PhD in Advanced Biotechnology

2025/2026

What you learn

The scope of research will focus on the 3 most important sectors of biotechnology (environmental, health and agri-food).

Among the lines of research of the program are the following:

  • Treatment and biotransformation of industrial effluents (water, gases) into bioproducts
  • Organic waste management and treatment, Composting, Waste minimisation and clean technologies
  • Biobanks
  • Search, expression, production and engineering of proteins with biotechnological applications
  • Biotechnological treatment of industrial waste
  • Physiological mechanisms of disease resistance and plant development
  • Study of nutraceutical compounds in horticultural crops
  • Systems Biology
  • Interdisciplinary research related to quality control and evaluation of physicochemical characteristics of fuels and lubricants
  • Application of Total Quality Management and Risk Prevention to different areas
  • Development and use of molecular markers and chromosomal studies for population analysis
  • Genealogies and phylogenies reconstruction
  • Microbial Biotechnology
  • Plant Biotechnology
  • Health Biotechnology
  • Bioprocesses applied to green chemistry and the environment
  • Analytical tools for the analysis and confirmation of chemical compounds of biotechnological interest
  • Bioelectroanalysis: modified electrodes, bionanotechnology and applications
  • Obtaining new compounds and nanomaterials with application at the biological level

The PhD program in Advanced Biotechnology is an interuniversity program, in which 36 PhDs participate, distributed in the following teams:

  • • Biochemistry. University of A Coruña
  • • Biotechnology Team. University of A Coruña
  • • Plant Physiology Team. University of A Coruña
  • • Organic Chemistry and Molecular Biology Team. University of A Coruña
  • • Fuel Equipment. University of A Coruña
  • • Genetics Team. University of A Coruña
  • • Biotechnology Team. University of Vigo

Generic skills

  • CB11 - Systematic understanding of a field of study and mastery of research skills and methods related to that field.
  • CB12 - Ability to conceive, design or create, implement and adopt a substantial process of research or creation.
  • CB13 - Ability to contribute to the expansion of the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
  • CB14 - Ability to carry out critical analysis and evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas.
  • CB15 - Ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general about their fields of knowledge in the modes and languages commonly used in their international scientific community.
  • CB16 - Ability to promote, in academic and professional contexts, scientific, technological, social, artistic or cultural progress within a knowledge-based society.
  • CA01 - Function in contexts in which there is little specific information.
  • CA02 - Find the key questions that need to be answered to solve a complex problem.
  • CA03 - Design, create, develop and undertake novel and innovative projects in their field of knowledge.
  • CA04 - Work both in a team and autonomously in an international or multidisciplinary context.
  • CA05 - Integrate knowledge, deal with complexity and make judgments with limited information.
  • CA06 - The critique and intellectual defense of solutions.

Specific skills

  • CE1 - Demonstrate a systematic understanding of any of the specialties of biotechnology: white (environmental), green (agri-food) and/or red (biomedical/health), as well as mastery of the skills and research methods related to these specialties.
  • CE2 - Conceive, design, implement and adopt a substantial research process with academic seriousness.
  • CE3 - Make a contribution through original research that expands the frontiers of knowledge in one of the lines of research in Biotechnology, developing a substantial corpus of which, at least part, deserves publication referenced at a national or international level.
  • CE4 - Be able to disseminate one's own research in publications referenced nationally or internationally.
  • CE5 - Demonstrate the ability to carry out and direct research and development related to the biotechnology sector.

Transversal skills

  • CB11 - Systematic understanding of a field of study and mastery of research skills and methods related to that field.
  • CB12 - Ability to conceive, design or create, implement and adopt a substantial process of research or creation.
  • CB13 - Ability to contribute to the expansion of the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
  • CB14 - Ability to carry out critical analysis and evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas.
  • CB15 - Ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general about their fields of knowledge in the modes and languages commonly used in their international scientific community.
  • CB16 - Ability to promote, in academic and professional contexts, scientific, technological, social, artistic or cultural progress within a knowledge-based society.
  • CA01 - Function in contexts in which there is little specific information.
  • CA02 - Find the key questions that need to be answered to solve a complex problem.
  • CA03 - Design, create, develop and undertake novel and innovative projects in their field of knowledge.
  • CA04 - Work both in a team and autonomously in an international or multidisciplinary context.
  • CA05 - Integrate knowledge, deal with complexity and make judgments with limited information.
  • CA06 - The critique and intellectual defense of solutions.

Professional and academic career

The aim is to train highly qualified professionals prepared to meet the demand of the growing number of biotechnology companies and who are capable of carrying out quality research work, of international projection and who will lead research groups and R+D+i departments of public centres and private companies in the future.

Professional and academic career

The aim is to train highly qualified professionals prepared to meet the demand of the growing number of biotechnology companies and who are capable of carrying out quality research work, of international projection and who will lead research groups and R+D+i departments of public centres and private companies in the future.

