Ústav molekulární genetiky AV ČR, v. v. i.
Excellent Science. Transferable Skills. Endless Possibilities. A PhD is much more than producing scientific results. It is a journey of discovery, continuous learning and professional growth that prepares you not only to become an excellent scientist, but also to thrive in a wide range of research careers. The 19th IMG PhD Conference celebrates the outstanding research carried out by our PhD candidates while providing opportunities to develop the competencies, confidence and professional network that will support your future career.
The morning session celebrates scientific discovery through an opening keynote by Dominik Hrebik (Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Germany) and presentations by IMG PhD candidates. Whether you are taking your first steps in research or already have exciting results to share, presenting your work is an opportunity to receive valuable feedback, exchange ideas with colleagues and senior researchers, and strengthen your scientific communication skills. To help you prepare, all PhD candidates who register for a conference talk will be invited to an exclusive half-day workshop on presentation skills for scientists, designed to enhance the clarity, impact and confidence of their presentations.
The afternoon focuses on continuous learning and the many opportunities a PhD can unlock beyond the laboratory. Through keynote lectures by Dominik Hrebik (Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Germany), Ralfs Buks (National Institute of Research and Innovation, Latvia) and Tina Catela Ivković (Lund University, Sweden), participants will discover how the competencies developed during a PhD translate into successful careers in academia, industry and research infrastructure management. A panel discussion will provide an opportunity to ask questions, hear honest career stories and gain practical advice from researchers who have followed different professional paths.
The final part of the conference is dedicated to professional growth. An interactive workshop will introduce ResearchComp, the European Competence Framework for Researchers, helping participants recognise, develop and communicate the valuable competencies they are building throughout their PhD. The day will conclude with the Poster Scavenger Challenge—an engaging networking activity that brings together the scientific and career-development themes of the conference by celebrating both the outstanding research and the transferable competencies of the IMG PhD community.
Whether you aspire to lead your own research group, innovate in industry, manage a cutting-edge research infrastructure or are still exploring where your PhD might take you, this conference is designed to inspire, connect and prepare you for the next stage of your scientific journey. Whether you register for a conference talk, present a poster or join as a participant, the 19th IMG PhD Conference is your opportunity to showcase your research, learn from internationally recognised scientists, connect with colleagues across IMG and become part of a vibrant PhD community. We encourage every PhD candidate to take an active role and help make this year’s conference a celebration of the excellent science, transferable competencies and remarkable talent at IMG.
Dominik Hrebik is a structural biologist specialising in cryo-electron microscopy and structural virology. After completing his PhD under the supervision of Pavel Plevka at CEITEC Masaryk University, he joined the laboratory of Prof. John Briggs at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Germany, one of Europe’s leading centres for structural and molecular biology. His research combines advanced cryo-electron microscopy with computational image analysis to reveal the molecular mechanisms of viruses, including HIV and Ebola. Throughout his career, Dominik has built expertise in cutting-edge technologies, international collaboration and scientific communication, leading to high-impact discoveries, including a recent publication in Nature.
At the conference, Dominik will reflect on his journey from PhD candidate towards an independent academic career, sharing how scientific excellence, transferable competencies and the opportunities created along the way have shaped his path.
Learn more about Dominik’s work on Bluesky.
Ralfs Buks is a molecular biologist whose career has spanned academia, biotechnology and research innovation. After completing his PhD at the University of Aberdeen, he continued his professional development in the United Kingdom, France and Sweden, gaining experience in translational research, biotechnology and innovation management. Alongside his scientific background, he has developed expertise in leadership and management, earning professional qualifications from the Chartered Management Institute. He currently works at the National Institute of Research and Innovation (NIRI) in Latvia, where he contributes to research and innovation initiatives while remaining actively engaged with the biotechnology ecosystem. His career illustrates how scientific training, international mobility and transferable skills can open diverse opportunities beyond the traditional academic pathway.
At the conference, Ralfs will share his journey from academic research to innovation and discuss the competencies that helped him build a career at the interface of science, biotechnology and entrepreneurship.
Learn more about Ralfs‘ work by connecting with him on LinkedIn.
