phd in medical genetics in germany

• International Patients

Genetic Out-Patient Clinic

• Genetische Poliklinik

• Requisition Forms
• Directory of Services

• Section Nephrogenetics (AG Simons)
• Seniorprofessorship Prof. Rappold
• Molecular Neurogenetics (AG Berkel)
• Cardiogenetics (AG Hoffmann)
• nCounter Core Facility
• Transcriptional regulation in developmental disorders (AG Laugsch)
• Genetics of neurodevelopmental disorders (AG Schaaf)
• Mouse models for neurodevelopmental disorders
• Research in our Diagnostic Laboratories
• Publications

• Molecular Genetics Laboratory
• Range of methods
• Cytogenetics Laboratory
• MRD Laboratory
• Quality Management

• Project Request
• Publications & Citing our Service
• Startpage University Hospital
• Medizinische Fakultät Heidelberg
• Social Media
• Imprint Data Protection Policy Accessibility
• © 2024

Institute of Human Genetics

We warmly welcome you to the website of the Institute of Human Genetics at Heidelberg University Hospital. 'From Molecule to Medicine,' we address the question of how genetic changes can influence our health and cause diseases. As a highly motivated, international, and interdisciplinary team, we are here to ensure excellent patient care, research, and teaching.

If you are seeking advice as a patient, you are in good hands at our Genetic Outpatient Clinic . Here, we address all clinically genetic questions and ensure the best possible care through numerous interdisciplinary consultations. A consultation service is offered for urgent questions regarding inpatients at the University Hospital.

Our diagnostic laboratories provide the full range of human genetic diagnostics—from chromosome analysis to genome sequencing. We meet the highest quality standards and are a reliable partner for our senders from both home and abroad.

We gladly pass on our enthusiasm for human genetics. Teaching is therefore one of our most honorable tasks—both at the Medical Faculty and at the Faculty of Biosciences. Students and doctoral candidates from home and abroad enrich our teams in the research laboratories. Additionally, we take pride in our training mandate for resident doctors on their path to specialization, as well as for scientists who are in training to become certified clinical geneticists.

The numerous research laboratories of the Institute of Human Genetics represent our diverse interests, from basic research to clinical implementation. Special focuses include the study of neurological developmental disorders and nephrogenetics. Numerous national and international awards testify to the recognition of our scientific work. We invite you to take a look at our latest publications .

On the following pages, you can find targeted information about our diverse offerings. Should you have any questions or feedback regarding our work, please feel free to contact me or my team personally at any time.

Yours sincerely, Prof. Dr. Christian Schaaf

Managing Director

Prof. Dr. med. Christian Schaaf

Managing Director of the Institute

• Making an appointment

Our Departments

Projects and Studies

Within the Institute of Human Genetics research activities take place in severeal groups and divisions.

Out-Patient Care

Genetic Clinic

All medical services of the Institute of Human Genetics are rendered by the physicians of the Genetic Clinic.

Genetic Examinations

Diagnostics

In our genetic diagnostic laboratories, we perform cytogenetic, molecular genetic and molecular- cytogenetic testing.

Press Releases

DR. MED. FELIX MARBACH GEWINNT FRANK-MAJEWSKI-PREIS 14.10.2022

OXYTOCIN LESSONS FROM AUTISM-LINKED SYNDROMES: A CHAT WITH CHRISTIAN SCHAAF AND FERDINAND ALTHAMMER 07.09.2022

ZEICHEN DER VERBUNDENHEIT UND HOFFNUNG FÜR BETROFFENE FAMILIEN 20.07.2022

DIAGNOSE HILFT BETROFFENEN FAMILIEN, SICH ZU VERNETZEN 24.02.2022

NEUER EINBLICK IN KINDLICHES NIERENVERSAGEN 18.02.2022

Unsere Stellenangebote | Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg

EACD & IAACD 2025

4 th Triennial Meeting of the International Alliance of Academies of Childhood Disability (IAACD) and the 37 th  Annual Meeting of the European Academy Of Childhood Disability (EACD)

Heidelberg 

24.06.2025 till 28.06.2025

Links and Functions

• www.en.lmu.de
• LMU excellent

Language Selection

Breadcrumb navigation.

• Doctoral Programs

Ph.D. Program Medical Research in Genomic and Molecular Medicine – Personalized Approaches to Childhood Health

Main navigation.

• Doctoral Studies
• Consultation

The international and interdisciplinary "Ph.D. Program Medical Research in Genomic and Molecular Medicine – Personalized Approaches to Childhood Health" is part of the Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital and the Munich Medical Research School. It is primarily open to assistant physicians specializing in pediatrics but also to candidates from other disciplines (medicine, natural sciences, life sciences). The Ph.D. program offers research and qualification opportunities in the fields of genomics, epigenetics, molecular, cell and developmental biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics and immunology, with the focus on the normal and pathological development of the child. Doctoral candidates are in close contact with a thesis advisory committee and together with the committee they define their individual research goals. This ensures that the needs of each Ph.D. candidate are met on their way obtaining the degree.

