Progress in life sciences is increasingly dependent on the research and development in Computational Biology. In recent years, this interdisciplinary research area underwent a great development at an international scale that was not encompassed by a corresponding development in Portugal.

In early 2005, the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, the SIEMENS SA Portugal, and the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian decided to join efforts to promote a pilot PhD Program in Computational Biology.

The PhD Program in Computational Biology aims to ensure the training of a limited number of PhDs in this area at an internationally competitive level. This program is organized by the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência in cooperation with several national and international institutions, and runs in close interplay with a FLAD Collaboratorium in Computational Biology.

The PhD Program in Computational Biology is a four-year program divided into one year of full-time courses, workshops and projects on the main aspects of computational biology from the biological, computational, mathematical, chemical and physical points of view, and three years of research training in a recognised laboratory anywhere in the world, including Portugal. Non-national citizens are accepted but are only eligible for FCT funding if they do their research training in a portuguese research lab. The choice of laboratory is left to the student but must meet the standards set by the Program Direction and Scientific and Pedagogic Advisory Board.

The objectives of the Program are:

1. introducing the inter-disciplinary field of computational biology by giving students a wide culture on most of its aspects;
2. offering in-depth research training in one area of computational biology chosen by each student during the first year of the Program.

A critical spirit and an open mind from the part of the students are nurtured and strongly encouraged. The courses during this first year are given mostly by renowned invited researchers from Europe and beyond.

Applications to the fourth edition of the PhD Program in Computational Biology were accepted until April 4th, 2008.

The courses in the academic year 2008-2009 are due to start in fall.

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