PhD in Biotechnology

Strategy and Aims

The Doctoral programme in Biotechnology draws from ESB’s (College of Biotechnology of the Portuguese Catholic University) more than 20 years of experience in postgraduate research and teaching in many areas of biotechnology. The main objective of the PhD programme in Biotechnology is to prepare a new generation of professionals, capable of promoting R&D activities, both at academic, research, and industry environments. Exposed to an international research environment since it’s beginning, ESB’s research unit – the Centre of Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry (CBQF - https://www.esb.ucp.pt/cbqf/) – boasts the highest of scientific and academic standards. Growth and consolidation of research activities at CBQF have led ESB to promote an ambitious research initiative - with broad-based activities in Biotechnology, predominantly in the areas of food and the environment, and their links to health and well-being, since 2004, CBQF has been granted the prestigious status of State Associated Laboratory.

Benefiting from its multidisciplinary activities, the programme offers specializations in Food Science and Engineering, Environmental Science and Engineering, Microbiology and Chemistry, which mirror the research developed at CBQF. Research activities within CBQF are developed with a clear conscious of the importance to conduct fundamental research while reflecting the needs of the industry. ESB’s connections to the external community are also promoted through its Extension Division, which includes not only scientific and technical services and training, but also communication and community- action projects. Since 2004, ESB also harbors a successful start-up incubator (CIDEB).

The presence of CBQF, the Extension Division and CIDEB at ESB, provides an excellent platform for running of a modern doctorate programme.  The proximity to technology transfer and industrial services activities potentiates greatly the research environment of the CBQF. Further, the intensive collaboration with industry and other national and international research groups fosters the excellence of the programme.

Over more than 20 years, the PhD programme in Biotechnology has prepared many highly qualified experts, who are currently working in various academic and R&D institutions or in the business sector, in Portugal or abroad. The distinguishing assets of this programme are clear from its beginning, which is fully accredited by A3ES for the maximum period of 5 years, making it the best programme in Biotechnology within the national offer available.

This Doctoral programme is designed to provide the development of skills in the areas of Chemistry, Biology, Microbiology, Engineering, and in other relevant areas of Biotechnology. Graduates of the programme are prepared to perform in academic and/or professional contexts, as much in terms of the social and cultural context as of the technological one.

During the PhD in Biotechnology studies, students should produce research, which through publication in highly ranked journals, contributes to extend the frontiers of knowledge in biotechnology. Additionally, the graduate student should reveal the ability to critically analyze, evaluate, synthesize and communicate results from scientific or technological research both to the scientific and academic communities and to the industrial sector and society in general.

Doctors in Biotechnology will be able to demonstrate:

• A systematic understanding of Biotechnology in its many forms and subsectors;
• Capacity to perform, the various methodologies employed in the disciplines which make up the general area of Biotechnology;
• The ability to conceive, design, adapt and perform novel scientific research in Biotechnology, according to the requirements imposed by the highest standards of academic quality;
• The ability to critically analyze, evaluate and synthesize new and complex ideas in Biotechnology;
• The ability to play an active role in knowledge and technology transfer between university and business companies, demonstrating entrepreneurship skills;
• The ability to communicate with peers, the academic community, companies and society in general.

Curricular Structure

The duration of the PhD programme in Biotechnology is four years, corresponding to 240 ECTS credits:

• 10 ECTS optional course units,
• 210 ECTS mandatory on the topic of the PhD branch,
• 20 ECTS on biotechnology topics.

The PhD in Biotechnology offers four specializations: Food Science and Engineering, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Microbiology and Chemistry.

The curricular part is organized as follows: 

The inclusion of a curricular component in a Doctoral programme offers students the opportunity of expanding and consolidating a broad understanding of knowledge in a structured manner. It is recognized, however, that given the high level of expertise that doctoral studies require, such a curricular component should be flexible enough to enable each student to define and develop a profile consistent with his/her objectives and according to his/her training and professional and academic interests.

The dissertation component, in which multiple research skills are acquired, developed and consolidated, corresponds to a total of 210 ECTS.  In their research studies students should develop original work representing a contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the area, and thus worthy of publication in refereed, international journals.  To achieve these objectives, the students count on the support offered by the human and technical resources available at the CBQF research Centre and also at both ESB’s dedicated (and ISO 17025 accredited) industrial support laboratories and its biotechnology business incubator (CIDEB). Another important characteristic of the programme is the opportunity it offers to undertake internships in external laboratories of recognized merit or in companies. This approach is facilitated by the multiple thematic networks that ESB and CBQF are present in, and by the formal and informal partnerships that CBQF researchers have.

Language

The language of the PhD in Biotechnology is English. One of the main objectives of the Biotechnology PHD programme is to prepare professionals able to communicate with peers, the academic community, companies and society in general. English is the lingua franca in the current world of international business and diplomacy in the West, and is becoming more and more important in other regions of the world.

In the field of Biotechnology, English is also the common language used by the scientific community. The most important international peer-reviewed journals use English and the language at International events and research projects communication is also English. Therefore, students must be able to use English with proficiency in reading, publishing, communicating and discussing their scientific results. 

Supervision & Advising

► At the beginning of the 1^st year, for each student a supervisor and a possible co-supervisor are appointed.  At the end of each year the PhD student has to submit a report on his/her activities, to be evaluated by his/her supervisors and a third independent senior researcher.

► The first report, elaborated within the curricular unit Thesis Plan, shall be a detailed proposal of the dissertation plan, including a review of the state of the art, description of the different tasks and corresponding time schedule, and preliminary experimental results.

► The following years reports shall contain information on work progress over the previous year. Its objective is to:  describe progress, show ability and motivation for completing the PhD, and provide a realistic, structured and timetabled plan for completing the thesis. The thesis structure, drafts of thesis chapters and research publications shall be annexed.

► The annual students report has to be presented and defended publicly at the annual CBQF PhD student’s conference.

► In years one and two, the supervisors and the third expert evaluate student´s progress and decide on the student continuation on the doctoral programme.

► The main supervisor is responsible to guide the PhD student on selecting the most adequate course units to be done along the degree. These course units maybe a requirement for preparation of the PhD research work or suited to develop the adequate skills and competencies to the student envisaged career plan.

► At the end of each year, a short report will be prepared by the student and supervisor(s) including the following information: from the student side a list of objectives and those that have been achieved, explanation of any delay and its justification, request for any amendment to the initial plan and/or time extension; from the supervisors side indication on the quality of the student’s work progress and report, estimation of date for thesis submission to the ESB scientific committee, and justification in case the student needs time extension. The goal is to identify students' strengths and weaknesses and to develop strategies to support them towards completing their work within four years and to prepare them for the next steps of their careers.