Viikki Graduate School in Biosciences (VGSB) is a PhD training program operating at the Viikki Campus of the University of Helsinki, Finland. VGSB is financed by the Ministry of Education, the Academy of Finland, and Biocentrum Helsinki, and focuses on the molecular mechanisms behind basic biological phenomena (see below). The graduate school was established on 1.1.1999 as an initiative of the Viikki Research Group Organization in Molecular Biosciences, the programs of which form the bases for the training provided by VGSB. VGSB is a campus-wide graduate school that efficiently networks PhD candidates, researchers and institutions at the Viikki Campus (Faculty of Biosciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, Institute of Biotechnology and Neuroscience Center, Evira), but also nationally by providing the opportunity for students elsewhere in Finland to participate in the courses organized by VGSB. 35% of VGSB students are international, and besides few exceptions the entire study curriculum is in English. The Director of VGSB is Prof. Dennis Bamford, and the Coordinator Dr. Sandra Falck. For the VGSB contact information, please click here.

The research fields represented by VGSB are related to the research programs of Viikki Research Group Organization in Molecular Biosciences:
● Developmental Biology
● Cell Biology
● Plant Biology
● Structural Biology and Biophysics
● Microbiology
● Virology
● Genetic and Genomics
● Bioinformatics in relation to the above mentioned fields

VGSB focuses on biological research aiming to study molecular mechanisms behind basic biological phenomena at cellular and molecular level. There are no restrictions concerning the research(model) organisms used.

Excluded from VGSB´s profile is research focusing on:
● Diagnostics and detection methods
● Medical research
● Pharmacology
● Neurobiology
● Ecology
● Applied biosciences when not addressing basic biological phenomena and the molecular mechanisms behind them


VGSB's international PhD training activities are focused on DevelopmentaI Biology
       DevSignalNet - An International PhD Program
       FinGerDevNet - Finnish German Doctoral Training
                                    Network in Developmental Biology


VGSB students are selected via an open call according to the criteria stated under VGSB-specific admission requirements.

The students accepted to VGSB's 4-year PhD program are working in research groups of the Viikki Research Group Organization in Molecular Biosciences at the Viikki Campus. In addition to the supervisor, the students have a Follow-Up Group helping them in scientific and other relevant issues. VGSB students are privileged to attend the education provided by the graduate school.

VGSB students will obtain their PhD degrees according to the requirements of their faculty. Typically, in addition to the Master's Degree, 60 ECTS and a PhD thesis (commonly composed of peer-reviewed publications and a summary section) are required.