Signaling and Integrated Networks in Biology
The doctoral school
Thematic framework of doctoral school Biosigne
The doctoral school "Signaling and Integrated Networks in Biology" (BIOSIGNE) brings together research teams studying signaling and communication mechanisms in biology, and in particular in the fields of Neuroscience, Endocrinology, Neuroendocrinology, Reproduction and Immunology. Research work of the teams covers all aspects of the living, from the molecule to behavior.
Challenges
Strengthen the attractiveness of the Paris-Saclay doctorate
Internationally by developing partnerships with other European or international universities, and by facilitating the welcoming of foreign students. If a candidate is foreign, documents may be written in English. In the framework of the Doctoral School's policy of national and international opening, the annual competition for allocations is open to all candidates, irrespective of the origin of their Master's degree or equivalent ;
Locally for Master students and engineering students ;
Develop the doctorate by validating the acquired experience.
Diversify job opportunities for PhDs
Promote access for PhD students to the newest research capacities and state-of-the-art technologies
Increase the expertise of doctoral students in terms of research valorization and entrepreneurship
Provide information to doctoral students on the professions accessible with the doctorate.
Contacts
Organization
Governance of the doctoral school
The Doctoral School is directed by a Director with the assistance of two Deputy Directors. In conformity with the Decree of 25th May 2016, the action programmes of ED 568 are adopted by the Council of the doctoral school.
A Board, composed by members of the Council, allows efficient management of current business and prepares the Council meetings. The secretarial office ensures pedagogical and administrative monitoring for the doctoral school.
| Director |
|
Michael SCHUMACHER Director of Research, Inserm, Director of Research Unit 1195 Inserm and University Paris-Sud and University Paris-Saclay |
| Deputy directors |
|
Oliver NÜSSE Professor, University Paris-Sud, Department of Sciences Philippe VERNIER Director of Research CNRS, Director of the Neuroscience Institute Paris-Saclay |
| Assistant |
| Laurent Surdi, University Paris-Sud |
The Council of the doctoral school
The composition of the Council of the doctoral school is defined in article 9 of the Decree of 25th May 2016. It comprises 26 members:
- 14 representatives of the research units and teams;
- 5 external personalities of the corresponding scientific fields or belonging to the socio-economic sectors concerned;
- 2 representatives of technical and administrative staff;
- 5 doctoral student representatives from Biosigne doctoral school.
The Council meets at least three times a year. It defines the orientations of the scientific and pedagogic policy of the doctoral school. It is consulted on the selection of the doctoral candidates and on the organization of the doctoral school competition.
Internal rules of the doctoral school
The purpose of the "Internal rules" is to define the practical and institutional modalities and to specify the policy of the doctoral school along the lines defined in the Manual of Quality of University Paris-Saclay for doctoral training (scientific perimeter, animation of the doctoral school, recruitment, training and follow-up of the doctoral students, their preparation for the professional life…).
For all the general provisions relating to the role of the doctoral school and the organization of the doctoral degree, ED 568 applies the Doctoral Charter and the Internal Rules of the Doctoral College of University Paris-Saclay, in conformity with the Decree of 25th May 2016, setting the national framework of training and the procedures leading to the issuance of the national doctoral degree.
Thesis supervision
Thesis supervision
The doctoral student is supervised by a thesis director, who must have an authorization to conduct research ("Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches", HDR) or an equivalent degree (Professor, Research Director). In the case of an interdisciplinary thesis or collaboration, a thesis co-director (with HDR) may be named. The thesis director can also be seconded by a "coencadrant", who is not in possession of an HDR. The "coencadrant" can assume the direction of the thesis after obtaining a HDR. Moreover, a researcher or teacher-researcher who does not yet have an HDR can ask the University for a derogation allowing the supervision of a thesis.
The number of doctoral students per thesis director
In order to guarantee a quality supervision, ED Biosigne limits to two the number of doctoral students per thesis director. In case of co-direction, international co-supervision or exceptional situations, the doctoral school may grant individual derogations from this rule.
The PhD
A doctoral thesis involves:
A candidate with research abilities, attested by his Master 2 results or by a professional experience ;
An original project, innovative and feasible within 3 years ;
A thesis director and his team who have the necessary working conditions and funding to carry out the project ;
The recruitment of doctoral students by ED 568 is open. The doctoral school encourages student mobility and international enrolment.
In order to guarantee a quality supervision, ED 568 limits to two the number of doctoral students per thesis director. In case of co-direction, international co-supervision or exceptional situations, the doctoral school may grant individual derogations from this rule.
