doc. MVDr. Aleš Hampl, CSc.
Study Program Director Head of Department of Histology and Embryology
Specialist for Clinical Embryology and Assisted Reproduction Technology
5-year full-term residential Master's degree program.
This unique educational program provides advanced theoretical knowledge of human reproductive biology, embryology, and infertility, as well as practical skills relevant to assisted reproductive technology.
Course overview
Course Overview
Course overview
Course Overview
| Study type | Title |
| Masters´ | Mgr. (MSc.) |
| Study mode | Language |
| single subject study, full time residential | Czech |
| Course length | |
| 5 years |
Objectives
Fertility clinics face a shortage of clinical embryologists qualified to perform in vitro fertilization (IVF). These healthcare professionals are commonly recruited from other biologically oriented master‘s study programs taught mainly by natural science, pharmaceutical, and agricultural faculties. Their inclusion into clinical practice requires lengthy and expensive on-site training. Our study program aims to educate and train graduates competent to perform assisted reproduction, especially laboratory work with oocytes, sperm, and embryos, and interpretation of clinical examination results in preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutical care.
Teaching
Detailed information about study plan courses
Teaching
- The teaching is conducted for 20 students each year. Students are split into groups of 10, promoting interactivity and enabling individual in-person training during practical laboratory courses.
- The study program is taught in Czech.
- The field's professional terminology exists almost exclusively in English. Therefore, mastering international terminology and understanding professional English text is required.
- Proficiency in English (at least B2 level) is a prerequisite for this programme.
Curriculum
Study program design
The study program integrates a wide range of subjects from the natural sciences, biomedical, and social sciences.
In the first half of the study period, our students complete theoretical natural science and preclinical subjects in a scope equivalent to general medicine studies with extended molecular biology and genetics teaching and practical training in general laboratory work.
In the 3rd -5th year, field-specific courses such as andrology, embryology, the basics of reproductive medicine, cryopreservation, and genetic diagnostics are included. At the same time, students acquire knowledge in quality management, health ethics, and professional law.
Special attention is paid to hands-on teaching, deepening knowledge of good laboratory practice, and training in micromanipulation techniques essential for work in a clinical embryology laboratory.
An original Czech-English electronic Atlas of Clinical Embryology serves as supplementary educational material for theoretical and practical teaching. This e-learning platform helps students comprehend the morphological variability of human germ cells.
List of subjects
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1. semester
-
2. semester
-
3. semester
- Basics of cell cultivation - lecture
- Basics of cell cultivation - practice
- Biochemistry I - lecture
- Biochemistry I - seminar
- Fyziologie I - cvičení
- Histology and Embryology II - lecture
- Histology and Embryology II - practice
- Information Literacy - Seminar
- Physiology I - lecture
- Physiology I - practicals
- Selected lectures in embryology and teratology-lecture
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4. semester
-
5. semester
- Basics of Developmental Biology
- General and Medical Genetics II - seminar
- Microbiology - seminar
- Modern imaging and analytical methods - lecture
- Pathological Physiology I - lecture
- Patologická fyziologie I - cvičení
- Pharmacology for Embryologists - lecture
- Pharmacology for Embryologists - practice
- Presenting Skills - seminar
- Professional Practice I (Laboratory Practice - during the semester)
- Propedeutics of assisted reproduction
- Selected lectures in embryology and teratology-lecture
-
6. semester
-
7. semester
-
8. semester
- Cryopreservation - Lecture
- Diploma Thesis II
- Embryology II
- Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases - lecture
- Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases - practice
- Ethics in Reproductive Medicine
- Immunology for Embryologists - lecture
- Methods of Assisted Reproduction II - practice
- Professional Practice IV (Clinical Practice - during the semester)
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9. semester
- Diploma Seminar I
- Embryology III - seminar
- Master Thesis
- Methods of Assisted Reproduction III-practice
- Preimplantation and Preconception Genetic Testing - Lecture
- Preimplantation and preconception genetic testing - practice
- Professional Legislation and Healthcare Law
- Professional Practice V (Clinical Practice - during the semester)
- Public Health
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10. semester
Detailed information about study plan courses
Diploma thesis
From the 7th semester onward, the curriculum is adjusted to provide sufficient time for individual research activities and systematic preparation of the final qualification thesis. The successful defense of the diploma thesis is a prerequisite for the final state exam.