Web: www.en.mmrs.med.uni-muenchen.de/phd/genomic-molecular

• Privacy Policy
• Accessibility

So finden Sie uns

• UM Mainz Navi

Mainz Research School of Translational Biomedicine (TransMed)

• Qualification Programs
• Application
• Training Program

PhD-MD/PhD in Translational Biomedicine

• Registration & Enrollment
• Thesis Submission

The PhD-MD/PhD doctorate in Translational Biomedicine is jointly run by the following Faculties of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz:

• University Medical Center
• Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Geography, and Geosciences
• Social Sciences, Media, and Sports

Meetings of the Joint Committee for the Conferral of the PhD-MD/PhD Degrees in 2024:

• February 1, 2024
• June 20, 2024
• September 26, 2024

Members of the Joint Committee for the Conferral of the PhD-MD/PhD Degrees:

• Prof. Dr. Thomas Mittmann (Chairman), Institute of Physiology, UMC, JGU Mainz
• Dr. Albrecht Clement, Institute of Pathobiochemistry, UMC, JGU Mainz
• Prof. Dr. Thomas Hankeln, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Genetic Engineering Research and Consulting, Biology, JGU Mainz 
• Alexander Löw (student representative)
• Prof. Dr. Dr. Perikles Simon, Department of Sports Medicine, Prevention and Rehabilitation, JGU Mainz 
• Dr. Petra Schwarz, Managing Director TransMed, UMC, JGU Mainz
• Prof. Dr. Marie-Luise Winz, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, JGU Mainz 

To contact us, please write us an   email

Please note that in addition to the enrollment in the TransMed PhD training program , you have to register/enroll as a doctoral student at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz as well.

For more information, see the following links below:

• List of Principal Investigators of the PhD-MD/PhD Doctorate

• Kliniken & Einrichtungen
• Über die Universitätsmedizin

Chairperson of the Joint Committee for the Conferral of the PhD-MD/PhD Degrees: Prof. Dr. Thomas Mittmann Institute of Physiology University Medical Center Duesbergweg 6 55128 Mainz

Tel +49 6131-39-27261   E-Mail

Mailing address:

TransMed University Medical Center Langenbeckstr. 1 55131 Mainz

Office address:

Dr. Petra M. Schwarz Managing Director Bldg. 907, Room 01-214 Tel +49 6131 17-9149   E-Mail

• General Information
• Tuition fees

Application & Admission

Language requirements, program features.

• List of Universities

3229 Study programs

Study Genetics in Germany: 12 Universities with 16 English Degree Programs

All important info for international students in germany (2024/2025).

Genetics is the fascinating study of heredity, exploring how genes and DNA influence living organisms. Students venturing into this field will delve into genetic variation, gene expression, and mutation, as well as the molecular mechanisms that govern the genetic code. The curriculum encompasses topics from classical Mendelian genetics to modern genomic technology and genetic engineering. Those studying genetics will learn about the powerful impact of genes on health, behavior, and disease, equipping them with skills for laboratory research, genetic counseling, and biotechnology. Careers in genetics are diverse, offering pathways into healthcare, agriculture, research, and ethical policy development.

Study Programs in English

Universities

Universities in International Rankings

€ 0 (15 programs for EU citizens, 13 programs for Non-EU citizens)

€ 4,500 per semester (1 program for EU citizens/Non-EU)

Winter Semester

between September 15 and July 15

Summer Semester

between May 15 and July 15

Top-ranked German Universities in Genetics

public University

No. of Students: approx. 37,000 students

Program Fees: € 0 (per semester)

Tuition Fees

3 english degree programs for genetics in germany.

Kiel University's Faculty of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences Kiel University · Kiel

Agrigenomics.

Ulm University Ulm

University of Bayreuth Kulmbach / Bayreuth

Food quality & safety.

Application Deadlines

Winter Semester 2024/2025

Summer Semester 2025

Winter Semester 2025/2026

Open Programs

15 programs

Application Modes

Application process.

Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena

Evolution, ecology and systematics.

Kiel University Kiel

Molecular biology & evolution (mambe).

Osnabrück University Osnabrück

Biology - from molecules to organisms.

TOEFL Scores

Cambridge Levels

5.5 (3 programs )

72 (3 programs )

B1 Preliminary (PET) (1 program )

7 (1 program )

93 (1 program )

C2 Proficiency (CPE) (2 programs )

Nanosciences - Materials, Molecules and Cells

Molecular Life Sciences

Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences Kleve

Bioengineering.

3-7 semesters

→ View all programs with online courses

Master of Science

Bachelor of Science

Winter intake

Summer intake

Winter & Summer intake

List of all German Universities offering English-taught Study Programs in Genetics

Friedrich Schiller University Jena

Program Fees: € 0

M.Sc. (Master of Science)

Goethe University Frankfurt

Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg

B.Sc. (Bachelor of Science)

Hochschule Mannheim - University of Applied Sciences

Program Fees: € 0 - € 1,500

Kiel University

← Prev page

Next Page →

News & Articles

Tuition-free Universities in Germany in English

Master's Requirements in Germany

Scholarships for international students 2024/25

Uni-assist: A guide for international students (2024)

How Much Does it Cost to Live in Germany?

Germany in University Rankings

DAAD Scholarships: Guide

Engineering Universities in Germany: A Guide 2024/25

Rapid technological advances have opened new horizons for human genetics research: Genome sequencing can detect nearly all changes in our DNA. With CRISPR/Cas9, one of the most powerful new genomic editing tools of the past decades, it is now possible to edit DNA in a targeted manner, to efficiently switch genes on or off, or to correct specific disease-causing mutations. OMICs technologies provide a range of tools to monitor DNA, RNA, proteins, metabolites and other molecules within the cell.

Our Institute is strongly committed and well equipped to seize the immense potential of these new technologies. Our researchers are creative and passionate in continuously devising innovative strategies to identify genetic changes and to analyze their consequences. They uncover disease-associated gene variants, characterize their functional impact, shed new light on fundamental biological processes, explore cellular and molecular processes in aging and aging-related diseases and provide deeper insights into the development and therapy of cancer.

The MutationMining Team (MM Team) is a unique feature of our Institute. Brought together in this multidisciplinary team, clinicians and scientists coming from various backgrounds interpret sequencing data from a clinical genetics perspective to identify novel disease-associated genes and variants in research projects either within the Institute or in collaborations with other research teams.

