Number and name of branch of study: 4.1.12 Biophysics
Study level: 3rd degree - graduate education program
Type of study: internal and external
Academic title: PhD. (philosophae doctor)
Standard duration of the study: 4 years (internal), 5 years (external)
Guarantor and co-guarantor of the study program:
prof. Dr. Tibor Hianik, DSc
assoc. prof. Libuša Šikurová, PhD (co-guarantor)
assoc. prof. Ján Urban, PhD (co-guarantor)
Profil of graduate:
Graduate receives theoretical and methodological knowledge in biophysics and related interdisciplinary sciences and is responsible for critical reading of scientific publications and effectively applied obtained knowledge for formulation and solution of the scientific problems. The principles of the individual and team scientific work will be learned. The knowledge on presentation scientific results, preparation of research projects and writing scientific articles will be obtained.
Characteristics of the education program:
Education
Student should pass through two obligatory courses on "Molecular Biophysics" and "Theoretical Methods of the Study the Molecular Systems", in addition two other courses should be selected from that offered in the graduate program in biophysics according to recommendation of the supervisor. Important part of education is reading of scientific literature recommended by supervisor, formulation of questions raised by article and proposal for future experimental or theoretical work. Students should regularly attend the scientific seminars and during the course of studies are required to make at least 4 seminars. Presentations made at scientific meetings outside the University may also be used to fulfill the requirements.
Scientific part
The scientific part consists in solution of concrete problem formulated by supervisor and in preparation of the project of PhD thesis. The experimental or theoretical work during most part of the study should results in preparation of PhD thesis. The thesis should be based on original scientific results that have to be published at least in one paper in an international journal indexed in Current Content.
The following research is conducted by faculty members involved in graduate program in biophysics:
Study of physical properties of biomembranes and model membranes
Mechanisms of ionic transport
Physical properties of biopolymers
Mechanisms of protein-lipid and protein-DNA interactions
Molecular mechanisms of phototherapy
Mechanisms of the influence of magnetic fields on organisms. Magnetotherapy.
Mechanisms of stochastic processes
Application of quantum mechanics for the study of the mechanisms of interactions in biosystems
Molecular dynamics simulations of biomembranes and biopolymers
Development of biosensors on the base of thin films, nanomaterials and artificial receptors
Faculty members involved in graduate program in biophysics participate in large number of national and international scientific projects, for example:
Study of physical mechanisms of DNA-protein interactions (VEGA 1/1015/04)
New techniques of raster probe microscopy and spectroscopy for analysis of nanostructures (APVT-51-013904).
Prevention, control and management of prion diseases (Neuroprion) (6 RP EÚ, FOOD-CT-2004-506579)
Development of DNA biosensors for detection environmental pollutants in field conditions (NATO SfP, SfP-978003)
The technical basis for graduate program in biophysics:
We have special laboratories equipped with novel scientific instruments, for example electrochemical analyzers (Eco Chemie, The Netherlands) electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance CH Instruments, USA), Langmuir-Blodgett troughs including deeper for deposition thin films on a solid support (NIMA Technology, UK), electrostatic voltmeter and Kelvin probe for measurement surface potentials of monolayers (Trek, USA), spectrofluorimeters (Perkin Elmer, UK, Ocean Optics, USA), UV-VIS spectrometers (Shimadzu, Japan), precise densitometer (Anton Paar, Austria), spectral network analyzers (USAT, USA and Agilent Technology, USA), Laser ellipsometer SE 400 (CENTECH, Germany) as well as instrument for study the electrostriction of bilayer lipid membranes. Collaborated laboratories of International Laser Center are equipped with novel techniques for molecular imagine (AFM, STM, SNOM), Raman Spectroscopy and medical diagnostics. We have also powerful computers and software for molecular dynamic simulations. All experimental apparatus are computer controlled. The access to necessary scientific literature is provided. The faculty staffs involved in the graduate program in biophysics conducting research recognized at international level.