VACCÄ°NE TECHNOLOGY THÄ°RD CYCLE PROGRAMME
Third Cycle Programmes
(Doctorate Degree/Doctor of Fine Arts)

D.1. General Information about Program

Vaccination is one of the most effective methods used in the prevention of infectious diseases from past to present. The first law for smallpox vaccination in the world was enacted in the Ottoman Empire in 1885. Then, until 1996, rabies, typhoid, cholera, dysentery, plague, tuberculosis, tetanus, diphtheria, typhus and BCG vaccines were produced. Today, smallpox and polio have almost been prevented thanks to vaccination. 

The 19th and 20th centuries were a period in which new vaccines were produced and widely used against many infectious diseases. This process has accelerated today due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic process, vaccine development studies have focused on preventing the disease and reducing transmission. This period is very important in terms of understanding the role and importance of new technological approaches in vaccine development studies beyond conventional attenuated vaccines. The importance of vaccine and vaccine technology has come to the fore again in the pandemic period, when the effectiveness of traditional vaccines is insufficient and it is inevitable to follow current technology. Beyond the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a need to develop new vaccine formulations for diseases such as tuberculosis and hepatitis B, for which vaccines are available but the desired potency cannot be achieved.

Vaccines, which have been used for centuries to protect against infectious diseases, are being researched to prevent and even treat cancer, one of the most deadly diseases of recent times. It is aimed that vaccines will be immunogenic, stable, safe and capable of inducing long-term immunity with the ongoing vaccine studies to control and treat diseasesIn order to meet these requirements, it is necessary to comprehensively understand the protective roles of vaccine candidates, reveal the antigenic structure of the highly complex disease agent, and clearly demonstrate its molecular biology and pathogenicity. In addition, critical parameter results such as viral clearance, acute toxicity, subacute toxicity, sterility, potency, purity, physical tests (appearance, pH, color, turbidity, particle quantity determination), osmolality must also be shown in a vaccine formulation that has been turned into a product. Therefore, new technological approaches should be researched, learned and integrated into vaccine production at every step of a vaccine, from pre-laboratory research to clinical application. In particular, the global problem experienced in the last two years has also shown that it is a strategic necessity for countries to produce their own vaccines.

Vaccine Institute; was established to contribute to social, economic and scientific development. In line with this purpose, our main goals are to provide the highest level of education in the field of vaccines, to train qualified academicians, to ensure the production and use of information about vaccines, to create awareness and sensitivity on issues related to vaccine studies, to cooperate with stakeholders, and to train students who can contribute scientifically to the field. For this purpose, it is aimed to train academic staff specialized in the field of vaccine technology, who know the importance of vaccine and vaccine technology, who work in the field of developing preventive and/or therapeutic vaccines for different diseases by using new technological approaches, by providing interdisciplinary training, with the Vaccine Technologies PhD program proposed to be opened. In this way, it will be possible to include new biotechnological and nanotechnological vaccine approaches in education and training, and to train qualified postgraduate students and post-doc researchers by focusing on the " Build the necessary ecosystem in our country in terms of R&D, production, qualified human resources and legislation, especially in areas requiring high technology such as biotechnological drugs " target.

D.2 Qualification Awarded

Doctorate

D.3. Level of Qualification

QF-EHEA: 3
EQF-LLL: 8

D.4. Provisions for Registration

The program accepts graduates of medical and pharmacy faculties or graduates from other faculties related to health, as well as graduate departments of science and engineering faculties, by the decision of the commision of department

Having ALES (SAY) score type and ALES and Foreign Language base score determined by the Health Sciences Institute Board and approved by the Hacettepe University Senate http://www.saglikbilimleri.hacettepe.edu.tr/en/menu/ales_foreign_language_scores-252

Meeting the application criteria of the Regulations of Hacettepe University Postgraduate Instruction and Assessment, and Graduate School of Health Sciences and being successful in the exam held by the commission which consists of the representatives of the department. The exam consists of a written exam and/or an interview. Getting 60 / 100 in the written exam is a prerequisite for the interview.

https://saglikbilimleri.hacettepe.edu.tr/en/menu/application_and_registration-252

D.5. Qualification Requirements and Regulations

During the program, at least 240 ECTS credits must be successfully completed, including at least seven courses (4 must, 3 elective), one seminar course, thesis proposal and thesis work, with at least 21 national credits, excluding the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam Preparation course.

The maximum duration of successfully completing the credit courses required for the program is five semesters, excluding the PhD Proficiency Exam Preparation course. A student who successfully completes the courses within this period and obtains 90 ECTS credits and has a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 / 4.00 chooses the Doctorate Proficiency Exam Preparation course in the following semester. 

Students? academic achievement status and results of the evaluation of the thesis defense examination are evaluated according to Hacettepe University Graduate Education and Exam Regulation.saglikbilimleri.hacettepe.edu.tr/tr/menu/kanun_ve_yonetmelikler-219

D.7. Goals and Objectives

The program aims to train academic staff who know the importance of vaccine and vaccine technology by providing interdisciplinary training, work in the field of developing preventive and/or therapeutic vaccines for different diseases by using new technological approaches, and specialize in vaccine technology. In this way, by focusing on the goal of "creating the necessary ecosystem in our country in the fields of R&D, production, qualified human resources and legislation, especially in areas requiring high technology such as biotechnological drugs", new biotechnological and nanotechnological vaccine approaches should be included in education and training, qualified postgraduate students and It will be possible to train postdoctoral researchers.

D.12. Occupational Profiles of Graduates with Examples

Students graduating from the program can find a place in the relevant private and public sector, and in research facilities or laboratories established to produce biological products. They can take part in research and development projects. They can engage in academic activities in higher education institutions.

D.13. Access to Further Studies

D.14. Profile of the Programme

The courses in the program are semester based. The program consists of a total of 21 local credits (120 ECTS credits) with the prerequisite of elective course and 120 ECTS credits including thesis work and special topics courses. Totally the program consists of 240 ECTS credits, 1 ECTS is equivalent to 30 hours of workload.

Since the graduates of all four-year departments can be enrolled in the program, a scientific preparation program is needed to standardize the basic knowledge of the new students after a jury evaluation. The students who will be admitted to the scientific preparation program are determined by the jury. It is possible for these students to take a minimum of B3 in the scientific preparation program and start a graduate program with a thesis. According to Hacettepe University Graduate Education and Examination Regulations published in the Official Gazette dated November 26, 2016 and numbered 29900, the Scientific Preparatory Program is not included in the time required to complete the Master Program with Thesis.

The first two years of program are designed to complete the theoretical courses that will form the basis of future studies on vaccine technology. Lessons are reinforced with laboratory applications. After the approval of the advisor, students can choose courses from other programs of the university or from other universities with the decision of the Health Sciences Institute Administrative Board in accordance with the relevant articles and provisions of the Hacettepe University Graduate Education and Examination Regulations.

D.15. Examination Regulations, Assessment and Grading

Measurement and evaluation methods for each course are explained by the responsible teaching staff. H.U. Graduate Education and Examination Regulations shall apply for achievement scores for exams and courses. H.U. Graduate Education and Examination Regulations saglikbilimleri.hacettepe.edu.tr/tr/menu/kanun_ve_yonetmelikler-219

D.16. Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate from the program, the student must take compulsory and elective courses to complete the 240 ECTS credit load. The doctoral thesis is presented and defended in front of the doctoral thesis jury. Students who successfully complete this defense receive the title of doctor.

D.17. Education Type

1. Full Time Education

D.18. Programme Director

Prof. Dr. Serhat Ãœnal

Email: sunal@hacettepe.edu.tr