In all our research we work toward the goal of bridging the gap between science and clinical practice. Our motivation is to improve diagnostics of genetic disorders and to inform development of new therapeutic options.

The projects of our research groups are funded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), German Center for Heart and Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and other funding organizations.

Main Research Areas

Section of molecular developmental genetics, research groups, publications.

The range of our research activities is wide and covers fundamental biological processes like aging, pathogenesis of rare diseases and cancers as well as the development of novel therapeutic options based on genome editing…

Mutation­Mining Team

New high-throughput technologies and, above all, next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies as whole-genome or whole-exome sequencing have made it easier to discover disease-associated genes and disease-causing mutations. Our MutationMining (MM) Team searches the data generated by NGS-based analyses to detect novel causative genes and mutations in patients with various rare genetic diseases and undiagnosed congenital syndromes…

Molecular Developmental Genetics

Cancer can be linked to signaling pathways that play an important role during embryonal development. Our goal is to understand the role of the „Hedgehog“ and „Wnt“ signaling cascades in the formation and progression of tumors of the skeletal muscle, the skin and of the brain. In addition, we are analyzing the impact of specific stem cells in tumor development. Our projects are supported by the German Research Foundation, the Wilhelm-Sander-Stiftung und the German Cancer Aid….

Institut für Humangenetik der Universitätsmedizin Göttingen

Direktor: Prof. Dr. med. Bernd Wollnik Heinrich-Düker-Weg 12 37073 Göttingen Tel. 0551-39-60606 Fax 0551-39-69303

• Genetic Counselling
• Genetic Testing
• Rare Diseases
• Teaching & Training
• Forms & Sample Submission
• Contact & Location
• Privacy notice

We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

Start typing and press Enter to search

Cookie Consent

To improve the website, the DAAD and third parties set cookies and process usage data . In doing so, the DAAD and third parties transfer usage data to third countries in which there is no level of data protection comparable to that under EU law. By clicking the "Accept all" button, you consent to this processing. You can also find selection options and explanations of these cookies and processing at the end of this page under "Cookies". There you can withdraw consent at any time with effect for the future.

• Privacy Policy

Jump to content

PhD Studies & Research

Science and research in Germany are characterised by a distinguished infrastructure, a wide variety of disciplines, well-equipped research facilities and competent staff. Germany offers various career opportunities for international PhD students and researchers.

Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst e.V. Kennedyallee 50 53175 Bonn

All addresses in the DAAD Network

DAAD Newsletters

Receive regular up-to-date information about our work and organisation.

Newsletter - DAAD

Useful Links

• Find Scholarships
• DAAD offices worldwide

Jump to top of page

Ph.D. Program

Graduate studies.

The Genetics Ph.D. program provides opportunities for graduate study in all major areas of modern genetics, including identification and analysis of human disease genes, molecular evolution, gene therapy, statistical genetics, application of model organisms to problems in biology and medicine, and computational and experimental approaches to genome biology.

An underlying theme in our Department is that genetics is not merely a set of tools but a coherent and fruitful way of thinking about biology and medicine. To this end, we emphasize a spectrum of approaches based on molecules, organisms, populations, and genomes.

We provide training through laboratory rotations, dissertation research, seminar series, didactic and interactive coursework, and an annual three-day retreat.

Students receive a competitive stipend ($51,600 for the 2023-24 Academic Year), tuition, health insurance, and a dental care stipend for a full four years. We also encourage students to seek additional fellowships, including but not limited to: NSF GRFP , NIH F31 , NDSEG , Stanford Bio-X fellowship , Stanford DARE , and Stanford CEHG Fellowship .

Lab Rotations

Students rotate through 3 laboratories during their first year in the Genetics Graduate Program. Rotations typically last one quarter each, but can be less and are contingent upon the faculty member agreeing to the rotation request. All Genetics students must rotate with at least 1 Genetics faculty member (primary or secondary appointment). Other rotations may be done with any Bioscience faculty.

While most students start in Fall Quarter, students are encouraged to consider participating in the Advance Summer Institute for a smoother early transition into graduate school. There is a nomination & selection process. The department nominates, so if you are interested please let the department student services officer know. The program is not meant to be a source of summer bridge funding or simply an early rotation opportunity. There are many components to the program that require commitment of time and effort; and the funding, reflects both the expectation of full participation and belief that participants should be compensated for these efforts. The Office of Graduate Education does the selection for ADVANCE. There is no guarantee that if you are nominated that you will be admitted into ADVANCE.

While students may select a thesis laboratory after completing their third rotation, you can do more. Selection of the dissertation research laboratory must be done with the faculty member's approval. Prior to committing to a dissertation laboratory, students are invited to discuss their selection with the Graduate Program Director. Students are welcome to join labs outside of the Genetics Department; if so, they will discuss with the Graduate Program Director whether transferring into that department would be beneficial.

Dissertation Research

Once a student selects a permanent laboratory, they begin their dissertation research that will last for approximately four years. All students are expected to publish at least one first-author paper about their research during this time period, and the work culminates with a thesis defense presentation and written dissertation. See the Genetics Student Handbook for more information.

Coursework, Qualifying Exams, and other Requirements

Students in the Genetics Graduate Program take the Qualifying Examination in the Fall Quarter of their second year of study. There are two parts to the exam, a written research proposal and an oral examination.

Ami Bhatt, Dylan Maghini, and collaborators from the University of the Witwatersrand visit with researchers and staff at the MRC/Wits Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit in Agincourt, South Africa.

