Laurea Magistrale (Second cycle degree/Two year Master - 120 ECTS) in Pharmaceutical Biotecnology

2nd cycle graduates in Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies are highly skilled experts in the design and implementation of analysis and research activities, technological and experimental research, research and development in biotechnologies applied to the healthcare sector and in particular to the design, characterisation and formulation of innovative and biotechnological pharmaceuticals.
In fact, only three subject areas of the nine listed in the class 9M table have been selected for the allocation of learning credits in the degree programme course units. These areas are: common biotechnological subjects in the “molecular biotechnologies” macro-area and pharmaceutical subjects in the “biotechnologies applied in the pharmaceutical sector” macro-area. This assures full specificity of the programme compared to other 2nd cycle degree programmes activated in the same class, 9M. The objectives also aim to complete any studies lacking in these basic subject areas (cf. in the field of “Basic subjects applied to biotechnologies”), and to research topics in these areas which support the specific training of the graduates and teach the integrated and critical use of experimental and technical knowledge in the typical complex experiments of pharmaceutical biotechnologies.

The study programme covers two macro-areas, molecular biotechnologies and biotechnologies applied to the pharmaceutical sector. The study programme consists of compulsory-attendance integrated courses of a theoretical and experimental nature, which will provide students with:
- in-depth knowledge of the structural-functional relations of proteins and macromolecular complexes;
- in-depth knowledge of the cellular, molecular and functional complexity of biological systems;
- in-depth knowledge of the molecular and genetic mechanisms of pathologies;
- advanced methods of genomic, proteomic and bioinformatic analysis of important organisms in the healthcare field;
- solid knowledge of pharmaceutical biotechnologies to trace the pharmaco-toxicological profile of therapeutic agents at molecular and cellular level;
- bioinformatic, structural biologic and genomic methodologies for the identification of innovative therapeutic targets;
- chemical and computational methodologies for the identification of active molecules on molecular targets of therapeutic interest;
- in-depth knowledge of industrial processes for biotechnological products and their formulation in therapeutic and diagnostic preparations for human use;
- in-depth knowledge of biotechnological pharmaceutical analysis technologies;
- development methodologies of molecular nanostructures for the analysis, monitoring and treatment of human pathologies;
- solid knowledge for the nano-formulation of biotechnological pharmaceuticals.

2nd cycle graduates in Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies:
- will possess the professional competencies for use in research laboratories working in gene expression and manipulation, genomic, proteomic and bioinformatic analysis, monitoring of the presence of genetically modified organisms, design, development, formulation, production and analysis of innovative and nano-biotechnological pharmaceuticals, and the management and quality control of fermentation systems, in biomedical, diagnostic, environmental and nutritional fields;
- will be able to work on the design of cellular models for the development of new nano-biotechnological pharmaceuticals;
- will be able to successfully interact with commercial and documentation structures in biotechnological production sectors;
- will possess the appropriate knowledge and skills to access PhD programmes, 2nd cycle Master's degree programmes and specialisation schools.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
2nd cycle graduates possess the knowledge and understanding of scientific progress in the following areas:
- the logic of complex biological systems from molecular to cellular level and organism level;
- the structures and functions of biological macromolecules and complexes, and cellular physiological and pathologic processes;
- genetic modification and manipulation techniques for the production of antibodies, enzymes, vaccines, nano-biomaterials and cells;
- functional and structural genome and proteome analysis, and the analysis of databases of biological sequences also in relation to diseases, the identification of new therapeutic targets, the activity of pharmaceuticals and toxic agents and the development of vaccines;
- action, activity, interaction and toxicity mechanisms of biotechnological pharmaceuticals and innovative therapeutic agents;
- methodologies for the identification and characterisation of new therapeutic targets;
- molecular modelling and simulation methodologies;
- combinatorial chemical techniques for the design of biologically active compounds;
- industrial fermentation processes for the production of bio-molecules of pharmaceutical interest;
- integrated analytical methods applied to the “drug discovery” process;
- nano-technologies for the development of innovative analysis and diagnosis tools;
- nano-pharmaceutics for the administration of biotechnological pharmaceuticals.

This knowledge is achieved mainly through lectures, many single-place laboratories and exercises. The knowledge and understanding will be verified through oral and/or written exams and seminar activities based on the individual critical reading of recent scientific articles.

ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
2nd cycle graduates:
- will be able to acquire, process and transmit significant information using electronic instruments, with particular regard for the bioinformatic sector;
- will be able to carry out genomic and proteomic analyses also in order to identify possible new therapeutic targets;
- will know how to apply interdisciplinary knowledge in the biochemical, biological-molecular and pharmaco-toxicological areas to handle and solve scientific problems linked to the study and development of biotechnological pharmaceuticals and diagnostics also in a production field;
- will be able to apply genetic modification techniques to organisms and microorganisms and purification techniques and the analysis of biological macromolecules;
- will be able to apply techniques for the production of vectors, nanobiomaterials, and molecular biosensors;
- will be able to identify and design compounds targeting a molecular target through the use of computational molecular simulation techniques;
- will be able to apply metagenomic and transcriptomic analysis methods for the identification of new microbial metabolites of pharmaceutical interest;
- will be able to apply spectrometric and spectroscopic techniques for the structural investigation of biotechnological pharmaceuticals and complex systems.

The ability to apply the knowledge is acquired through the wide-ranging experience gained in single-place learning laboratories and during the production of the dissertation in a research laboratory. The ability to apply the knowledge is verified through written reports and the following discussion of the laboratory experiences, experience in the production and presentation of the final dissertation.

JUDGEMENT SKILLS:
2nd cycle graduates:
- will be able to work fully autonomously, taking on responsibility for projects and structures;
- will be able to use scientific instruments in the biotechnologies field and plan and organise laboratory activities, using innovative techniques;
- will be able to analyse, manage and disseminate the data of the experimental protocols and will be able to critically analyse and solve scientific problems linked to biotechnologies;
- will be able to manage their own “curriculum vitae” and relate to different working environments;
- will be able to interpret the sources, experimental data and scientific literature.

Students will cultivate their judgement skills through the critical reading of scientific articles, and in particular through the production of a Project, which may be the dissertation or other scientific project, to which a large number of CFU are allocated (5 or 10 plus 20 or 25 for the dissertation), which ends with an autonomously produced dissertation with relative bibliography.
Judgement skills are evaluated through seminar activities and at the end of the study programme in the discussion of the dissertation.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
2nd cycle graduates:
- will be able to work in groups for the design and application of experimental protocols;
- will possess relational and communication skills which allow them to work also in international contexts;
- will be able to use the English language fluently in written and spoken form;
- will be able to produce technical and scientific reports in both Italian and English;
- will be able to disseminate their own knowledge and the results of experiments to a general public.

The communication skills will be cultivated during seminars, the production of the dissertation with the periodical presentation of the work carried out to the supervising professor and its relative discussion. Credits are allocated to the acquisition of additional skills in the English language and the management of the students' own professional career.

LEARNING SKILLS:
2nd cycle graduates:
- will be able to study complex issues in their fields of competency also through continuing studies through the consultation and study of scientific literature;
- will be able to develop innovative techniques in the biotechnologies field;
- will be able to work autonomously and to autonomously continue to further studies;
- will possess the requirements for access to further studies (2nd level Master's degree, PhD, Specialisations).