Application

Note: We are working on the arrangements for this application round. Unfortunately we are experiencing delays which we hope to resolve before long. Kindly email Sam with questions.

 
To all current and prospective 1st year PhD students studying Bioinformatics in Sweden,
 
We are pleased to announce that MedBioInfo, the National Graduate School in Medical Bioinformatics, will be extended to admit an incoming class in 2025. 
 
MedBioInfo was established to provide advanced training in bioinformatics to the next generation of world-class life-science researchers. If admitted you will join a competitively selected student community. Our 42 affiliated faculty members include most of the leading bioinformaticians in Sweden, and we also draw on the faculty of NORBIS, our Norwegian sister school. Alongside your peers, this will form a key part of your future scientific network. Our courses are short, worth 3 or 5 HP(ECTS). Each course typically requires a one-week at-home pre-assignment, one week in residence, and (often) a take-home one-week post-assignment. You would typically take two courses per year, for a total of 3 years. The courses are more specialised than can be provided by your home university. You will be matched with a faculty mentor, providing a perspective and advice complementary to that of your advisor. We also have an annual meeting where you will attend faculty talks and soft-skills workshops, present your research, network, and get feedback. Best of all, this should be fun.
 
You are eligible to apply if you began or will begin your PhD between January 2024 and April 2025, though I wish to emphasize there is flexibility in this. Target groups include PhD students in Life Science doing primarily computational research.Selection criteria include your CV, transcript, and the relevance of your research project. You will also need an endorsement letter from your advisor. 
 
You may have earlier heard that our original VR funding was running out. However after much discussion we have decided to continue on a fee-paying basis. This means that your advisor will be asked to pay a moderate tuition fee. Some PIs may question why they should pay for courses which can be had elsewhere for a lower price. Allow us to point out why we think it is worth the money:
 
  1. While we acknowledge excellent courses are given by other entities in Sweden and abroad, anywhere else it will be up to you the student to find the courses, which will not be scheduled with you in mind, with a guaranteed spot for you, with consideration of the stage you are in of the PhD, and avoiding conflict with other courses, the Annual Meeting, and popular conferences.
  2. With MedBioInfo you are part of a program, you can expect to take all your courses with the same group of peers who will continue to be part of your scientific journey after graduation. 
  3. It is not just about the courses, MedBioInfo students greatly value the Annual Meeting and other networking opportunities.  
  4. Future employers will know that as a MedBioInfo student you were selected by an admissions committee of Bioinformatics faculty. You can also earn a completion certificate based on coursework and Annual Meeting participation.
As part of the new financial arrangement, MedBioInfo will be partially and later fully hosted by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) rather than Stockholm University. For related reasons, the name will soon change to SwedBioInfo, the Swedish Graduate School in Bioinformatics
 
We strive to have a broad distribution of Swedish home universities. We take pride in our good gender balance, as well as inclusion in other aspects. To this end we have a policy of respectful dialogue in courses, seminars, and meetings.
 
Please be aware that, if admitted, your first course, “Applied Bioinformatics” usually runs in Uppsala in May. Several of our core courses require programming in Python. If your Python background is weak, you will need to start strengthening your skills soon after admissions. There are many online courses, and we also recommend Shaw’s “Python 3 the hard way.” Considering the climate, we ask students to avoid flying to MedBioInfo events.
 
Our minimum enrollment is 20 students, though in past years we have enrolled up to 30. We encourage you to apply; a link to do so will appear later this term. 
 
Feel free to email Sam with any questions. We will look forward to reading your application.
 
With kind regards,
 
Arne Elofsson, Director
Samuel Flores, Dean of Students