Field of Biology
The Doctoral School of Biology was established in 2023, following the fulfillment of the requirement that at least three faculty members affiliated with IOSUD–UVT hold doctoral supervision rights. It is accredited based on the Order of the Minister of National Education no. 6250/2023 regarding the accreditation of the doctoral field of Biology within the Doctoral School of Biology, organized at the West University of Timișoara. Thus, for the first time in UVT’s history, doctoral-level studies in Biology have become possible.
The main objective of the Doctoral School of Biology (DSB) is to investigate, at an advanced academic level, key issues related to fundamental biological phenomena, such as biomonitoring, organism evolution, spatial ecology, the impact of invasive species on native biota, molecular modeling of biological processes, and the prediction of biological activity of various xenobiotics.Â
The mission of DSB is to continuously develop and promote high-performance research programs aligned with international trends and to generate new knowledge in the field of biology.
The impact of these research programs is reflected in the advancement of scientific knowledge, the increased visibility and reputation of Romanian biological research both nationally and internationally, and the improvement of teaching quality. DSB also aims to provide its graduates with advanced professional skills that support rapid integration into the labor market and increase their competitiveness nationally and internationally.
A strategic objective of DSB is to increase the internationalization of its activities through:
(a)Â attracting doctoral students from within and outside the European area,
(b) establishing international co-supervision agreements,
(c) inviting renowned national and international experts in the life sciences and biomedical fields to share knowledge and expertise with doctoral students,
(d) and enhancing the academic and professional visibility of doctoral supervisors on both national and international levels.
Doctoral supervisors
- Prof. univ. dr. habil IANOVICI Nicoleta-Florica (CV)
- Prof. univ. dr. habil ISVORAN Adriana-Vetuța (CV)
- Prof. univ. dr. habil PÂRVULESCU Lucian (CV) (research page)
Thematic areas of interest (2025)
Prof. Nicoleta-Florica Ianovici, PhD, habil.
- Immunological consequences of stress on organism health
- Invasive and non-invasive methods of monitoring urban environmental quality through plant indicators
- Assessment of phytotoxic effects caused by xenobiotics
- Evaluation of biostimulants’ effects on physiological and morphometric parameters in plants, quantified using various methods
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Prof. Adriana-Vetuța Isvoran, PhD, habil.
- Prediction of xenobiotics’ effects on living organisms
- Structural bioinformatics of proteins
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Prof. Lucian Pârvulescu, PhD, habil.
(for more information, visit the dedicated page)
- Ecology of crayfish plague (multiple topics)
- Eco-behavioural processes in crayfish (multiple topics)
- Crayfish evolution and its relation to spatial ecology (multiple topics)
- Management and conservation of native fauna
Useful information
Proposed topics for admission (2025)
For the complete list of topics, please consult the table (link).
The funding status of each topic (scholarship-based budget, budget without scholarship, or tuition fee) is determined based on the admission competition, in accordance with the UVT methodology.
Admission
The admission competition consists of an oral examination, which includes two stages:
- Evaluation of the candidate’s knowledge based on the list of subjects
- Presentation of the Individual Research Project (IRP)
The committee will assess: the candidate’s level of preparation in relation to the subject list and bibliography for the chosen doctoral topic, the quality and feasibility of the proposed IRP, the candidate’s academic record and any previous research experience (if applicable).
Additionally, the motivation for the proposed doctoral topic and its alignment with the candidate’s previous academic performance will be taken into account.
Each evaluator will assign a grade from 1 to 10 for each of the following components:
- N1 – Evaluation of the candidate’s knowledge based on the subject list and bibliography
- N2 – Evaluation of the Individual Research Project (IRP)
- N3 – Evaluation of the candidate’s professional portfolio and prior research achievements
Each evaluator’s final score is the arithmetic mean of N1, N2, and N3.
The admission grade is the arithmetic mean of all evaluators’ scores.
The minimum passing score is 7 (seven).
Candidates will be ranked in descending order of their admission averages for each type of seat (budgeted or tuition-based).
Admission is granted to the top-ranked candidate for each available seat, provided the score is not below 7.
In case of ties, candidates will be ranked based on their prior scientific contributions (e.g., author/co-author of scientific articles) and the relevance of those contributions to the proposed IRP.
For more details regarding application files, the admission calendar, and the organization of the doctoral admission process within the Doctoral School of Exact Sciences and Natural Sciences, please consult the Admission Regulations of the DSESN and the UVT Doctoral Admission Methodology.
Resources
Curriculum
- Doctoral students admitted in the first year in 2024 (link)
- Doctoral students admitted in the first year in 2025 (link)
Courses
Communication Methods for Research Results in Biology
Completion of studies
For more details about the IOSUD-West University of Timișoara study completion procedure, please visit the Doctoral Studies > Completion of doctoral studies page (link).
For field-specific details, please consult the following:Â
- Order of the Ministry of Education and Research no. 3018/2025, dated January 13, 2025, on the approval of the minimum mandatory national standards required for awarding doctoral degrees, published in the Official Gazette no. 78 of January 29, 2025
(applicable to doctoral students admitted from 2025 onward)Â (link) - Order of the Ministry of National Education no. 5110/2018, dated September 17, 2018, regarding the approval of the minimum national standards for awarding doctoral degrees, published in the Official Gazette no. 817 of September 24, 2018 (link)
(applicable to doctoral students admitted before 2025)Â (link) - The National Guide for Writing Doctoral Theses related to the Field of Study (forthcoming publication)
- Sections concerning the graduation procedure in the Regulations of the Doctoral School to which you are affiliated