Information on the Degree Course

 

Presidente del Corso di Laurea: Prof.ssa Monica Di Padova

Presidente del CAD: Prof.ssa Antonietta Rosella Farina -----

   

Educational Goals

The Master’s Level Degree course in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology aims at training a professional figure with a solid cultural basis and high levels of application skills, who may carry out roles involving responsibility functions with respect to their field of competence, according to current regulations, in research, scientific innovation and technical-productive development of biotechnologies applied to medical fields such as prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human pathologies, and to pharmaceutical fields such as design, clinical experimentation, production and supervision/monitoring in the various stages of production of /authorization to use, drugs and biotechnological/diagnostic products.
Graduates with a master's degree in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology can:

• organize, plan with operational autonomy and coordinate interdisciplinary research protocols, both basic and applied, in order to expand and innovate both scientific knowledge and the application of scientific knowledge in the technical-productive field of sectors such as the chemical-pharmaceutical one, therapeutic and medical-diagnostic;
• organize and carry out laboratory activities, basic and advanced diagnostic investigations requiring the use of innovative biotechnological methodologies (molecular, genetic, cellular, omics and bioinformatics);
• assist, in the areas of competence provided for by current regulations, professional figures in the medical area in the development and diagnostic/therapeutic testing of innovative products also involving manipulation of genetic material/biological material/engineered cells;
• develop, design, formulate and test, based on chemical, biological and toxicological aspects, new biotechnological and biopharmaceutical products, collaborating, including in the management of innovation projects and marketing activities, in teams with other professional figures with specific backgrounds for the discipline;- participate in and carry out functions and activities of evaluation, monitoring and validation of clinical studies in various therapeutic fields as regulated by current legislation;
• participate in the development and/or evaluation to proceed with the application of patents in the biomedical field;
• conduct and coordinate development, monitoring, prevention and diagnosis programs through the management of advanced biotechnological/biomedical technologies;
• deal with scientific dissemination and/or consultancy activities for public bodies and private bodies / biotech companies.

 

   

The Training Path

The educational goals are achieved through an advanced level training in a common first year and a second year differentiated into three curricula; in Italian and with some teachings in English; articulated on cultural and methodological aspects of disciplines characterizing the LM-9 degree-class in " Pharmaceutical, Veterinary and Medical biotechnologies ".

The duration of the training path is two years with the acquisition of 120 CFU.

The first year will allow graduates to possess:

- knowledge of molecular, immunological, physiological fundamentals and mechanisms at the base of human diseases of congenital or acquired origin, and skills to design, develop and apply developmental and scientific innovation strategies according to a qualitative/quantitative assessment of physiological and/or pathogenic factors, of biological processes of human interest;

- in-depth knowledge of the function and analysis of the biological (macro)molecules and of the cellular processes in which they are involved; knowledge and command of the use of biochemical-molecular technologies and bio-informatic methodologies/tools to manage and access databases for an interdisciplinary and holistic approach in the study of complex biological systems and, by managing the DNA/protein engineering technologies and the computational analysis technologies, for the development of scientific innovations that consider the dynamic interactions through which the biological macromolecules produce the functional properties of the living organisms;

- in-depth knowledge of the principles to define patterns of epidemiological investigation and abilities to apply statistical methods in the biomedical field and in epidemiological studies in order to acquire a scientific method of investigation, the command of the principles of experimental design on biological systems and skills to organize and manage data derived from observations;

- in-depth knowledge and ability to apply of the biotechnological methodologies applied to biological and chemical-toxicological analysis of drugs, diagnostics, vaccines, chemotherapy and other biologically active molecules, enhanced for therapeutic purposes;

- methodological knowledge and skills to employ advanced biotechnological technologies to study the morphology and function of cells and/or cellular and subcellular structures (also in relation to their organization in apparatuses, systems and organs), to understand, manipulate and dissect complex biological mechanisms by means of research and experimentation strategies in compliance with bioethical principles, based on more traditional (in vitro models) or more complex (in vivo models) systems, and to address specific biomedical issues, also with application purposes, in the medical and pharmaceutical field;
In the second year the study course is organized in differentiated curricula which, by deepening and supplementing the professionalizing aspects already acquired during the first year, provide more specific knowledge and skills in some application/employment fields of graduates in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. 

a) Medical-Diagnostic curriculum: the diagnostic nature of the training shall be mainly characterized by cultural and methodological aspects of the disciplines especially in the field of “Laboratory Medical Diagnostics” and “Medical and surgical disciplines and human reproduction” and shall be about conventional and advanced knowledge and technologies applied to the different fields of laboratory medicine, employed in the diagnostic process of the professional field, in laboratory diagnostics and for the development of screening/validation and toxicological monitoring of diagnostics, vaccines and drugs.

b) Medical-Translational curriculum: the translational nature of the training shall be mainly characterized by cultural and methodological aspects of the disciplines especially in the field of “Medical and surgical disciplines and human reproduction” aiming at transferring the results of basic research to the development of diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutical systems applicable to clinical practice with a particular attention to translational/clinical aspects of personalized medicine, of diagnostics and “molecular” therapies and/or of biotechnologies of reproduction and/or of regenerative medicine. The educational path allows graduates in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology to acquire skills to operate/manage technologies according to their field of competence and in support of professionals also of the clinical/medical area, diagnostic and therapeutical strategies applied to clinical practice.

c) Pharmaceutical curriculum: the pharmaceutical nature of the training shall be mainly characterized by cultural and methodological aspects of the “Pharmaceutical disciplines” with a particular attention to fundamental aspects to manage the overall path of scientific and technical-manufacturing development of drugs and innovative biotechnological products. In the pharmaceutical field the educational purpose is to learn the most advanced methodologies and techniques used, in the “drug discovery”, in the industrial stage and in the development and optimization stage of a drug contributing to achieving specialistic skills in the field of research/scientific innovation and development in the pharmaceutical and therapeutical sector.

