Mycobacterial Genetics

The Doctor of Philosophy in the field of Mycobacterial Genetics is a research degree offered by the DSI/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research (CBTBR).

Overview

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the field of mycobacterial genetics at the Wits node of the DSI/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research (CBTBR) provides a dynamic working and training environment for a career in molecular sciences. The CBTBR is at the cutting edge of mycobacterial research with several national and international collaborations thus providing opportunities to learn/gain experience in elaborate molecular biology techniques to carry out independent novel research contributing to existing knowledge.

Opportunities are also available for clinical and translational research aimed at assessing mycobacterial physiology in sputum which involves culturing and handling of the human pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis under BioSafety Level III (BSL3) conditions to better understand the growth and drug resistant mechanisms of M. tuberculosis. Specialist techniques in microbial physiology such as microarrays, HPLC, cytometry and confocal microscopy are applied to understand the role of cell wall enzymes toward identification of novel drug targets for the treatment of tuberculosis.

Career Opportunities

This degree provides an opportunity to conduct independent research and contribute to the understanding of M. tuberculosis pathology, disease profile and drug resistant patterns. The skills developed bode well for the individual to build a successful career working with various facets of infectious human pathogens under specialized containment laboratories either in academia or in industry.

Curriculum

4-5 years of lab work

Entry Requirements

MSc. in Genetics/ Microbiology/ Biochemistry

University Application Process

  • Applications are handled centrally by the Student Enrolment Centre (SEnC). Once your application is complete in terms of requested documentation, your application will be referred to the relevant School for assessment. Click here to see an overview of the Wits applications process.
  • Please apply online. Upload your supporting documents at the time of application, or via the Self Service Portal.
  • Applicants can monitor the progress of their applications via the Self Service Portal.
  • Selections for programmes that have a limited intake but attract a large number of applications may only finalise the application at the end of the application cycle.

Please note that the Entry Requirements are a guide. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee a place. Final selection is made subject to the availability of places, academic results and other entry requirements where applicable.

International students, please check this section.

For more information, contact the Student Call Centre +27 (0)11 717 1888, or log a query at www.wits.ac.za/askwits.

University Fees and Funding

Click here to see the current average tuition fees. The Fees site also provides information about the payment of fees and closing dates for fees payments. Once you have applied you will be able to access the fees estimator on the student self-service portal.

For information about postgraduate funding opportunities, including the postgraduate merit award, click here. Please also check your School website for bursary opportunities. NRF bursaries: The National Research Foundation (NRF) offers a wide range of opportunities in terms of bursaries and fellowships to students pursuing postgraduate studies. External bursaries portal: The Bursaries South Africa website provides a comprehensive list of bursaries in South Africa.