PhD in Oncology, Hematology and Pathology

Academic Year 2021-2022
Subject area Medical, Pharmaceutical and Veterinary Medical Sciences
Cycle 37
Coordinator Prof.ssa Manuela Ferracin
Language English, Italian
Duration 3 years
Positions 24 positions. More information in the PhD Programme Table.
Application deadline May 21, 2021 at 12:00 PM (Expired)
Enrolment period From Jul 13, 2021 to Jul 23, 2021
Doctoral programme start date Nov 01, 2021
Operating centre
Bologna
Main Department
Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine - DIMES
Associated Departments
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences - DIMEC
Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences - DIBINEM
Mobility abroad
3 months
Research topics
  • Immunoprevention and immunotherapy of tumo
  • Oncology, genomics, proteomics and targeted therapy of musculoskeletal sarcomas
  • Development of new therapies, biological and cellular therapies in pediatric onco-hematology, (neuroblastoma, acute myeloid leukemia, leukemias and lymphomas of B cells)
  • Radiotherapy, oncological radiodiagnostics, radiomics and radiobiology
  • Rare tumors
  • ERBB family receptors
  • Resistance to targeted therapies
  • Acute and chronic myeloproliferative syndromes
  • Lympho(immuno) proliferative diseases, monoclonal gammopathies and multiple myeloma
  • Molecular basis, genetic studies, and development of innovative and targeted drugs against adult onco-hemopathies (acute and chronic leukemias, lymphomas and multiple myeloma)
  • Molecular pathology of infections associated with implants: search of virulence factors of opportunistic microorganisms as etiologic agents of periprosthetic infections and pathogenic mechanisms
  • Cytotoxic mechanisms of plant toxic enzymes and development of immunotargeting for experimental therapy in oncology and transplant rejection
  • Alterations of protein glycosylation in pathological processes
  • Changes in ribosome biogenesis, cell proliferation and tumorigenesis
  • Immunology, genetics and epigenetics of aging, longevity and age-associated diseases
  • Allelic polymorphisms to identify risk factors associated with dementia and Alzheimer disease
  • Chronic pain
  • OMICdata analysis
  • Genetic and epigenetic alterations as cancer diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers
  • Role of non-coding RNA in human cancer
  • Shiga toxin and hemolytic uremic syndrome
  • Human genomics and transcriptomics in normal conditions and in genetic disorders
  • Stem cells, differentiation and development
  • Nutrition, microbiota and cancer
  • Asbestos and cancer
  • Chemo-immune therapy toxicity control
Job opportunities and potential areas of employment
Our PhDs find employment in public and private research institutions, both national and international (mainly European and U.S.), in the healthcare system, including national research and care institutes (IRCCS) and in private laboratories and clinics.
Admission Board

Surname Name University/Institution Role email
Dall'Olio Fabio Università di Bologna Member
Ferracin Manuela Università di Bologna Member
Lauriola Mattia Università di Bologna Member
Zamagni Elena Università di Bologna Member
Pelleri Maria Chiara Università di Bologna Substitute
Salvioli Stefano Università di Bologna Substitute
Soverini Simona Università di Bologna Substitute

The following shall take part in the work of the Examination Board as expert members: Katia Scotlandi (IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, katia.scotlandi@ior.it), Maurizio Amichetti (Azienda Provinciale per i Servizi Sanitari – Provincia Autonoma di Trento, maurizio.amichetti@apss.tn.it), Annamaria Colacci (ARPAE Agenzia Regionale per la Prevenzione, Ambiente e Energia dell’Emilia-Romagna, acolacci@arpae.it).

