The PhD in Biomedical Sciences at ICBAS continues a tradition of advanced training in the field that began in 1986. The program provides an accessible platform for a diverse audience while maintaining a high level of academic rigor. It enables the acquisition of third-cycle competencies in a broad area of great relevance to society, covering both the basic and applied aspects of Biomedical Sciences.

It is intended for graduates and master’s degree holders, including recently graduated students as well as professionals already active in the workforce. The program aims to capitalize on ICBAS’s strong international scientific output through personalized advanced training, promoting tutorial-based teaching of high scientific standard and close mentorship.

Rather than following a model based on fixed curricular units, the PhD emphasizes flexibility and the design of personalized training paths. Each doctoral candidate can develop technical and scientific competencies tailored to their project, without neglecting the development of transversal skills (“soft skills”).

The program reflects the multidisciplinary project of ICBAS, as reflected in the institutional designation “Biomedical Sciences.” The more than 340 doctorates already awarded demonstrate the program’s robustness, diversity, and multidisciplinarity, consolidating the institution’s educational, scientific, and cultural mission.

The first year includes the “Probationary Year,” an annual unit that allows the doctoral candidate to immediately begin their thesis project and, when relevant, undertake initial training adapted to their interests. The coursework or advanced training components can be completed in any semester, with a total workload not exceeding 30 credits. If no initial training is required, the Probationary Year can focus exclusively on the thesis, including preparatory work, laboratory activities, or other tasks that support its development.

From the second year onwards, the program focuses on the development of an original thesis, allowing the doctoral candidate to make a significant contribution to research and innovation in the field of Biomedical Sciences. In alignment with the One Health concept, research topics may encompass studies of the environment, animals, and humans.

Condition for submission and public defense of the thesis: it must include at least one full-length original research article in which the doctoral candidate is the first author, and which is accepted for publication or already published in an international peer-reviewed journal indexed in MEDLINE, Scopus, or Web of Science.

Partner institutions: The program promotes partnerships with entities of recognized merit, such as CIIMAR, CINTESIS, i3S, IPO-Porto, MedInUP, ULSSA, and UMIB.

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