for the Civil Service (TVöD). Doctoral students receive compensation corresponding to 50 percent of Pay Group 13 of TVöD (maximum level 2); this is currently just under 2,000 Euros in gross terms. In addition, there is a special annual bonus paid. Included in this contract is coverage by the public German health insurance system.
Application
Our PhD programme is international and open to all students holding a Master of Science (MSc) degree, or equivalent, in biology, Biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, Microbiology, Bioinformatics, chemistry, physics or related fields. Applications will be considered even if the degree is not conferred until the programme starts in autumn of the respective year. Applicants holding an extended (at least 4-year) Bachelor degree may also qualify for the admission to the programme, but as a rule they need to attend additional courses at the Philipps-Universität Marburg.
The programme is taught in English, therefore all candidates need to demonstrate good working proficiency in English, and - unless they are native English speakers - provide evidence for this (e.g. IELTS, TOEFL). German is not a requirement for the programme, but German language classes are offered to students from abroad. Download our poster.
Selection and Admission
All applications are reviewed and evaluated by the admission committee based on scientific competence, personal motivation, letters of recommendation, and suitability for the programme. Incomplete applications or applications received by email or regular mail will not be considered.
Based on the evaluation by the admission committee, applicants will be shortlisted for telephone or Skype interviews. Upon performance at these telephone interviews applicants will be nominated and invited for on-site interviews / selection symposium in Marburg. Travel expenses for the on-site interviews will be covered by the IMPRS-Mic.
Interviews & Selection Symposium
Personal on-site interviews are scheduled for April each year as a part of a selection symposium. During this three-day symposium, applicants present a research project that they conducted as part of their academic training and faculty members give an overview on available PhD projects in their groups. Applicants have the opportunity to meet current IMPRS students to learn more about their research and their experiences with the IMPRS-Mic programme. Finally, applicants will have the opportunity to interview with selected IMPRS faculty members of their interest.
Following the selection symposium, the admissions committee will select successful applicants based on the judgment of all IMPRS faculty members regarding the applicant's performance during the selection symposium. Applicants will be notified within one week after the symposium about the outcome of the selection.
The IMPRS teaching programme starts in October each year, but upon agreement with the respective supervisor students who have been accepted into the programme may decide to start their research project earlier.
Online application will open in December 2015 for candidates starting in October 2016.
The application deadline is January 31st 2016.
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