Postgraduate studies
After graduation, it is possible to continue your studies in the doctoral study program in Biomedical Sciences or another PhD program at Masaryk University or other educational institutions.
Teaching team
PharmDr. Zuzana Holubcová, Ph.D.
Study Program Deputy Director
Drahomíra Kyjovská
Study Program Coordinator and Lab Manager
Teaching site
Training laboratories
New teaching laboratories equipped with stereomicroscopes, incubators, and micromanipulation systems were set up specifically for this study program.
Practical exercises taking place here (Andrology, Assisted Reproduction Methods I-III) are a key part of the field-specific professional education of future clinical embryologists.
Students are allowed access to the training laboratory even outside of class hours to practice and improve micromanipulation skills on top of the framework of compulsory education.
Department of Histology and Embryology
The Department of Histology and Embryology of the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University has a long - standing history of research in the field of human reproduction.
Employees of the Department led by Prof. Milan Dvořák were members of the team of Prof. Ladislav Pilka, a pioneer of assisted reproduction in the Czech Republic (former Czechoslovakia). Thanks to the academic-clinical collaboration, the first "test-tube baby" was born in Brno in 1982.
Today, eight research groups investigating developmental processes and stem cell biology are working at the Department. Their research makes a fundamental contribution to knowledge in the field of reproductive and developmental biology.
The Department of Histology and Embryology at the Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University is one of the very few institutions in the Czech Republic holding a license for human embryonic stem cell research. The research of these unique cells, derived from human preimplantation embryos, is crucial not only for understanding early developmental processes but also for the future application of stem cells in regenerative medicine.
Students of the embryology study program can engage in the scientific research activities of the Department and participate in many educational and popularization activities.
We are MED MUNI
We are one of the four founding faculties of Masaryk University. Since the establisment in 1919, we have trained over 24,000 doctors, 3,300 dentists, and 3,500 non-medical health professionals. We combine history, tradition, and quality of education. We follow trends in the dynamic development of medicine and apply the latest research results across study programs. We are a guarantee of a prestigious education that opens up possibilities for your future career.
University Campus
Bohunice University Campus is a modern complex that houses three faculties of Masaryk University and several other research institutions. With an area of 42 hectares, it is the largest building of its kind in Central Europe. Teaching takes place in modern lecture halls and state-of-the-art laboratories. In campus corridors, you will meet leading experts in their fields who participate in academic education. The campus grounds also include ample indoor and outdoor areas for relaxation and leisure activities.
Excellent research
The scientific research activities of LF MU cover practically the entire spectrum of biomedicine, from basic medical research to clinical medicine. The tight links to clinical facilities and excellent institutional infrastructure enable innovative diagnostic, therapeutic, and surgical procedures to be developed and advanced for the benefit of patients and society.
University Campus Library
In the center of the campus, you can find a modern library with football field dimensions. There is a spacious study room and more than a thousand places to sit or relax. It is open every weekday and Saturday and offers more than a quarter of a million hard copies to borrow.
State-of-the-art simulation center
The Simulation Center of the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University is Europe's largest and most modern medical simulation center. It is equipped similarly to a real hospital, with operating theaters, intensive care units, an emergency room, over a thousand simulators, and even a heliport on the roof located on five floors. Bachelor's, Master's, and follow-up Master's programs are taught here.
Sport grunds and physical activities
The University Sports Center provides compulsory physical education for MUNI students and organizes various sports activities and events for students and the public.
Our students
Our students
Profile of the graduate
- Alumni have theoretical knowledge from the field of human reproductive biology and genetics, can define factors affecting reproductive functions, and are familiar with experimental and therapeutic strategies related to infertility treatment.
- Alumni can carry out assisted reproduction techniques when working with eggs, sperm, and embryos.
- Alumni know the risks associated with handling gametes and embryos in vitro.
