Overview

The prevalence of obesity worldwide by pandemic dimensions in recent decades, and it represents a major health challenge to many societies.

Besides musculoskeletal or lung disorders caused by being overweight, obesity as a metabolic disorder also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and some types of cancer, thereby contributing to a decline in quality of life and life expectancy.

About the programme

The ultimate long-term aim of the Obesity Mechanisms program at Leipzig University is to define novel targets and mechanisms for future therapeutic approaches in treating obesity.

There are several questions about the unresolved, pathogenic mechanisms of obesity and its comorbid disorders, three of which are central and unifying to this Collaborative Research Centre:

What are the central mechanisms for overeating in the development of obesity?
How does overeating lead to adverse fat deposition and adipose tissue inflammation?
Which fat-derived “signals” (adipokines) contribute to obesity-related diseases?

Programme Structure

To obtain additional information about the program, we kindly suggest that you visit the programme website, where you can find further details and relevant resources.

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 36 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-10-01 00:00:00

Application deadline not specified.

Language

English

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Leipzig, Germany

Disciplines

Nutrition & Dietetics Health Sciences View 13 other PhDs in Health Sciences in Germany

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

We are not aware of any English requirements for this programme.

Other requirements

General requirements

dated and signed application form
written confirmation from your supervisor (supervision agreement)
CV
secondary school leaving certificate (certified copy)
evidence of university entrance examination (certified copy), if applicable
evidence of all university degrees (certified copies), e.g. bachelor’s, master’s, Diplom)
Transcripts of Records from all secondary and university qualifications (certified copies)
evidence of your knowledge of German at DSH-2 level, if the doctorate will be in German (certified copy)
evidence of your knowledge of English, if the doctorate will be in English
confirmation of admission to a faculty’s list of doctoral candidates, if already available (confirmation can otherwise be submitted within one semester)

Student Insurance via Studyportals Partner

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items like Additional medical costs, Repatriation, Liability etc. Make sure your student insurance covers your needs.

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Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Leipzig University and/or in Germany, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

Free
EU/EEA Applies to you

Applies to you

EU/EEA Nationals

Free

Living costs

Leipzig

Germany

720 - 1047 EUR / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Obesity Mechanisms.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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