Tina Catela Ivković is Head of Unit at the Center for Translational Genomics (CTG) at Lund University, one of Sweden’s leading genomics research infrastructures. CTG provides researchers and clinicians with access to advanced technologies, including next-generation sequencing, single-cell genomics and spatial transcriptomics, and contributes to major national initiatives in clinical genomics and precision medicine. Originally from Croatia, Tina completed her PhD and first postdoctoral training at the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb. She subsequently worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Lund University and at CEITEC Masaryk University in Brno, in the research group of Ondřej Slabý, before returning to Lund and moving into research and core-facility management. Her career demonstrates how scientific expertise, international mobility and transferable skills developed through research can lead to an influential leadership role enabling discoveries across an entire scientific community.
At the conference, Tina will share her transition from bench scientist to research-infrastructure leader and the competencies that helped her build this career.
Learn more about Tina’s work by connecting with her on LinkedIn.
Ester Jarour is the PhD Coordinator at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences. Throughout her career, she has helped early-career researchers develop the skills needed to thrive both within and beyond academia by designing career development programmes and facilitating professional development workshops. As Coordinator of the Alliance4Life consortium, she led the development of a researcher e-learning platform based on ResearchComp, the European Competence Framework for Researchers.
In her highly interactive workshop, participants will explore their own competencies through a series of individual and collaborative activities while discovering how ResearchComp can support their future career development. To take part in the interactive online exercises, participants are kindly asked to bring a smartphone or another internet-enabled device.
Learn more about Ester’s work by connecting with her on LinkedIn.
Excellent Science: Celebrating Discovery
| 08:30 – 09:00 | Registration |
| 09:00 – 09:15 | Welcome address Ester Jarour, PhD Coordinator, IMG |
| 09:15 – 10:00 | OPENING SCIENTIFIC KEYNOTE Dominik Hrebik, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry Title: TBA |
| 10:00 – 11:00 | RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT TALKS (5-minute presentations) TBA Designed primarily for first- and second-year PhD students to present their research question, project rationale and experimental approach. |
| Coffee break | |
| 11:30 – 13:00 | RESEARCH PROGRESS TALKS (10-minute presentations) TBA Designed primarily for third- and fourth-year PhD students to present preliminary results and receive scientific feedback. |
| Lunch |
Transferable Skills: Developing the Competencies That Matter
| 14:00 – 14:20 | CAREER KEYNOTE – Academia Dominik Hrebik, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Germany „From PhD student to principal investigator: building an independent research career“ |
| 14:20 – 14:40 | CAREER KEYNOTE – Industry Ralfs Buks, Principal Investigator at the National Institute of Research and Innovation, Latvia „From pipettes to pitch decks: building a career between academia and industry“ |
| 14:40 – 15:00 | CAREER KEYNOTE – Core Facility Management Tina Catela Ivković, Head of Unit, Center for Translational Genomics, Lund University, Sweden „From researcher to research infrastructure leader: building a career in core facility management“ |
| 15:00 – 16:00 | PANEL DISCUSSION: Where Can Your PhD Take You? Which competencies matter most in academia, industry and research infrastructure? Which transferable competencies should every PhD candidate start developing today? How can you identify the career path that best matches your interests and strengths? What do employers value beyond scientific excellence? What challenges, setbacks and turning points have shaped our speakers‘ careers? Looking back, what would they do differently at the beginning of their PhD? What advice would they give to PhD candidates preparing for the next step in their careers? |
| Coffee break | |
| 16:30 – 17:30 | WORKSHOP: ResearchComp Ester Jarour, PhD Coordinator, IMG „Recognising and developing your research competencies„ |
| 17:30 – 18:00 | Awards and closing remarks |
| Networking Dinner |
Endless Possibilities: Discover, Connect, Explore
| 19:00 – 20:00 | Poster discovery journey |
| 20:00 – 22:00 | Networking and socializing |
More information is available on the page PhD Conference.
We look forward to welcoming you!
Kristína Jamrichová
Sindija Šmite
PhD Committee Members
Ester Jarour
PhD Coordinator