2025 is a special year for the Graduate School of Cellular and Biomedical Sciences (GCB) as we celebrate its 20th anniversary. The GCB officially opened on September 1, 2005. Since then, over 1,400 doctoral students from three faculties (Medicine, Science, and Veterinary Medicine) working in various fields of cellular and biomedical sciences have obtained an interfaculty doctorate. The GCB PhD program provides comprehensive, internationally competitive training in theory and practice of experimental research, directing the students towards independent scientific work and enabling them to assume scientific responsibility. The program is structured around the PhD student at the center, supported by a committee consisting of a supervisor, a co-advisor, and a mentor.
In the first GCB annual report published in 2007, then GCB president Prof. Daniel Schümperli stated “the expected final size of the GCB will be about 400 students.” By the end of 2024, the GCB boasted 549 registered students, clearly exceeding the 2007 predictions. The graduate school continues to grow, adding an average of 150 new students each year while approximately 120 students graduate annually. While 17 mentors supported the initial 45 students in 2005, this number has grown to 122.
To mark the 20-year milestone, we organized a special program that took place during this year’s annual research symposium on June 26, 2025. We enjoyed sharing science and novel ideas with well over 400 registered participants, the majority being PhD students, together with supervisors, mentors and representatives of the seven GCB PhD specializations. PD Dr. Monica Schaller, GCB Coordinator kicked off the day with opening remarks. GCB president Prof. Sebastian Leidel followed with a welcome address, a brief look back and optimistic view of the GCB´s future. The opening session was completed with Prof. Claudio Bassetti (Dean of the Faculty of Medicine), Prof. Jean-Louis Reymond (Dean of the Faculty of Sciences) and Prof. Gertraud Schüpbach (Dean of the Vetsuisse Faculty) each sharing congratulatory words and recognition of the GCB achievements to commemorate our 20th anniversary.
The symposium program continued with 10 parallel scientific sessions distributed amongst each of the five GCB expert committees where PhD students shared their projects with their peers. The keynote lecture was presented by Prof. Dr. Alex Schier, Director of the Biozentrum, University of Basel, who led us on a fantastic journey through different studies in developmental biology.
The day included a round table session, "Fostering the Next Generation of PhDs”, moderated by Prof. Torsten Ochsenreiter (Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern). The participants included Prof. Alexander Eggel (Department of BioMedical Research, University of Bern), Prof. Michaela Medová (Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern), Dr. Simone Rufener (State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SBFI)) and Dr. Giuseppe Angelo Zito (Advanced Imaging Research (AIR), group Swiss Paraplegic Research), all of them former PhD students that have followed different career paths.
The session began with comments from Prof. Dr. em. Ernst Peterhans, former President of the GCB, and PD Dr. Marlene Wolf, first coordinator of the GCB. They shared GCB history and their experiences, as well as gave advice for the future.
The roundtable conversation addressed critical questions: What should you focus on during your PhD studies? What did you learn during your PhD studies that you can apply to the next step in your career? How did the GCB help you during your PhD studies? The participants all emphasized that a PhD program should focus not only on conducting strong research. They also agreed that developing analytical thinking, critical reasoning, and strong writing skills is equally important, as these are highly transferable skills that can be applied to a wide range of career paths.
One key take-home message from Prof. Peterhans stands out: “As you prepare to take the next step in your career as a postdoc, look for a group leader who does innovative research in a top international institution. This will not only expose you to a vibrant scientific atmosphere and stimulate your own creativity. Often, such scientific contacts evolve to lasting friendships that enrich your life in other ways.” At the GCB, the present is deeply rooted in a flexible, yet solid framework established 20 years ago. Today, the GCB proudly supports over 500 PhD students. We are excited about the future and confident that with the GCB’s structure and dynamic community, it will be bright and promising. We thank all GCB mentors and supervisors, past and present. None of what the GCB has or will achieve would be possible without their dedication. Above all, we are grateful for and acknowledge the perseverance of our PhD students. We look forward to continuing our mission of supporting young scientists and fostering excellence in cellular and biomedical research - advancing science one PhD at a time.