Ami Bhatt, Dylan Maghini, and collaborators tour the MRC/Wits Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit labs and biobank facility in Agincourt, South Africa.

Service Requirement

Service and outreach are a critical component of a student’s development as a scientist, and offer unique opportunities to learn by interacting with individuals outside the Department. Students are expected to participate in a minimum of 60 hours of service and/or outreach work prior to defending their dissertation.

Supplementary Educational Activities

In addition to your courses, qualifying exams, and dissertation, the Genetics Department has arranged additional educational activities for students. These regularly occurring meetings are:

Current Issues in Genetics (CIG) Two people from the Genetics Department give 20-25 minute presentations about their current work at this weekly Friday meeting. Students in their third year and above are expected to present their work annually. This series gives students the chance to learn about the range of science going on in the department and provides a great opportunity to give formal presentations to peers and colleagues. 

Graduate Student Journal Club This weekly journal club is organized completely by graduate students from the Genetics and Developmental Biology Departments. At each meeting, one or two graduate students lead 30 minute discussions on their choice of a recent journal article. For the first three years of the Ph.D. program, each student presents once per academic year.

Refreshments are provided by the graduate students and reimbursed up to the current year limit. Reimbursement requires an original receipt to the Student Services Coordinator.

Frontiers in Biology  Every week, the Departments of Genetics, Developmental Biology, and Biochemistry host an external speaker through the “Frontiers in Biology” seminar series. First year students also take a course related to this seminar (GENE 215), where they discuss a relevant paper the day before and meet the speaker after the presentation. 

Frontiers is held most Wednesdays at 4pm in Clark Auditorium.

Other Seminar Series There are many other regular seminar series on campus that students choose to attend. Some of the most popular include:

Center of Law and the Biosciences lunchtime talks. See CLB events calendar or subscribe to the listserv

Evolgenome (organized by CEHG). See CEHG website or subscribe to the listserv

Teaching and Mentoring Academy Events. See TMA website or subscribe to the listserv

Discussing Developmental Data (3D). See events schedule

Biomedical Seminars. See events schedule or subscribe to the listserv

Requirements

Important forms.

Service Requirement Form

Email  Wendy Christiansen

• EXPIRES SOON
• Dept. Medical Genetics, University of Tübingen
• Posted on: 22 December 2023

PhD Position in Biomedical Ethics within MSCA Doctoral Network MMM, Munich, Germany

Job Information

Offer description.

PhD Position in Biomedical Ethics at LMU Munich (Germany)

Modern medicine seeks to personalize diagnosis and treatment to the needs of individual patients. This need is heightened in particular for those individual patients where no treatments are available – and where current standard treatment development paradigms exclude to generate such. The ultimate goal of Medicine made to Measure (MMM) is to go even beyond the latest genetic medicine approaches, implementing a novel paradigm of treatment development: the field of single patient tailored antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) treatments for patients with nano-rare disease mutations. Specifically, MMM will develop core modules of a novel “out-of-the-box”, but still EMA-advised treatment development path for these patients - from omics-based theranostics, via preclinical target validation to innovative trial methodology and a pioneering ethical framework for individualised genetic therapies. MMM provides a unique opportunity for doctoral candidates to be involved in building - and to receive training - in all core modules needed for tailored ASO treatment in Europe. This new scientific field requires a new generation of open-minded, technology-fluent and applications-oriented experts.

MMM will help educate future drug development and translational experts in adopting and disseminating such a cross-specialty approach. Our idea for this innovative training network is built on our personal experience and understanding of the importance of single patient tailored genetic treatments in the years to come. We propose a consortium of world-leading experts and partners that present with extended experience and relevant know-how in molecular biology, neurology, translational medicine, biochemistry, bioinformatics, philosophy, mathematics, regulatory science and engineering.

We offer an attractive education and training programme that extends from engagements in high-level research projects, through tailored and network-wide training modules to providing competencies and skill sets that help young researchers go beyond the specific MMM research paradigm. Thus, MMM provides an exceptional platform to young, ambitious and talented researchers who like to engage in supporting the concept of single patient tailored treatments.

PhD PROJECT: Ethical foundations and implications of tailored genetic treatments

The PhD project aims at establishing a comprehensive ethical framework for the tailored genetic treatment development process. To achieve this goal, the project will (1) define ethical standards for innovative trial types for single-patient genomic medicine (n-of-1 trials; platform, umbrella and basket trials), (2) develop appropriate informed consent procedures based on conceptual analysis and socio-empirical analyses of patients’ informed consent needs, and (3) develop innovative approaches for pricing, coverage, and prioritisation of high-cost/high-effect single-patient ASO treatments.

Where to apply

Requirements.

Master’s degree qualifying for a PhD and research in the field of biomedical ethics, e.g. philosophy, medicine, health sciences or social sciences. Openness for interdisciplinary research required, some experience with analytical and socio-empirical ethical research methodologies is an advantage.

Additional Information

Gross salary (without employer’s social contributions) 3942€ per month, plus additional family allowance, if applicable.

Researchers must be doctoral candidates (i.e. not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment) . Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will not be considered eligible.

Researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their date of recruitment. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account.

Full applications should include

• A motivation letter
• A Europass CV ( https://europa.eu/europass/en )
• Copies of your relevant certificates
• Names and contact details for at least 2 potential referees

Applications should be submitted to [email protected] . For procedural questions, please contact [email protected] .

Work Location(s)

Share this page.

Jewish Journal

Connect. inform. inspire., ucla graduate program trains next generation of genetic counselors.

• By Ryan Torok
• Published September 4, 2024

A genetic counselor, though perhaps not as well-known as other healthcare professionals, plays a consequential role on a patient’s healthcare team – namely by helping a patient understand and adapt to their risk of inherited diseases and conditions.