The doctoral student is supervised by a thesis director, who must have an authorization to conduct research ("Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches", HDR) or an equivalent degree (Professor, Research Director). In the case of an interdisciplinary thesis or collaboration, a thesis co-director (with HDR) may be named. The thesis director can also be seconded by a "coencadrant", who is not in possession of an HDR. The "coencadrant" can assume the direction of the thesis after obtaining a HDR. Moreover, a researcher or teacher-researcher who does not yet have an HDR can ask the University for a derogation allowing the supervision of a thesis.
All thesis projects are advertised on the ADUM platform.
Thesis projects
Submit a thesis project
University Paris-Saclay has joined the ADUM platform network which brings together more than one hundred doctoral schools in France.
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Registration and re-registration
Thesis registration procedure
Registration and re-registration are done according the procedure of university Paris-Saclay. The registration documents can be obtained on the University Paris-Saclay website.
Progress of the thesis
Follow-up of doctoral students and monitoring thesis progress
The progress of a doctoral project is annually followed by an individual "thesis committee", composed of an expert (HDR) external to the doctoral school and Paris-Saclay University and a tutor (HDR) chosen outside the host laboratory, but who may belong to University Paris-Saclay. The tutor and the external expert are appointed by the thesis director and the doctoral student during the first 6 months of the thesis. The doctoral school is informed of the choice for approval.
Expert and tutor may also become part of the thesis defense jury, on condition that the rules for its composition are respected, and that they have not coauthored the thesis work.
At the end of each academic year, the doctoral student presents his research work before the thesis committee, in the presence of the thesis director. The doctoral student prepares in advance an annual report, which he sends to the committee to prepare the interview. The aim is to help the doctoral student to consolidate his research work with possible instructions for the continuation of the thesis, to prepare his thesis defense and to define his professional project. The Committee will report at the end of the interview. This report is requested at the beginning of the academic year and is included in the re-enrollment file. In the absence of this document, the re-enrollment of the doctoral student for the following year may not be granted.
At the annual day of the doctoral school, doctoral students present their work in the form of oral communications or posters.
Interview with the director of the doctoral school before the thesis defense
Three to six months before the scheduled defense, the director of the doctoral school discusses with the doctoral student to ensure that all conditions are met before authorizing the thesis defense (research work accomplished, publications, training ...). He ensures the smooth progress of the thesis and the quality of supervision. He also discusses with the doctoral student his professional project.
Professional careers
After the PhD
Procedures have been set up by the doctoral school to monitor the professional integration of its PhDs.
Doctoral students who have defended their thesis are followed for their professional integration over a period of 3 years. To facilitate the follow-up of doctoral students, we ask them before the defense to keep in touch with the doctoral school and we collect their personal email addresses.
Surveys on the professional insertion of young doctors are centralized at the level of University Paris-Saclay:
https://enquetes.universite-paris-saclay.fr/report/(S(21hnsk0kyzviiain4d1j0jor))/login2.aspx?mode=1
Actions implemented to optimize professional insertion
ED 568 encourages its doctoral students to enroll in transversal courses organized by the Professional Insertion Service (SIP) of the University. Through seminars, workshops and internships, these courses are designed to help doctoral students building their research and professional projects and to prepare them for their professional integration.
ED 568 has a partnership with the "Institut de Formation Supérieure Biomédicale" (IFSBM), whose training courses prepare our doctoral students for their professional integration in the biomedical fields. This biomedical specificity complements the broader offer of transversal Professional Insertion Service training. An IFSBM professional integration committee also offers advice on request.
We invite associations and Professional Insertion Service leaders to present their offer to our doctoral students (Association Paris-Montagne, Association ADDOC ...) during the welcome afternoon for new entrants and during the annual day of the doctoral school.
International
International and national opening
The doctoral school competition for thesis scholarships is open to all candidates proposed by the project holders, regardless of the origin of their Master's degree or equivalence.
ED 568 attaches great importance to international openness and has taken a series of measures to facilitate the recruitment of foreign students:
Thesis projects are posted in French and English ;
The competition files for obtaining a research allowance are bilingual and can be completed in English. Foreign applicants can also defend their project in English ;
As specified in Internal Rules of ED 568, a foreign doctoral student with insufficient French language proficiency is allowed to write his thesis in English. The thesis defense can also be in English.
The course "Statistics for Biologists" organized by ED 568 is given in English by Dr. Simon Bate (Senior Statistician GlaxoSmithKline, GSK, London).
Flexibility in the application of the rules concerning training.
The next steps:
Improve useful information for students from other regions of France and abroad (practical information, housing, administrative procedures ...).
Increase the visibility of our website at the level of search engines (adaptation to international standards, vision on tablets and smartphones ...).