Characteristics and objectives of the study

The study programme Biomolecular Chemistry and Bioinformatics includes knowledge about the structure of biologically important bio(macro)molecules (proteins, nucleic acids, oligosaccharides, etc.) and the relationship between their structure and biological function. Students are trained in methods of conducting and applying research on the three-dimensional structure and function of bio(macro)molecules. The technical background allows students to regularly use state-of-the-art methods, both experimental (nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction, cryo-electron microscopy, methods in the study of biomolecular interactions, molecular biology methods) and computational (quantum chemistry, molecular mechanics and dynamics). Emphasis is placed on students' independent work in the implementation of research projects, including the ability to communicate and present results in English. Students also learn to use information available in the literature and electronic databases. A range of specialised lectures enables students to deepen their theoretical knowledge.

The study covers the following areas of research:

• Computational chemistry and chemoinformatics
• Structural Bioinformatics
• Structural analysis by nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction and cryo-electron microscopy
• Glycobiochemistry
• Interaction of proteins with the cell membrane
• Structural Virology
• Structure and dynamics of nucleic acids
• Structural biology of gene regulation
• The non-coding genome
• RNA quality control
• DNA recombination and repair
• DNA sequence analysis
• Next generation sequencing

The study programme is designed to be interdisciplinary, which helps students learn to combine knowledge from different fields.

Application in practice

The aim of the PhD programme is to produce experts at the highest level who are not only specialists with detailed knowledge of specific techniques, but also creative thinkers with a broad overview of biomolecular chemistry and bioinformatics with a sound theoretical foundation. Although the graduate will be qualified primarily for an academic career, he or she will also be an expert capable of working in the commercial sphere, especially in biochemical and pharmaceutical research, in working with biologically oriented databases and in fields using advanced methods of computational chemistry and bioinformatics. As the experience of recent years shows, foreign contacts and study stays can help graduates to find employment at top foreign workplaces. Foreign contacts and study visits can help a graduate find a job at top foreign workplaces.