As there are more than 40 known genetic diseases more prevalent among Ashkenazi, Sephardic, and Mizrachi Jews, genetic counselors are often sought after by Jewish community members who have a personal, and/or familial, risk of an inherited condition such as a cancer syndrome, or who are in the stages of family planning.

Genetic counselors are often sought after by Jewish community members who have a personal, and/or familial, risk of an inherited condition such as a cancer syndrome, or who are in the stages of family planning.  

In the Los Angeles community, the MS in Genetic Counseling Program housed in the David Geffen School of Medicine Department of Human Genetics at UCLA knows all about the importance of genetic counselors. The UCLA graduate program is educating and training the next generation of high-caliber genetic counselors, whose responsibilities include engaging in evidence-based practice that incorporates advanced knowledge in genetics, genomics and psychosocial counseling to order and interpret genetic testing, analyze family histories, and support the process of adapting to genomic risk, among other responsibilities.  

The 21-month program, which launched during the pandemic in 2020, integrates the science of genetics with knowledge, counseling and communication skills “to ethically and effectively deliver genetic counseling services in diverse clinical settings,” according to the program’s website.  

In this current age of precision medicine, which emphasizes tailoring an individual’s healthcare to their unique genetic information, there is unprecedented demand for certified genetic counselors, according to Christina Palmer, MS, Ph.D., CGC, program director of the UCLA MS in Genetic Counseling Program.  

“Our students are learning about these nuances to precision medicine,” Palmer said. “They’re at the forefront of genomic medicine.”

In the approximately two-year graduate program at UCLA, each cohort has 10 students. Meaning, in any given year there are 20 students. While many of the students enter the program with a bachelor’s degree in a science-related field, some may bring a sociology, psychology, or other background before entering the program. Many in the program receive scholarships to reduce financial barriers to higher education, and the program’s leaders are interested in identifying additional scholarship funding for their students.  

The cutting-edge program has three branches, consisting of classes, fieldwork rotations and research. In the students’ first year, the intensive curriculum includes coursework and clinical observations, and actively participating in clinical and laboratory rotations, while the second year has less coursework and is instead heavily comprised of rotations in different specialties along with conducting research culminating in a capstone research project that’s relevant to the discipline and practice of genetic counseling.

Along the way, the program features guest speakers and offers opportunities for shadowing support groups, among other supplementary experiences to broaden a student’s understanding of the experiences living with a genetic condition, or chance of one. Students interact with individuals and families who have experiences with genetic conditions, thereby hearing first-hand accounts.  

Students are also exposed to the ethical, legal and social issues involved in genetic counseling. At the intersection of genetic counseling and faith, there are scenarios where a patient might want to reach out to a religious or spiritual leader before making decisions related to just-obtained genetic information. In turn, the genetic counselor would be sensitive to that desire and be able to facilitate that for the patient.

Therefore, “It’s important to have a framework for addressing ethical issues,” Palmer, who has been on the UCLA faculty since 1999, said. “In genetic counseling, we guide our patients to make decisions that are aligned with their values.”  

A certified and licensed genetic counselor, Palmer has been involved in the profession for more than three decades, and her research interests include ensuring access to genetic information among underserved communities.

Many people are involved in training the students, including the program’s leadership team of Naghmeh Dorrani, MS, CGC, Rebecca Araujo, MS, CGC, Nicholas Gorman, PhD, and Derek Wong, MD, teaching faculty, and fieldwork supervisors. Jessica Kianmahd Shamshoni, MS, CGC an assistant adjunct professor in the Department of Human Genetics at UCLA, serves on the program’s teaching faculty.  

In an interview, Palmer and Shamshoni emphasized that one of the critical elements of the program is outreach. Throughout their two years, students make connections with local high schools and discuss genetic counseling as a viable career path. Similar to the curricular emphasis on the importance of community outreach, the program’s faculty demonstrate that they are aligned with this value and are passionate about community outreach and education. As an example, Shamshoni volunteers her time with GeneTestNow for the past several years giving educational presentations on carrier screening in the Los Angeles Jewish community

Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling, the UCLA MS in Genetic Counseling program has achieved notable student outcomes, including a 100% graduation rate. Additionally, nearly 90% of graduates have obtained employment within the field of genetic counseling, while among those employed, nearly 80% secured their position within three months of graduating, the UCLA website says. Several alumni have moved to the stage of publishing their graduate research thereby contributing to the evidence base for the practice and discipline of genetic counseling.

“Our master’s program in genetic counseling is training people in an increasingly relevant field,” Palmer said. “I am honored to work with such dedicated colleagues who worked together to craft and implement this program of study. And although our program has only been around for a few years the accomplishments of the students are impressive.”

Did you enjoy this article?

You'll love our roundtable., editor's picks.

Israel and the Internet Wars – A Professional Social Media Review

The Invisible Student: A Tale of Homelessness at UCLA and USC

What Ever Happened to the LA Times?

Who Are the Jews On Joe Biden’s Cabinet?

You’re Not a Bad Jewish Mom If Your Kid Wants Santa Claus to Come to Your House

No Labels: The Group Fighting for the Political Center

Latest articles.

Rosner’s Domain | Thoughts on Cynicism

Ordinary Lives

How Can We Commemorate Oct. 7?

You Know You Love Being Jewish If…

Are American Eyes Back on the Gaza Hostages?

Chef elon kviatkovsky: transforming tradition at la kosher catering, kosher cookout recipes for labor day, comedy rapper polly wolly on getting elders to dance and children to write, the jewish origins of george dickel whiskey.

Israel Mourns: Songs of Life Defy the Valley of Death

Song of Songs reassures us — and our grieving nation — that floods cannot drown love; Hamas can’t either.