- Alumni can interpret the results of examinations in diagnostic and therapeutic care.
- Alumni are familiar with the instrumentation of the embryology laboratory.
- Alumni understand the economic regulations related to assisted reproduction, especially in an embryological laboratory operation.
- Alumni know the legislation associated with the healthcare system, especially with the emphasis on providing healthcare services in the field of reproductive medicine.
Student testimonials
“I wanted to become a doctor since elementary school. The dream gradually took shape, and I realized that I was more and more fascinated by research and laboratory work. My decision to study embryology also contributed to the fact that it is still in its early days as a scientific discipline, and there is wide room for improvement and new discoveries. My additional motivation is the fact that I was born thanks to a team of experts for assisted reproduction."”
Ondřej Tomík
4-year student
“Embryology was a straightforward choice for me because I wanted to pursue my professional career in medicine and science. Reproduction is a hot topic today and offers wide possibilities for research. As part of my diploma thesis, I got the opportunity to engage in scientific efforts and thus contribute to a better understanding of development processes. If I chose to go into a clinical setting after graduation, I could help couples overcome infertility. I appreciate that, as part of the course, we can practice micromanipulation techniques in specially equipped laboratories and thus be prepared to enter clinical practice.”
Yelyzaveta Makieieva
4-year student
“This program is a great choice for anyone who wants to look into the future and push the boundaries of humanity a little further. The curriculum combines medicine fundamentals, the latest research trends, and hands-on laboratory experience with modern technologies. You will learn from recognized experts in the field who will provide you with valuable advice for clinical practice. In addition, the program opens up a range of job opportunities in clinical laboratories and research institutes."”
Simona Mydliarová
5-year student
“I am studying embryology along with general medicine. This combination is challenging but enables future employment as an IVF physician. During my studies, I realized how dynamically reproductive medicine develops. I appreciate that our teachers are experts in the field and provide us with the most up-to-date scientific information. Moreover, as an embryology student, I can learn laboratory work and develop practical skills. Thanks to this experience, the biology laboratory is no longer just a black box for me."”
Jan Hofman
5-year student
For applicants
For applicants
Is this study program the right choice for you?
- Are you attracted to study in a unique study program built on strong links with clinical practice?
- Are you interested in the enigmatic microworld, observable under a microscope?
- Do you want to delve into the principles of human conception and development?
- Do you want to learn about factors affecting human reproductive health and understand the causes of infertility?
- Do you want to help couples with fertility issues on their journey to the hope-for child?
- Would you enjoy the responsible work of a healthcare professional in the dynamically developing field of medicine?
Career paths
In accordance with valid Czech legislation, graduates of this newly accredited program become „Professionals in laboratory methods and the preparation of medicinal products“ which is a regulated medical profession.
They can work as clinical embryologists in assisted reproduction centers or develop their careers in related sectors such as medical diagnostics, reproductive counselling, and laboratory management.
Thanks to the general biological and biomedical content of the study program, graduates have a broad scope to realize their professional interests in many other fields, such as science and research, the biotechnology industry, business activity in the biomedical field, and others.
Come and see us
You can visit the faculty and teaching facilities each year in the autumn as part of the Masaryk University OPEN DAY. This event takes place two days in January - on Saturday and Wednesday. Apart from these activities, you can meet us, for example, at the Night of Scientists or the Gaudeamus fairs in Brno, Bratislava, and Prague.
Brno is a student city
According to the Campus Advisor global rating held in 2024, Brno has scored as the 13th best student city in Europe. The survey responders evaluated friendliness towards students, public transport, housing costs, local amenities, nightlif,e and safety. „The student communities are one of the best in the world, with many different activities and events they regularly plan for exchange and local students. Public transportation is very well managed with buses going even through the night every hour", one of the reviewers evaluates. Get to know Brno!
We are online
Forget paperwork. Starting with the electronic application, we have been communicating with you online. You can solve most of the administration directly in the MU Information System. Registering subjects, signing up for exams, applying to the study department, communicating with teachers, using electronic scripts - you can do everything from any computer.
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