Neurosciences

Accreditation valid until: 23. 9. 2030

Chairman of the Subject Area Board:


prof. MUDr. Jan LACZÓ, Ph.D.

224 436 860

Department of Neurology
Second Faculty of Medicine
Charles University and Motol University Hospital
V Úvalu 84
150 06  Prague 5

 

Contact person:

Mgr. Pavla Zídková

224435836

V Úvalu 84, Praha 5, 150 06

 

Members of the Subject Area Board

Characteristics of the study programme

The study programme is concerned with all aspects of the study and research of nerve tissue, both central and peripheral, in its physiologic state and in disease, in basic research and in clinical applied research. The study programme consists of the following parts: neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neurogenetics, neuropathology, neurology, psychiatry, neurosurgery, neuropharmacology, neurorehabilitation and neuroimaging.

The goal of the study is that the student may obtain knowledge of the field of neurosciences as a whole, ability of independent scientific work, ability of independent research including of publication of its results in scientific/professional periodicals with a defined IF, all of that with the respect of nerve tissue and its physiology and pathophysiology, and clinical research.

Admission procedure requirement specific to the study programme

The conditions and course of the admission procedure for the part-time of study are the same as the conditions for the full-time form. 

We recommend to contact your potential supervisor in advance and consult the suitable form of preparation for the interview. Each study programme has its own specifics, so the supervisor can help you to prepare for the specialized entrance examination (the interview).

Topics of dissertation thesis

The candidate chooses the preliminary topic individually and contacts a potential supervisor. Candidates can also consult the topics listed below, the choice is not, however, limited to these topics only. The student consults the chosen topic with the supervisor and agrees on its more precise specification. In case of any ambiguity, we recommend that you also contact the chairman of the SAB. If necessary, he/she can recommend that he/she consult the topic with another specialist according to the focus of the intended project.

If the candidate does not know which topic/supervisor to choose, he/she will contact the chairman of the SAB, with whom he/she will consult on a suitable topic and a potential supervisor.

This choice is preliminary, the admissions board may, after consultation with the candidate, nominate another supervisor.

Dissertation topics offered

doc. MUDr. Vladimír Beneš, Ph.D., Department of Neurosurgery for Children and Adults, Second Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • Pediatric neurooncology - neurosurgical point of view
  • Intracranial aneurysms

prof. MUDr. RNDr. Ondřej Bradáč, Ph.D., Department of Neurosurgery for Children and Adults, Second Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • ICP signal analysis - searching for biomarkers of ICP change
  • Normotensive hydrocephalus - diagnosis and treatment
  • Non-invasive methods of measuring ICP

Mgr. Jiří Hammer, Ph.D.Department of Neurology, Second Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • Dynamics of brain activity during solving cognitive tasks in epileptic patients with intracerebral electrodes

doc. MUDr. Aleš Hejčl, Ph.D., Department of Neurosurgery in Ústí nad Labem

  • cerebrovascular disease: brain aneurysms, carotid endarterectomy, atherosclerosis, flow hemodynamics  

Mgr. Hana Horáková, Ph.D.Department of Neurology, Second Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • Cognitive Functions in Neurodegenerative Diseases 
  • Experimental Memory Paradigms and Their Role in the Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease
  • Subjective Cognitive Decline, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Their Diagnosis
  • Subjective Cognitive Complaints and their Screening and Diagnostic Potential for Pathological Aging

prof. MUDr. Jakub Hort, Ph.D.Department of Neurosurgery for Children and Adults, Department of Neurology, Second Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • Cognitive function Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body dementia
  • Frontotemporal dementia Experimental neuropsychology Modern technology and dementia

doc. RNDr. Pavla Jendelová, Ph.D., Institute of Experimental Medicine, CAS

  • Extracellular matrix modulation as a tool to influence pathological conditions in the CNS

prof. MUDr. Přemysl Jiruška, Ph.D., Department of Physiology, Second Faculty of Medicine, CUNI

  • Cellular and network mechanisms of seizure genesis and epileptogenesis
  • Drug-refractory epilepsy and epileptogenic reorganization
  • Brain dynamics in epilepsy and pathological brain oscillations
  • Innovative approaches to epilepsy treatment

prof. MUDr. Pavel Kršek, Ph.D., Department of Paediatric NeurologySecond Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • Pharmacoresistant epilepsy and epilepsy surgery in children
  • Identification of novel EEG and neuroimaging biomarkers to predict focal cortical dysplasia

