PhD program LGSA - DAAD Graduate School Scholarships (GSSP) (m/f/x)

The Leibniz Graduate School on Aging and Age-Related Diseases (LGSA) is a joint program of the Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) and the Friedrich Schiller University (FSU) in Jena. Our institute integrates all PhD candidates into the graduate school, irrespective of the source of financial support .

The Leibniz Graduate School on Aging and Age-Related Diseases (LGSA) belongs to the Leibniz Association - a non-university research organization equivalent to the Max Planck Society and the Helmholtz Association.

The Graduate School offers an international postgraduate program for students with excellent qualifications. The participating research groups work on Molecular Biology, Molecular Genetics, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Cancer Biology, Immunology, Neurobiology, Microbiom, and Bioinformatics to investigate the multifaceted mechanisms that cause the development of age-related diseases and those that cause senescence and ageing.

Training and research within the PhD program is interdisciplinary. Lecture series, seminars, journal clubs and courses as well as training in presentation skills and language classes complement the practical work. A thesis committee provides comprehensive support and the mentorship in the career development of the student. The program language is English.

Eligible are international students that have obtained an academic degree comparable to the master degree or diploma in natural sciences (e.g. Biology, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Physics, and Chemistry) with excellent marks. At the time of nomination, applicants must not have been resident in Germany for more than the last fifteen months prior to the nomination. As a rule, applicants should not have graduated any longer than six years before the time of nomination.

Further information on the Leibniz Graduate School on Aging and Age Related Diseases (LGSA) including application guidelines can be found at lgsa.leibniz-fli.de/application/application-guideline .

The GSSP scholarships are awarded in a three-stage selection procedure.

Step 1: The LGSA will invite selected candidates for a general recruitment interview.

Step 2: Accepted candidates from step 1 are interviewed by the individual PIs and must prepare a research proposal. PIs and LGSA will decide on the nomination.

Step 3: The LGSA will nominate suitable candidates for the GSSP scholarship. Candidates nominated by the doctoral program must submit an individual application to the DAAD later.

This announcement of the LGSA is for the selection of suitable candidates in step 1.

For the first step please acquaint yourself with the research of the participating groups, and fill in the application form in our online system.

Guidelines and Information on the DAAD scholarship for the Nominees can be found here :

Deadline for submission is May 12th, 2024.