The educational path also envisages in the Further language competences, a B2 level English course, which allows those students who do not possess such competences the possibility to reach an adequate level of comprehension in English fundamental both to the training experience provided in the activities proposed in English and to supplementing communication skills in the language mainly used in the international scientific scenario.

The training shall be completed, within the activities linked to related and integrative disciplines, by the acquisition

a) of the fundamentals and conceptual and methodological principles of innovative and/or specialistic techniques/approaches 

b) of knowledge and methodologies for the management and enhancement of intellectual property and project result of scientific innovation.

The educational targets are complemented with practical-experimental activities envisaged in different teaching units, educational training carried out at the University or in research agencies/institutions, universities, companies or abroad (according to international agreements under the Erasmus program and/or under other agreements established by the University) and with the work for the experimental thesis to be carried out in the laboratory and discussed in the final test. The educational experiences described allow to contextualize in a laboratory/production environment the knowledge and skills acquired. 

More information

- on training and internships

-  on Didactic Laboratories

   

Requirements for access

Bachelor’s level or First cycle degree in L-2 Biotechnologies Degree class (DM 270/2004); or L-13 - Biology Degree class (DM 270/2004); or Three-year undergraduate academic degree courses in different degree class; or three-year university diploma or other qualification of equivalent study, even obtained abroad, recognized as suitable.
Knowledge of chemistry, physics, mathematics, molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, physiology and pharmacology is required.
The following are curricular requirements:

a) the first level degree in class L-2 Biotechnologies (DM 270/2004) or in class 01- Biotechnologies (DM 509/1999);

b) the first level degree obtained in class L-13 Biological Sciences (DM 270/2004) or in class 12 - Biological Sciences (DM 509/1999);

c) a first level degree of different class or other equivalent qualification, even obtained abroad, and recognized as suitable, with a training course that includes a minimum of 90 ECTS of training activity in the S.S.D. basic and characterizing (DM 270/2004) of the L-2 Biotechnologies class. 

The admission requires also adequate personal competencies and skills: a Commission will evaluate the student's previous study curriculum.
In detail, for the admission the knowledge and skills required:

• MAT/01-MAT/09, MED/01, INF/01, SECS-S01, SECS-S02;  minimo 3CFU
• FIS/01-FIS/08;  minimo 3CFU
• CHIM/01-CHIM/06, CHIM/11;   minimo 6CFU
• BIO/05, BIO/06, BIO16, BIO17, VET/01;  minimo    3CFU
• BIO/10, BIO/11, BIO/12, BIO13, BIO14; minimo    6CFU   
• MED/04, MED/06, MED/07, BIO/09, BIO/18 BIO/19, AGR/16,
• VET/02, VET/03, VET/06;  minimo 6CFU    

If basic knowledge and skills are lacking in the curriculum studiorum, the Commission, through an interview, will be able to verify personal preparation and possibly indicate a training path to fill the gaps: a subsequent interview will verify the progress of knowledge and the positive outcome will be mandatory for the admission to the master's degree.

  

Postgraduate opportunities 

 

 

• Dottorato di Ricerca
• Scuole di Specializzazione dell’area sanitaria riservate ai non medici
• Master di II livello

      

Professional opportunities

Graduates in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology find job opportunities in bodies/agencies/environments mainly in the field of biotechnologies, pharmacology and biomedicine, both public and private where they may play both an autonomous role or support other professional figures.
In particular, graduates in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology will be able to play their role in:

• Universities, public and private research institutes, institutions (e.g.: Ministry of Health)
• Facilities of the National Health Service and private facilities
• Industries and biotechnological service
• Industry and pharmacovigilance centers
• Industry and diagnostic and pharmaceutical research centers
• Biotech industries
• Companies in the field of the development, trade and management of medical equipment
• Bodies dealing with the development of health standards and clinical studies monitoring
• Patent, biotechnological products and technological transfer offices
• Scientific publishers
• Dissemination and scientific information agencies

Graduates in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology may also:

• Proceed to qualifying for secondary school teaching qualification, according to the law in force which rule the access to the various classes of competition, by training integration with specific skills and carry out their professional function in school facilities
• Undertake the academic career in the universities according to the law in force that rule the access.
• According to the regulations in force for some professional roles, especially in the medical-health sector and/or in higher levels of responsibilities (in the public and in some Regions also in the private sector) besides being enrolled in the relevant professional Register (see regulations for enrollment in the National Order of Biologists) further skills are required, to be acquired through post-graduate training programs.