MUDr. David Krýsl, Ph.D.Department of Neurology, Second Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • Seizures and epilepsy in autoimmune diseases of the CNS EEG biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of nervous system diseases
  • Modeling the prognosis of epilepsy surgery based on the analysis of non-invasive examinations

doc. MUDr. Petra Laššuthová, Ph.D., Department of Paediatric Neurology,Second Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • New causes of rare inherited neuromuscular diseases
  • Phenotype-genotype analysis in rare inherited neuropathies
  • Molecular causes of hereditary neuropathy in patients

MUDr. Zuzana Libá, Ph.D., Department of Paediatric NeurologySecond Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • autoimmune inflammatory diseases of the nervous system in children
  • inflammation and epilepsy in children

doc. MUDr. Petr Libý, Ph.D., Department of Neurosurgery for Children and Adults, Second Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • Neuroendoscopy for pediatric-specific findings
  • Neuro-oncology Functional NCH
  • Neuromodulation
  • Epileptosurgery

MUDr. Lucia Machová Urdzíková, Ph.D.,  Institute of Experimental Medicine, CAS

  • Modulation of Chondroitin Sulfate Sulfation Patterns to Support Neuroplasticity and Regeneration in Aging and Spinal Cord Injury

MUDr. Zuzana Nedelská, MS.c., Ph.D., Department of Neurology, Second Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • Multimodality imaging in timely diagnosis and differential diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies, multiple systém atrophy and atypical parkinsonism
  • Biofluid biomarkers associated with alphasynuclein in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies: correlations with clinical phenotype, disease progression, imaging and with established biomarkers of Alzheimer disease as frequent co-pathology
  • Non-alzheimer dementias – dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal lobar degeneration: innovative biofluid biomarker and thein association with clinical and functional impairment and imaging patterns

Mgr. Ondřej Novák, Ph.D., Department of Physiology, Second Faculty of Medicine, CUNI

  • Study of mechanisms of epileptogenesis and ictogenesis in acute and chronic mouse models of epilepsy using advanced intravital optical microscopy of cell-resolved neuronal activity
  • Therapeutic potential of neurosteroids for mechanisms of epileptogenesis and ictogenesis in acute and chronic mouse models of epilepsy
  • Causal therapy of brain malformations-related chronic epilepsy targeted at the neuronal senescence and their extracellular non-synaptic communication

MUDr. Helena Pivoňková, Ph.D., Department of Physiology, Second Faculty of Medicine, CUNI

  • Myelin plasticity in epilepsy

MUDr. Barbora Straka, Ph.D.Department of Paediatric NeurologySecond Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • Genetic causes of malformations of cortical development - implementation of advanced molecular-genetic methods 
  • Stratification of patients undergoing epilepsy surgery based on genetic markers 
  • Using advanced bioinformatics tools to discover new genetic causes of serious neurological diseases

doc. MUDr. Dana Šafka Brožková, Ph.D., Department of Paediatric NeurologySecond Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • Expanding the genetic diagnosis of patients with hereditary spastic paraparesis using new genomic methods
  • Rare forms of hereditary neuropathy and their advanced diagnosis

doc. MUDr. Aleš Tomek, Ph.D., Department of Neurology, Second Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • Risk of hemorrhagic transformation after thrombectomy

RNDr. Rostislav Tureček, Ph.D.Institute of Experimental Medicine, CAS

  • The role of KCTD proteins in the mammalian peripheral and central auditory system

RNDr. Anna Uhrová Mészárošová, Ph.D.Department of Paediatric NeurologySecond Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • Phenotype-genotype correlation of individual types of hereditary spastic paraparesis in diagnosed patients
  • Role and inheritance of pathogenic variants in the KIF1A gene in hereditary neuropathies and spastic paraparesis
  • Diagnosis of pediatric patients with suspected hereditary spastic paraparesis using advanced genomic methods

doc. MUDr. Martin Vyhnálek, Ph.D.Department of Neurology, Second Faculty of Medicine, CUNI and Motol University Hospital

  • Cognitive  impairment in patients with hereditary cerebellar ataxias
Supervisors of the study programme

Each supervisor must be approved by the SAB. The criteria for admitting new supervisors are determined by the SAB. If the proposed supervisor has not yet been approved by the SAB, this must be done no later than the enrollment of the applicant in the study (provided that the applicant is accepted). You can find a list of supervisors approved by the SAB here. After clicking, the supervisor's workplace and contact information will be displayed.

Requirements during the study

Study obligations for full-time and part-time form of study are the same. 

