Applications are now being accepted for the Shenzhen University (SZU) School of Medicine international PhD program in biology. Led by Professors Wei-Guo Zhu (Dean of the SZU School of Medicine), Shunichi Takeda and Xingzhi Xu, this cross-disciplinary program enables students to gain critical scientific thinking skills, theoretical knowledge, and professional experience in biological techniques used in the research laboratory setting.

During the program, students will undertake independent laboratory-based research on exciting and relevant research questions, ensuring they remain at the frontiers of the biomedical sciences. Potential mentors include Dr. Wei-Guo Zhu (epigenetic regulation and DNA damage response), Dr. Shunichi Takeda (homologous recombination repair and radiation biology), Dr. Xingzhi Xu (DNA replication and DNA damage repair), Dr. Baohua Liu (genome instability and ageing), Dr. Huiqiang Lou (DNA replication), and Dr. Xinchun Chen (tuberculosis research). More information on the potential mentors is available at: http://med.szu.edu.cn/Category_556/Index.aspx.

Shenzhen is an international city of innovation in China: It is located across the bay from Hong Kong and offers a subtropical monsoon climate with clean air all year round. SZU (http://en.szu.edu.cn/) is the only comprehensive university fully supported by the Shenzhen municipal government. The School of Medicine hosts an internationally competitive faculty focusing on DNA damage repair, cancer, infectious disease, cardiovascular disease, and drug discovery.

Successful PhD candidates will receive a generous scholarship to cover all research costs, tuition fees, and work-related travel, as well as stipend not less than $10,000 USD per year. Successful candidates are also eligible to apply for a Guangdong Government Outstanding International Student Scholarship, which is awarded to outstanding foreign students.

Eligibility

A maximum of 20 successful PhD candidates will be enrolled on this program in September 2022, with the expectation that they will be awarded their PhD degree within 3-5 years. To be eligible to apply to this program, applicants must:

Be foreign citizens of the People’s Republic of China, demonstrated by a valid foreign passport.

Be fluent in written and spoken English, evidenced by a TOEFL (at least 95) or IELTS (at least 6.5) score report if not a native of an English-speaking country.

Hold a Bachelor's or Master’s degree in a biological sciences discipline with a GPA in the top 30% of class from a top 400 QS ranking university, or with a GPA in the top 10% of class from a 401-700 QS ranking university. The QS World University Rankings can be found here: https://www.topuniversities.com/qs-world-university-rankings. Any SCI publications is a plus.

Application Procedure

To apply for a position on the program, potential candidates must provide:

A completed, signed and scanned application form  that is available from http://med.szu.edu.cn/Item/1208.aspx or by email request from stakeda@szu.edu.cn and molmed.hsc@szu.edu.cn.

A detailed CV demonstrating competence and motivation for science.

A personal statement of approximately 2,000 words, which details an area of study of interest (in the form of a brief research plan) and supervisor, and outlines study or professional work experience, academic and/or research achievements, and future career goals.

Two letters of recommendation from professors or associate professors (or persons of equivalent positions), emailed by the referees directly to stakeda@szu.edu.cn and molmed.hsc@szu.edu.cn.

A copy of all degree transcripts and certificates. Note that all documents must be translated into English and certified. Hard copies will be requested ONLY after acceptance of a place on the program.

A synopsis of the diploma thesis.

A copy of the official TOEFL or IELTS score report.

A copy of a valid ordinary passport used for private affairs.

A high resolution, electronic ID photo that resembles the passport photo.

All application materials must be in English language and emailed to stakeda@szu.edu.cn and molmed.hsc@szu.edu.cn by March 25th, 2022. Any applications lacking any of the above will not be considered. Please note that application materials will not be returned. 

Short-listed candidates will be notified and offered a time and date for a virtual interview with the recruitment panel by the end of March.

This information is also available at the Nature Careers website, which is https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/job/enrollment-is-open-for-the-international-phd-program-in-biology-shenzhen-university-school-of-medicine-shenzhen-university-health-science-center-752923#apply.