Learning outcomes
The candidates of the PhD programme will develop:
- advanced knowledge of the literature and theory in the fields of Oncology, Hematology and Pathology
- theoretical and practical knowledge of advanced research skills
- autonomy in producing original research of appropriate quality for publication in high-impact scholarly journals
- skills in translational research that applies to clinical challenges the avanced knowledge originating from laboratory research.
Activities to be carried out by Doctoral candidates
The activity is largely devoted to translational and clinical research in the fields of oncology, hemathology and pathology. The activities include research in the laboratory, field research, clinical research, and the use of large advanced equipment in the field of molecular biology and genetics. The PhD programme therefore directs towards preclinical and clinical research applications and offers wide opportunities to trainees to develop their activities in centres of scientific and clinical excellence.
Research training activities compliant with the Doctoral programme's learning outcomes
The PhD programme includes laboratory and/or clinical research activities, organised by the supervisor of each PhD candidate, and teaching activities organized in three areas:
- The pool of medical PhD programmes organizes courses of scientific English (24 hours, in collaboration with Centro Linguistico d’Ateneo) and courses on safety in the biomedical environment (12 hours, in collaboration with the Area Persone e Organizzazione of the University and with the safety managers of the medical Departments).
- The PhD programme organizes seminars by the Academic Board. Main subjects are: Biology and pathology of the cell cycle, Cell death and apoptosis, Mechanisms of cytotoxicity of Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Genetic variants involved in longevity or age-associated diseases, Cytokines in human disease, Glycobiology and glycopathology, Molecular and cellular oncology, Carcinogenesis, Tumor immunology and immunotherapy, Diagnosis of hematopoietic and solid tumors, Cancer epidemiology and prevention, Conventional and innovative therapy of tumors, Biopathology and treatment of lymphomas, myeloma and acute leukemias, Allogeneic/autologous stem cells transplantation, New molecular technnologies for the study of hematologic malignancies. Role of non-coding RNAs in cancer. Biopathology and treatment of sarcomas.
- Each supervisor coordinates the attendance of specific events (meetings, workshops, grand rounds, etc.) and provides advanced bioinformatical education and tools in relation to the specific research proposal of each PhD candidate.
Internationalization features
- International experience. All PhD candidates should attend research laboratories abroad in major research institutions, for at least 3 months.
- Attraction of foreign graduates (Fellowships Marie Curie VAGABOND project)
- PhD adherence to co-tutelle agreements with University of Southern Queensland (Australia)
- Participation in the UNA Europa
- European Program in Cultural Heritage (Una-Her) initiative.
Expected research results and products
Papers published in international journals, indexed in PubMed (at least one full paper per PhD candidate during the PhD programme, or within 2 years after the end of PhD programme), and oral/poster communications at national and international scientific meetings. Also, patents resulting from translational research and clinical protocols resulting from clinical research.
Doctoral programme Academic Board
Name Surname University/Institution Qualification
Carla Renata Arciola Università di Bologna Professore Associato Confermato
Andrea Ardizzoni Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
Andrea Bolognesi Università di Bologna Professore Associato Confermato
Giovanni Brandi Università di Bologna Professore Associato Confermato
Maurizio Brigotti Università di Bologna Professore Associato
Michele Cavo Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
Fabio Dall'Olio Università di Bologna Professore Associato Confermato
Davide Maria Donati Università di Bologna Professore Associato
Manuela Ferracin Università di Bologna Professore Associato
Maria Pia Foschini Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
Paolo Garagnani Università di Bologna Professore Associato
Mattia Lauriola Università di Bologna Ricercatore a tempo determinato
Pier Luigi Lollini Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
Riccardo Masetti Università di Bologna Ricercatore a tempo determinato
Lorenzo Montanaro Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
Alessio Giuseppe Morganti Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
Maria Abbondanza Pantaleo Università di Bologna Professore Associato
Maria Chiara Pelleri Università di Bologna Ricercatore a tempo determinato
Andrea Pession Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
Stefano Salvioli Università di Bologna Professore Associato
Simona Soverini Università di Bologna Ricercatore Confermato
Elena Zamagni Università di Bologna Professore Associato
Pier Luigi Zinzani Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario

Notices

Final Ranking list

Final Ranking list