  • Quality ISP and its proper implementation (checked by the supervisor).
  • Completion of the course Advances in Neurosciences. This is a two-week full-day course, which is an overview of current neuroscience research. The course is taught by academic staff of the three Prague medical faculties of the Charles University and staff of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the National Institute of Mental Health. Tolerated absence is one and a half days.
  • Another course from the DSPB offer.

The SAB will now recognize the following courses in scientific work and biostatistics:

  • Course of basics of scientific work at the Czech Academy of Science (B90068)
  • Course of basics of scientific activities at the Second Faculty of Medicine CU (DS001)
  • Introduction to the practical methodology of scientific work at the Third Faculty of Medicine CU (CPGS005)
  • Biostatistics course for doctors and PhD students in biomedical fields at the First Faculty of Medicine CU (B90211)

Other courses are recognized by the SAB only based on a submitted application. It is recommended that the chosen course be related to the content of the study or the topic of the dissertation. 

  • English language examination (D0400003; Examination at the Department of Languages, Second Faculty of Medicine CU, State language examination or internationally recognized language examination, e.g. TOEFL, Cambridge Certificate) 
  • The Dean's Provisions no. 2/2024 states that all students should attend the faculty Scientific conference in the 4th year of study (and also again in the 6th and 8th year of study in case the student extends their studies).
  • State doctoral examination (D0400001)

Active participation in scientific conferences, congresses and conventions (according to the supervisor's instructions or with his/her recommendation).

Acquisition of the basics of scientific work so that after graduation the student is capable of performing independent scientific work and publications of its results in internationally recognized journals.

Requirements for internships

In accordance with the Rector's Directive recommends an internship at a foreign institution for a duration of at least one month. However, part of the study abroad can be replaced in justified cases by another form of direct student participation in international cooperation, e.g. participation in a research project.

Listed courses

Advances in neurosciences (B90005)
Basics of scientific work at the Czech Academy of Science (B90068)
Course of basics of scientific activities at the Second Faculty of Medicine CU (DS001)
Introduction to the practical methodology of scientific work at the Third Faculty of Medicine CU (CPGS014)
Biostatistics course for doctors and PhD students in biomedical fields at the First Faculty of Medicine CU (B90211)

Requirements for the SDE
  • Completion of the course Advances in Neurosciences (B90005) and another course within the DSPB (compulsory is at least one according to the choice of the student and the supervisor)
  • Acceptance / publication of at least one article in a peer-reviewed journal from the RIV database, which, however, need not have an IF. If the student is a co-author, it must be an original article in a journal with a defined IF; if the student is the first author, it must be an article (original or review). Short messages, letters to the editor, etc. are not recognized for this purpose.

The dates of SDE for the current academic year can be found here

If, for serious reasons, the student is unable to attend the SDE at the scheduled time and is excused from this date by the dean, a replacement date is set for the student, which is usually the nearest date that follows this date. Assignment of another SDE term is not a right.

Examination topics for the SDE

Publication activity requirements

Preparation and implementation of research that leads to the acquisition of results, which are subsequently published and presented in the dissertation thesis. Submission of at least three original full-length scientific papers accepted for publication or already published in journals with a defined impact factor according to WoS, the cumulative value of which exceeds 1.5. The student is the first author of at least one of these publications and the journal impact factor of this publication is above 1.0 according to WoS.

Defence requirements
  • State doctoral exam
  • At least three accepted/published full-length original publications in journals with IF (total IF above 1.5 according to WoS), including at least one publication with first authorship in a journal with IF above 1.0 according to WoS.  
  • The SAB requires 4 copies of the summary of the dissertation and 3 copies of the dissertation itself.

The dates of the defences for the current academic year can be found here.

Profile of a graduate of the study programme

The study programme is designed for the study of the structure, functions and disorders of the nervous system. The programme covers, in particular, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neurogenetics, neuropathology and neuropathophysiology, methods used in those disciplines, essential clinical knowledge of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry as well as of the diagnostic methods used in those disciplines. A graduate has the basic knowledge of all the above parts of the discipline, is capable of independent scientific work, and well-versed in the current state of knowledge in the field of his/her dissertation. A graduate is mentioned as an author/ess in the basic reference databases of his/her field of study.

Information about graduate employment 

Researchers in academic institutions and commercial research. Teachers in higher education. Doctors in senior positions (after some medical experience).

Last update: 7. 2. 2025 / ThDr. Jitka Sýkorová, Ph.D.
Was this page useful?