Over 1,000 Gather at Nova Exhibit in Culver City to Mourn Six Slain Hostages

Survivors of the Oct. 7 attack spoke, as did local clergy and influential pro-Israel voices.

Orit Seif: Providing Comfort to Army Families with Gift Cards During Israel’s War Efforts

When the war broke out in Israel on Oct. 7, Kedma was one of the first groups to offer assistance to army bases. 

A Letter to Mama Rachel

We will keep Hersh’s memory alive.

More Jewish Young Adults Need Rabbis in Their Lives

I want more Jewish young adults to experience the important and diverse role rabbis can play in their personal Jewish stories.

Spielberg Says Antisemitism Is “No Longer Lurking, But Standing Proud” Like 1930s Germany

Young Actress Juju Brener on Her “Hocus Pocus 2” Role

Behind the Scenes of “Jeopardy!” with Mayim Bialik

A Jewish Warrior, On & Off The Battlefield ft. Noy Leyb

Daniel Shemtob: Snibbs, Hospitality and Matzo Pizza

More news and opinions than at a shabbat dinner, right in your inbox..

24 phd-human-genetics positions in Germany

Filtered by.

• phd-human-genetics

Refine Your Search

• Scholarship 10
• Research Job 9
• Postdoctoral 6
• Fellowship 1
• PhD Studentship 1
• Postdoc Fellowship 1
• Heidelberg University 3
• Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics 3
• Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden 3
• Dresden University of Technology • 1
• Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft 1
• Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf • 1
• Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) 1
• Humboldt-Stiftung Foundation 1
• Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig 1
• Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön 1
• Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences • 1
• Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin 1
• Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology • 1
• University of Göttingen • 1
• Engineering 2
• Mathematics 2
• Earth Sciences 1
• Economics 1
• Environment 1
• Humanities 1
• Materials Science 1
• Medical Sciences 1
• Social Sciences 1

Postdoctoral Researcher (m/f/d) in Engineering of Synthetic Binders

discovery, antibody engineering and/or genetic code expansion technologies, and an affinity for antibody-antigen interactions. A university and a PhD degree in Biology, Chemistry, or related fields is

PostDoc (m/f/d) | Theoretical Biology

Biology, hired through a Human Frontiers in Science grant to work on Evolutionary Consequences of Stress-induced Mutagenesis. Our partner group for this grant is the lab of Prof. Martin Kupiec at Tel Aviv

Postdoctoral Researcher (m/f/d) | Engineering of Synthetic Binders

Job Code: 2024-Postdoc-SyntheticBinders-2420 Job Offer from July 31, 2024 The Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) in Dresden, Germany, is an international research

Junior Research / Technology / Clinician-Scientist Group Leaders (m/f/d) in the field of infection

H uman M icrobe A lliance for U niversal Health ( HUMAN ) program The Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), is offering positions for Junior Research / Technology / Clinician-Scientist Group

Postdoctoral Researcher*

We offer a postdoc position in a project aiming at the development of new treatments options for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in humanized experimental mouse models. The project is performed

Senior Research Assistant / PostDoc (f/m/d)

Job Offer from July 18, 2024 The Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics (MPIMG) is an international research institute with about 360 employees dedicated to functional genomics, focusing

PhD Student (m/f/d) Immunology and Cell Biology

We are announcing a part-time position as PhD Student (m/f/d) in the Research group Immunology and Cell Biology Topic: Regulation of the human proteasome network under mitochondrial protein import

Postdoctoral Position or Ph.D. student (m/f/d) | Energetics of Biological Systems

Job Code: 2024-Postdoc-Energetics-2430 Job Offer from June 27, 2024 The Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden, Germany, is an institute of the world-renowned Max

PhD student (m/f/d)

drugs in the future. During your fully funded PhD project (3 years, 65 %), you will use state-of-the-art molecular and cellular biology, genetic engineering and imaging technologies to investigate

Doctoral position (m/f/d) | Primate microbiomes

questions in science: What makes humans human ? The institute brings together scientists from a wide range of disciplines who take an interdisciplinary approach to gain new insights into the history, diversity

Searches related to phd human genetics

• phd in medical genetics
• phd genetics
• medical sciences
• human genetics
• human genetic
• postdoctoral

Frequently Asked Questions

What is genetic counseling.

Genetic counselors have advanced training in medical genetics and counseling to guide and support patients seeking more information about how inherited diseases and conditions might affect them or their families, and to interpret genetic test results based on your personal and family history. You can learn more about the profession at by following the link to the National Society of Genetic Counselors website:  https://www.nsgc.org/

How long is the program?

The MSGC program is a 21 month full time program.

How many students do you accept each year?

We accept 5 students per year.

Is the MSGC program at WCGS accredited by the ACGC?

Yes, graduates of the WCGS MS in Genetic Counseling Program are eligible to sit for the ABGC board exam upon graduation.

Are there scholarships available for incoming students?

At this time, we do not offer any merit-based scholarships for incoming students. However, students will be eligible to work with our financial aid department for loan assistance once accepted into the program.

Do you accept international students?

At this time, the program is open to citizens of America and Canada.

Is there an option to enroll in the program part-time or online?

At this time we only offer the MSGC program on a full-time basis. Currently, the majority of our classes are in person. Select classes or fieldwork placements may be offered online/virtually.

Are interviews conducted virtually or in-person?

Pre-screening interviews will be conducted virtually in January. Candidates invited for in-person interviews will be scheduled for February.

Weill Cornell Medicine Graduate School of Medical Sciences 1300 York Ave. Box 65 New York, NY 10065 Phone: (212) 746-6565 Fax: (212) 746-8906

The University of Chicago The Law School

Global human rights clinic—significant achievements for 2023-24.

