The call is aimed at potential PhD supervisors at all higher education institutions in Sweden for new research projects relevant to ATMPs. 

Conditions for applying:

• The main applicant (principal supervisor) must be employed or formally affiliated and active at the higher education institution where the doctoral student is expected to be admitted. The main applicant is required to have a documented supervisor training programme and to meet the respective higher education institution's requirements for supervision.
• The principal applicant can only participate as principal supervisor in one application at this call. If a principal supervisor appears as principal supervisor on several applications, all are considered invalid.
• The rules that apply to supervision and doctoral education at each higher education institution apply to those who are awarded funding.

• Download the Application Form

Applications submitted as a single pdf file must include the following documentation:

1. A project description using the provided application form.

2. A max 2-page CV from the PhD supervisor (main applicant). 

• Personal statement (max 200 words) to clarify ambition and ability to supervise the project
• Education
• Positions, Scientific Appointments 
• Honors, Awards and other Merits

3. A max 2-page Selected publication list from the PhD supervisor (main applicant) including:

• Peer-reviewed original articles
• Peer-reviewed conference contributions not included in other publications
• Research review articles
• Intellectual property rights

4. For part-time projects (PhD student employed by the Region) the application should also include:

• CV from the PhD student (max 1 A4-page)
• Commitment statement signed by the PhD student (max A4-1 page) 
• A signed letter from the head of division/department/clinic or equivalent (verksamhetschef) stating that the person has been informed about the PhD research project plan and that time within the framework of the employment* will be granted to the intended PhD student according to the timetable** and financing plan. 

5. Applications should be submitted electronically in an email with the heading “ATMP-school application 2024” as a single pdf file to atmp [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (atmp[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se) and must be received before midnight on February 15^th, 2024

• Download the Application Form

*) Non-scheduled time for doctoral education where salary costs are financed in accordance with the financing plan in the project plan.

**) According to the Higher Education Ordinance, doctoral studies shall relate to full-time work, but at least 50 percent of full-time (Högskoleförordningen chapter 5, section 3 a). Furthermore, the university may accept doctoral students with another form of study financing than a doctoral student position if the university assesses that the applicant can devote such a large part of his or her time to the education that it can be completed within 4 years for a licentiate degree and 8 years for a doctoral degree (Högskoleförordningen chapter 7, section 36).

Decision on allocation:

Decisions on the allocation of funds are made by the board of the graduate school based on the ranking from the external evaluation of the projects. The decision on allocation will be announced in June 2024.

Assessment of the application:

For applications received, an initial assessment of eligibility is made based on the national graduate school's description of the research area ATMP. Projects that are deemed clearly irrelevant will not be considered for further review.  A maximum of 20 applications will be forwarded to the external evaluation group that will review and rank the projects based on the evaluation criteria.

The reviewers must be free from bias towards the projects, a reviewer does not review projects from his/her university.

Each project is assessed by at least three people who report scores for each application based on the assessment criteria. The evaluation group consists of a total of 7 experts, 5 experts from each involved university and 2 international experts. 

• Learn more about the Evaluation Committee

Requirements for Supervisors:

The department where supervisors of granted doctoral projects work is awarded a grant of 1.5 million SEK. This is a co-financing of the doctoral project that covers direct and indirect costs, including overhead costs at the host university. 

Supervisors commit to actively participate in up to one common graduate school activity per year together with all students and supervisors.

Projects that have been granted funding will be presented on the Graduate School's website. 

Requirements for Doctoral Students:

The doctoral student must be admitted and employed when the research school starts, no later than 1 December 2024.

The doctoral student becomes part of a national graduate school in ATMP with access to elective courses, workshops and other activities that ensure a solid graduate education with the aim of training future leaders and academic teachers in the field.

The doctoral student's individual study plan must include:

• At least 6 credits (4 weeks) of the Graduate School's ATMP courses.
• Active participation in all activities of the graduate school.

Doctoral Recruitment:

The full-time doctoral projects that are granted project funding for third-cycle education then participate in the recruitment process of doctoral students. 

1. Part-time doctoral students: Part-time doctoral students are doctoral students employed by another organization than the higher education institution, such as the region. Applications for prospective part-time doctoral projects with employment at another principal must include a written certificate from the head of operations certifying that the doctoral student will have the time and opportunity to complete the doctoral programme. Once a part-time project has been approved, the higher education institution does not need to advertise the project. At the time of admission, a contract is drawn up between the higher education institution and the external principal that ensures that the doctoral project is financed until graduation.
2. Full-time doctoral students: Full-time doctoral students are those employed by a higher education institution. After granting a full-time doctoral project, each higher education institution shall advertise a new position for the project. Recruitment must be competitive and only persons who have not yet been admitted to a doctoral programme can be recruited.  The positions must be advertised, and otherwise comply with the respective university's regulations.

• Our courses are open to PhD teachers in Swedish healthcare programs, other PhD students, and post-doctoral researchers in fields related to ATMPs.
• Affiliated PhD students should have research projects in research fields related to Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) and must commit to the full training program of the research school.

To apply to become an affiliated PhD student, the supervisor and doctoral student should send an email to the National ATMP Research School's Head Coordinator, Johan Flygare along with necessary documents and forms.

Please contact Johan Flygare for more information:

Email: Johan [dot] Flygare [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (Johan[dot]Flygare[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se).

Applications to become an affiliated PhD student will be reviewed by the National ATMP Research School's Head Coordinator, Johan Flygare.