"PhD Positions in Cancer Research"

Are you looking for excellent research opportunities for your PhD studies at the forefront of cancer research?

The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) with its core site in Heidelberg invites international students that either already hold or will soon finish their Master´s degree in (molecular) biology, (bio-)chemistry, (bio-)physics, computational biology, computer science, epidemiology/public health studies or related subjects to apply now for the DKFZ International PhD Program.

The DKFZ International PhD Program is a structured program within the DKFZ Cancer Research Academy, providing its over 500 PhD students tailored mentoring and training in cancer research and thus lays the foundation for a career path as a world-class researcher.

PhD students of the program are supported by a Thesis Advisory Committee, participate in scientific and professional skills courses, attend international conferences and receive career development support. The language of the PhD program is English and full funding is provided for the duration of the PhD, either by the DKFZ or by third-party sources.

Doctoral research projects are conducted either at the DKFZ core site in Heidelberg, the DKFZ Dresden, or its partner sites across Germany at the National Centers for Tumor Disease (NCT), the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), the Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON) Mainz and the DKFZ Hector Cancer Institute at University Medicine Mannheim.

Research at the DKFZ is organized into the following programs with a lot of interaction and interdisciplinary PhD projects available across different topics and locations:

• Cell and Tumor Biology
• Functional and Structural Genomics
• Epidemiology, Public Health, Prevention and Survivorship
• Immunology, Infection and Cancer
• Imaging and Radiooncology

Depending on their academic background and the breadth of scientific topics, our doctoral students pursue doctoral titles ranging from Dr. rer. nat. (natural sciences), Dr. sc. hum. and Dr. med. (human sciences and medicine) and Dr.-Ing. (engineering sciences).

Furthermore, the DKFZ has a lively PhD community represented by the PhD council, which organizes regular scientific networking activities and social events. In collaboration with the DKFZ Career Service & Alumni Relations, the Program offers comprehensive guidance and career development resources, providing a strong foundation upon which our students take their next career step in both academia and industry.

Apply now for our summer intake of the International PhD Program!
The next application deadline is 21 April 2026.
For more information and to apply online visit our website.