About DC AGE_REG
The Innsbruck Doctoral College AGE_REG is hosted by the University of Innsbruck. AGE_REG provides an integrated training framework for excellent national and international students with a focus on ageing and regeneration research, which are studied in cellular and in vivo models. Faculty members of AGE_REG aim at providing their students with cutting-edge, competitive thesis projects, excellent working conditions, as well as tailored mentoring and a training program specifically designed for the interests and aspirations of AGE_REG students.
The conceptual framework of the DP AGE_REG is to comprehensively analyse ageing pathways across species at multiple levels in an interdisciplinary manner, with the ultimate aim to understand ageing and develop clinical regenerative strategies in the future. Cellular stress defence and repair/regeneration processes involve antioxidants counteracting reactive oxygen species, such as glutathione, in conjunction with antioxidant enzymes (e.g., superoxide dismutase). Such molecules influence multiple signalling pathways and transcriptional networks, which regulate DNA damage repair mechanisms, protein quality control systems, such as the 20S proteasomal pathway, autophagy, and various forms of programmed cell death. These damage repair systems help delay the accumulation of age-associated damage, thereby allowing an organism to maintain functional integrity and intact energy metabolism. Increased repair processes are also thought to contribute to the robust extension of lifespan by dietary restriction (DR).
Research in model organisms showed that ageing invariably depends upon a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Common denominators of ageing in metazoans are genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, loss of proteostasis, deregulated nutrient sensing, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, stem cell exhaustion, and altered intercellular communication. During recent years ageing research has increasingly resulted in the discovery of gerontological genes in animal models. Interestingly, these genes are conserved across species and involved in basic signalling pathways that regulate energy balance, cellular plasticity, growth, homeostasis, and reproduction. In plants, senescence is induced by various environmental and developmental factors, for example autumnal senescence in the leaves of deciduous trees, and of the vegetative tissues in annual plants at the end of their life cycle. As in animals, mechanisms of cell and tissue ageing in plants include DNA damage and repair, telomere shortening, genome reprogramming and the removal of damaged cells by programmed cell death.
Although significant progress has been achieved during recent years, various basic questions remain open: Why do organisms age, how do they age and to what extent are ageing mechanisms conserved or lineage- or species-specific? Which repair processes are known to counteract these processes and may be exploited for regeneration? Are longevity genes identified in model organisms functional in a human physiological setting?
Excellent scientists working in the field of cell biology are welcome to join the DP AGE_REG in order to further explore these questions. Interested applicants are invited to apply for admission to the Innsbruck Doctoral College.
The central part of the PhD curriculum is the successful completion of a PhD thesis, as well as of a training programme, which includes courses and scientific contributions to international conferences. The PhD students take part in interdisciplinary courses such as lectures, retreats and summer/winter schools. In these courses the PhD students are given the opportunity to present their projects and discuss them with an interdisciplinary audience including external speakers. Furthermore, the PhD students are given the opportunity to acquire teaching skills, as well as expertise in scientific ethics, project management and conflict management.
Summer and winter schools
DC AGE_REG summer and winter schools are organized every year. On these occasions, DC AGE_REG PhD students present their projects and discuss them with the audience. Complementary topics are presented by external speakers. DC AGE_REG summer and winter schools enable students to improve their presentation and networking skills, to brainstorm regarding future joint projects and to exchange experiences.
Conferences and research stays abroad
DC AGE_REG PhD students attend at least two international scientific conferences to present and discuss their research work, thereby initiating future collaborations with other research institutions. The training programme is organized in a flexible manner allowing PhD students to plan research stays abroad based on the network activities of the faculty. PhD students have the opportunity to visit a university abroad to work on a project related to their research topic. They are also given the opportunity to work in private industry, as appropriate. In the context of the industrial exchange activities the PhD students work on small, defined projects related to their PhD thesis projects. In this way, the PhD students establish contacts for a potential future career in industry.
The Innsbruck Doctoral College AGE_REG provides an integrated training framework for excellent national and international students with a focus on ageing and regeneration research. The academic degree that the students get is Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy).
Scientific fields
The DC AGE_REG comprises the following fields: Ageing and Regeneration Research, Cell / Stem Cell Biology, Plant Metabolomics, Genetics, Bioinformatics, Zoology.
Ph.D. thesis
A thesis committee is constituted for each PhD student by the faculty, consisting of the supervisor and up to two additional members (a second supervisor from the faculty and optionally, a third external supervisor) who are experienced scientists. The thesis committee meets at least once per term and discusses the progress related to the thesis and the PhD student (milestone meetings). This gives the students the opportunity to write a state-of-the-art thesis.
The Ph.D. is scheduled for three years (six terms), which is equivalent to 180 credit points according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). The central part of the curriculum is the Ph.D. thesis (150 ECTS), complemented by the training program (30 ECTS), which includes the successful completion of courses and scientific contributions to international conferences. In addition, the students gain international experience by research stays abroad. Furthermore, the students are given the opportunity to acquire teaching skills, expertise in scientific ethics, project management and conflict management.