Companies and institutions involved

  • Biomedical Research Institute (INIBIC)
  • Center for Agricultural Research (CIAM)
  • CSIC-Institute of Marine Research (IIM)
  • There are collaboration agreements signed between these entities and the UDC.<

Research lines

This are the main research lines for current study.

  • Analytical tools for the analysis and confirmation of chemical compounds of biotechnological interest
  • Bioelectroanalysis: modified electrodes, bionanotechnology and applications.
  • Bioprocesses applied to green chemistry and the environment
  • Development of molecular markers in animals
  • Health biotechnology
  • Microbial biotechnology
  • Obtaining new compounds and nanomaterials with applications at the biological level.
  • Physiological mechanisms of disease resistance and plant development
  • Plant biotechnology
  • Search, expression, production and engineering of proteins with biotechnological applications
  • Study of nutraceutical compounds in horticultural crops
  • Systems biology
  • Treatment and biotransformation of pollutants (water, gases, solid waste)

Planning for teaching

Additional subject teaching

Candidates who do not meet all the necessary prior learning conditions for the programme may be required to complete additional courses in the form of subjects and modules from UDC Master’s and undergraduate programmes. The number of credits from additional subject teaching will not exceed 15 ECTS credits, which students may choose to complete before or after enrolment in the PhD programme.

Students who do not opt to complete additional coursework prior to enrolment should register for their extra subjects or modules at the same time as the PhD. Failure to complete additional coursework within a period of three consecutive terms will result in the termination of the student’s registration.

See also UDC PhD Policies and Regulations, Article 5: Applications.

complements credits
Genetic Engineering and Transgenics 4.5
Cell and Tissue Engineering 3
Genomics and Proteomics 4.5
Industrial Biotechnology 6
Biotechnological Processes and Products 3
Biotechnological Techniques 6

EIDUDC teaching and training activities

EIDUDC teaching and training activities

Programme-specific teaching and training activities

ACTIVIDADES OBLIGATORIAS

  • Seminarios: un seminario anual, mínimo, de 10 horas, organizado por el programa de doctorado/Universidad.
  • Congresos científicos: participación en al menos un congreso, preferentemente durante el segundo o tercer curso.
  • Artículo/capítulo de libro científico: un artículo/capítulo de libro, mínimo, redactado preferentemente durante el segundo o tercer curso.

ACTIVIDADES OPTATIVAS

  • Estancias en centros de investigación: realización de estancias en centros de investigación extranjeros, preferentemente de tres meses como mínimo.

Supervision agreement

The PhD supervision agreement defines the academic relationship between the candidate and the University, the rights and responsibilities of each (including any intellectual and/or industrial property rights resulting from the candidate’s research), the procedures in place in relation to conflict resolution, and the duration of the agreement. It also specifies the duties of the PhD tutor and supervisor.

The supervision agreement must be signed by the candidate, tutor and designated university representative (or representatives) within a maximum period of one month as from the date of registration. The supervisor’s signature may be added subsequently, once a supervisor has been appointed.

When the document has been signed by all the relevant parties, the agreement is then added to the candidate’s record of activities.

See also UDC PhD Policies and Regulations, Article 13: Supervision agreement.

Research plan

The candidate must prepare a research plan within six months of registration, with information regarding methodology, objectives, resources and milestones. The research plan is submitted together with the report of the supervisor and/or tutor for approval by the Academic Committee for PhD Programmes (CAPD). Improvements to the plan may be introduced with the approval of the supervisor and/or tutor based on the annual review of the student’s research progress.

Research plans are subject to annual review by the CAPD, including the report(s) of the supervisor and/or tutor and the candidate’s record of activities. Students will be permitted to continue with their studies if the outcome of the review is satisfactory. If the outcome is negative, the student will be required to submit a new plan within a period of six months. If the committee is still not satisfied, the candidate will be removed from the programme.

See also UDC PhD Policies and Regulations, Article 15: Research plan.

Student mobility

UDC holds student mobility agreements with universities and other third-level institutions across four continents. Students are offered several opportunities each year to apply to study abroad in one of these centres (for a single term or for a whole year), with the guarantee that all credits obtained will be duly recognised in their academic record upon their return.

For each round of applications, the University publishes the list of exchange options available to students and, where relevant, the specific conditions associated with each. Students may also apply to the University for funding for international work experience placements and internships.

Work experience placements are accredited in the student's academic record and the European diploma supplement. Students are free to decide in which host company or academic institution within the EHEA they wish to carry out their placement. To assist them in their search, the University has created an online noticeboard with jobs postings and other news.

Work-study placements in A Coruña are arranged by the International Relations Office (ORI) of the UDC in collaboration with the international relations coordinators in the student’s home university. The general entry criteria, rights and obligations of students, and admission and acceptance procedures for the programme, are regulated by the UDC Mobility Policy.