The Global Human Rights Clinic (GHRC) students continue to advance justice and address the inequalities and structural disparities that lead to human rights violations worldwide using diverse tactics and interdisciplinary tools. Over the past year, students and clinic director Anjli Parrin—who joined the faculty permanently in October 2023—worked in teams to promote human rights around the world. In particular, the GHRC supported justice efforts in the context of conflict and related to mass atrocities; the investigation and prevention of unlawful killings globally; the rights of missing migrants; the right to health; climate justice; and the right to equality and non-discrimination. Select work from each of these strands is described below.

Justice in Conflict: Supporting Atrocity Investigations in The Gambia and Central African Republic

The GHRC partners with civil society organizations and multidisciplinary scientific experts to investigate war crimes and mass atrocities, and advance justice in the context of conflict. Over this past year, the GHRC supported effective investigations in the Central African Republic and the Gambia. In addition, the Clinic worked with grassroots civil society and victims’ associations in both countries to advance critical human rights.

Central African Republic

In the Central African Republic (CAR), protracted violence and conflict has had devastating impacts on the civilian population. Civilians have borne the brunt of grave human rights violations, and the country remains one of the poorest in the world. The GHRC supported judicial authorities to carry out complex investigations of alleged mass atrocities committed during armed conflict in the country. Students worked alongside lawyers and scientific experts to conduct detailed factfinding, prepare legal memos on evidence collection and preservation, and support the creation of investigation files of human rights abuses.

Further, the GHRC alongside the Columbia Law School Smith Family Human Rights Clinic, partnered with CAR civil society, which is significantly under-funded and under-resourced, and therefore frequently shut out of international human rights forums and subject to attacks and threats domestically. We worked with two organizations—the Collectif des Organisations Musulmanes de Centrafrique (COMUC), an umbrella network of Muslim civil society, and the Association des Femmes Juriste de Centrafrique (AFJC), a women’s lawyers’ organization, and one of the largest providers of legal aid in the country—to document and advocate for the rights of religious minorities and women at the United Nations Human Rights Council. Students supported these organizations to:

• Launch a major human rights report on the right to freedom of religion and belief, and non-discrimination of religious minorities in CAR. This report documents violations of the right to life, arbitrary detention, freedom of movement, legal recognition, health, and education, and was launched in Geneva in December 2023.
• Carry out advocacy before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, as part of CAR’s Universal Periodic Review, a unique process of the Council whereby States’ human rights records are reviewed every five years. Students supported advocates from COMUC and AFJC to prepare reports on the human rights situation, present at a pre-session for the review in Geneva, and to meet diplomatic missions to inform them about the human rights situation in the country. The clinic’s support to national civil society ensured that they had access to this important international advocacy forum. The civil society reports can be accessed at the UN Office of the High Commission for Human Rights website (for a summary, see, A/HRC/WG.6/45/CAF/3 ).

In the Gambia, a military regime run by autocrat Yahya Jammeh committed scores of human rights abuses between 1994 and 2016, including arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances. Following the overturning of the Jammeh regime, a truth commission was created to understand what happened during the dictatorship, and a special prosecution office is being set up. Families of those killed and disappeared are searching for answers as to the fate of their loved ones.

In partnership with the African Network Against Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearances (ANEKED) Gambia chapter, the Gambian Ministry of Justice, and the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team, GHRC students supported efforts to advance justice and the search for missing persons in the Gambia. In particular, building on an assessment of the forensic and international criminal system conducted last year, the GHRC worked with civil society to carry out factfinding related to a key mass atrocity case. Additionally, in the Fall, the GHRC will work with ANEKED to expand its transitional justice and memory curriculum, so that young persons in the Gambia and globally learn about the process for truth and justice in the country.

Extrajudicial Executions: Preventing and Investigating Unlawful Deaths Globally

The GHRC provided strategic support to Morris Tidball-Binz, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions, and a leading independent human rights expert appointed by the United Nations to advise on the issue of unlawful killings from a thematic perspective. The Special Rapporteur procedures are a key pillar through which human rights is advanced at the UN. As part of their mandate, Special Rapporteurs undertake country visits, conduct annual thematic studies, and act on individual cases of reported violations by sending communications to States and international authorities. As of June 2024, Tidball-Binz joined the University of Chicago Pozen Family Center for Human Rights as a visiting senior research associate, where he will engage with and conduct joint research alongside Pozen Center and GHRC students.

In particular, the GHRC supported the Special Rapporteur with:

• Preparation for his country visit to Ukraine in May 2024. GHRC students conducted detailed research, factfinding, and analysis of concerns relating to unlawful killings in Ukraine, producing background research about the human rights situation prior to as well as during the ongoing escalation in hostilities. The research covered legislative and policy structures, key crosscutting concerns, emblematic cases, and positive developments. During the Special Rapporteur’s actual time in-country, GHRC students provided remote, ongoing support as required.
• Support in the research and drafting of his thematic report on the protection of the dead from a human rights perspective. GHRC students conducted factfinding, expert interviews, and legal analysis to inform the Special Rapporteur’s thematic report on protection of the dead, which was presented to the UN Human Rights Council on June 26, 2024 ( A/HRC/56/56 ). The UN Special Rapporteur acknowledged the contributions of the GHRC (video, remarks referencing the GHRC at 31:30).

Missing Migrants: A Forensic Response for African Missing Migrants in Southwest Europe

Thousands of Africans go missing each year attempting to cross international borders in search of safety and better opportunities. Despite the broad recognition among states of the importance and need to address the situation of missing migrants, there is a lack of formal coordination and procedures among all relevant stakeholders relating to missing migrants, and in many instances, even within a country’s government, there is a lack of information sharing. For families searching for the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones, the uncertainty is devastating, often leaving them in limbo.

