Call | Open Positions
General information
Calls for positions in the PhD programs will be internationally published and advertised at the EURAXESS website (https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/) and online job markets of the scientific societies representing the respective underlying research fields. The calls will also be published here at the website of the Karl Landsteiner Private University of Health Sciences as well as at the FWF job market (www.fwf.ac.at/en/service/fwf-job-market/).
Are you considering a PhD in Mental Health and Neuroscience? The first calls for PhD positions took place in August 2024 and August 2025, and the PhD students started their project work.
The following PhD projects are currently available (click here):
Students with a keen interest in mental health and neuroscience are invited to apply for vacant doctoral studentships within the newly established PhD programme
Mental Health and Neuroscience: Disease mechanisms – Diagnostics and Therapy – Clinical Neuroscience.
The PhD programme, which is run by the Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, follows international recommendations to support the integration of global mental health and neuroscience into research on psychiatric diagnosis, pathogenesis, nervous system disorders and their treatment. Students accepted into the program will receive a specialized training in:
- I. neurobiological and neurophysiological basics of brain diseases (Disease mechanisms),
- II. examination, diagnostics and therapy of mental health (Diagnostics and Therapy),
- III. clinical and applied neuroscience (Clinical Neuroscience).
For the general admission requirements please refer to
Excellent command of English is indispensable.
For the enrollement in a PhD programme at the Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences the tuition fee is € 3.500,- per semester for a total of 6 semesters. Depending on the employment status of the PhD student (e.g., university or third-party funding, clinical specialist in training) a partial or full tuition fee waiver can be granted.
The top candidates will be interviewed in Krems.
Supervisor: Prim. Assoc. Prof. PD Dr. Martin Aigner
Interdisciplinary collaboration between child and adolescent psychiatry and adult psychiatry can make a significant contribution to overcoming existing challenges and improving care and treatment outcomes for patients of all ages. The optimal solution could be a combination of both approaches: the establishment of specialized transition psychiatry teams within an interdisciplinary framework. Transferring the success of adult psychiatry to child and adolescent psychiatry requires careful adaption and further development of existing approaches. By combining preventive measures, individualized therapies, interdisciplinary collaboration and the use of modern technologies, the effectiveness and accessibility of treatment for children and adolescents can be significantly improved. A holistic approach that takes into account the specific developmental needs of this age group is crucial. The same applies to the second transition from adulthood to Palliative medicine.
This PhD project will be conducted independently of a working assignment with the KL or a University clinic.
Methods: Interdisciplinary collaboration research to bridge the gap between basic science and clinical implementation, between subjective and objective knowledge, including validated questionnaires, advanced statistical analysis, implementation of new therapy modules, public and patient involvement.
References:
- Fischer-Grote L, Fössing V, Aigner M, Fehrmann E, Boeckle M. Effectiveness of Online and Remote Interventions for Mental Health in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults After the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JMIR Ment Health. 2024;11:e46637.
- Himmerich H, Lewis YD, Conti C, Mutwalli H, Karwautz A, Sjögren JM, Uribe Isaza MM, Tyszkiewicz-Nwafor M, Aigner M, McElroy SL, Treasure J, Kasper S; WFSBP Task Force on Eating Disorders. World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) guidelines update 2023 on the pharmacological treatment of eating disorders. World J Biol Psychiatry. 2023;24:1-64.
- Fellinger M, Knasmüller P, Kocsis-Bogar K, Wippel A, Fragner L, Mairhofer D, Hochgatterer P, Aigner M. Adverse childhood experiences as risk factors for recurrent admissions in young psychiatric inpatients. Front Psychiatry. 2022;13:988695
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Application
PhD candidates need to fill out the application online in “Open Campus” and upload the associated attachment to the application.
For further information please contact:
Mag. Margit Mittermair
Assistant
PhD Programme Mental Health and Neuroscience