In partnership with the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic (IRC) and the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team, the GHRC is supporting efforts to identify missing migrants traveling from Africa to South-West Europe. Over this course of this academic year, GHRC/IRC students:

• Researched migration patterns in key departure and transit countries in Africa, focusing on migrants leaving from the Gambia, Senegal, Morocco, and Tunisia. Additionally, students researched migration arrival patterns in Spain.
• Commenced an analysis of the existing legal frameworks governing the rights of missing migrants, and laws that pertain to transnational exchange of information of missing migrants. This analysis will be further developed and published next academic year.
• Prepared to carry out travel to the Gambia, Senegal, Tunisia, and Morocco, including identifying key stakeholders in each country from civil society, state institutions, and intergovernmental institutions.

Advancing the Right to Health Globally

GHRC students work to address violations of the right to health globally. We do so in two key areas—by working with Indigenous groups globally to reinterpret the international human right to health in accordance with Indigenous knowledge systems; and to support the realization of the right to health in the context of armed conflict.

Indigenous rights to health

In partnership with Human Rights Watch and Indigenous groups in South Africa, the Navajo Nation, and Guåhan (Guam), GHRC students are working to tackle systemic harms within global health and understand the impact of colonial determinants on health outcomes. This academic year, students worked to finalize a human rights report on the impact of US military buildup in Guåhan on Indigenous CHamoru medicinal and healing practices (the military currently controls approximately one-third of land on Guåhan). This report will be released in the Fall of 2024. Further, GHRC students supported Indigenous groups in South Africa and the Navajo Nation to document violations of the right to health in their lands.

Drawing upon his research through the GHRC, undergraduate student Elijah Jenkins was selected to receive the prestigious Stamps Scholarship , which will support him to undertake additional research in Guåhan. As a CHamoru student, Jenkins will deepen his understanding of and research into the impact of colonialism on the peoples of Guåhan and will continue to be supported by the GHRC.

Attacks on healthcare in conflict

The GHRC partnered with the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine to document, research, and support legal claims of violations of the right to health in the context of the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine. This project is taking place with the support and partnership of the Heath and Vascular Hospital at the Public Aid Society in Gaza. GHRC law students and Pritzker School medical students teamed up to conduct interviews with doctors who have recently traveled to Gaza, conduct open-source research into violations of the right to health, and analyze the applicable international humanitarian law governing protection of medical establishments and personnel. The team is currently preparing joint submissions to legal and quasi-judicial bodies.

Bridging the Chasm Between Law, Science, Technology and Narrative to Advance Climate Justice

While climate change is having a devastating impact across the planet, the harms are not experienced equally. Those on the frontlines of the climate crisis are frequently those who have contributed least to climate harms—including Indigenous groups, individuals living in small island nations, young people, and communities across the Global South. Coalitions of young people, including the Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC) and the World’s Youth for Climate Justice (WY4CJ), are leading the right to ensure a livable present and future.

In March 2023, the PISFCC succeeded in getting a historic resolution adopted, asking the International Court of Justice—the World’s Court—to rule on what the obligations of States are to protect the climate, and what the consequences are for the world’s biggest violators. Ahead of the ICJ oral hearings, GHRC is partnering with PISFCC, WY4CJ, visual investigations experts SITU Research , and artist Suneil Sanzgiri, to create a fifteen-minute film that weaves together the stories of young people and the impacts of climate harm through testimony, historical and contemporary documentation, and climate science. The film will debut at the Pinakothek der Moderne museum as part of the upcoming exhibition, Visual Investigations: between Advocacy, Journalism, and Law , opening October 10, 2024 in Munich, Germany.

Advancing Equality: Resisting Discriminatory Laws in Uganda and Globally

Discriminatory laws impact the ability of sexual and gender minorities, as well as other vulnerable groups, to access basic rights. Recently, several countries have passed discriminatory laws, including ones criminalizing homosexuality with extraordinarily punitive sentences. GHRC students work alongside civil society organizations in Uganda and around the world to challenge unfair laws and policies. This academic year, students:

• Partnered with Chapter Four Uganda and the Makerere University Human Rights and Peace Centre to develop a strategy to challenge discriminatory provisions in the survivor’s benefit clause of the National Social Security Fund Act. In March 2024, GHRC students traveled to Uganda to host the first of its kind moot court competition around this provision. Students partnered with Ugandan colleagues to prepare their arguments, and following the event met with the Minister of Justice to advocate for changes in the law. Currently, students are preparing a joint white paper on the issue, which will be published over the summer of 2024.
• In partnership with Stanford Law School International Human Rights and Conflict Resolution Clinic, GHRC students supported major NGOs in countries where new restrictions on sexual orientation and gender identity had been passed to analyze the restrictions and publish public-facing advocacy documents explaining their implications.
• Supported the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions with research and legal analysis of LGBTQI+ killings, ahead of a thematic report which he will present to the UN General Assembly in October 2024.

Student Post-Graduate Fellowships

Additionally, GHRC graduating students obtained prestigious fellowships to pursue public interest work post-graduation. In 2023, Nico Thompson Lleras and Marin Murdock both received fellowships to work at Reprieve’s Unlawful Detention program and International Coalition of Sites of Conscience’s Global Initiative for Justice, Truth, and Reconciliation. In 2024, graduating student Bryant King will join the Clooney Foundation for Justice as a legal fellow, and Elisa Epstein received the Equal Justice Works Fellowship to support a two-year fellowship at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).