The candidates must posseses a University degree in Medicine, Biological Sciences, Biotecnologies, Pharmacy, Chemistry and Pharamaceutical Technicques

Animal experimentation and alternative models: legislative, experimental and bioethical aspects
1st year:
1) Organoids and 3D cell cultures, relevance in the context of the concept of "replacement"
2) Organoids, 3D cell cultures and application in preclinical research
3) Organoids and respect for aspects of bioethics
4) Development of in vitro methods and their validation in the regulatory field
Carried out by Dr. Giaroni

Animal experimentation and alternative models: legislative, experimental and bioethical aspects
1st year
1) The current Italian regulation in the field of animal experimentation in biomedical research
2) Preclinical models of animal type and alternatives to use "in vitro" experimental models
3) Animal models on invertebrate species
4) Bioethical aspects of animal experimentation in basic and applied biomedical research
Carried out by Dr. Giaroni

Biostatistics
1st year. Objective:
All fields of modern biology cannot be successfully approached without a knowledge of their statistical and biometrical aspects. It is thus necessary to provide the student with interlaced biological and statistical knowledge. The goal of this course is to make the students familiar with the statistical theory and terminology, so to understand the power and pitfalls of statistical analysis, with special emphasis on the planning of the experiments and the analysis of experimental data in the field of Life Sciences .
COURSE TOPICS
Basics of statistical analysis
- Why use Statistics. Populations and samples. Basics of probability. Random variables.
- Frequency distributions; what is a statistical test: power and protection of a test, Type I and Type II errors.
The most common statistical tests
- Quantitative and qualitative variables - which test?
- Some uses of the z variable.
- The χ2 test. Goodness-of-fit test and comparisons between proportions.
- The General Linear Model (GLM)
- Some uses of Student's t
Other statistical tests
- The model of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).
- One-Way ANOVA: the completely randomized and the randomized block designs. Two-way ANOVA.
- Linear regression and correlation models, parameters estimate in linear, multiple and curvilinear regression.
Carried out by Prof. Binelli

The NGS technique: theory, applications and future perspectives
II year: this minicouse will be organized in four lessons on the following arguments: a) the NGS technique and the relative possible applications; b) third and fouth generation sequencing; c) functional aspects of gene expression and regulation; d) NGD Data analysis workflow and functional enrichment.
Carried out by Proff. Fasano, Porta, Bonapace, Acquati

Applications in oncology of NGS technology for diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic purposes: - the model of colorectal cancer The model of endometrial cancer
III year: the mini-course aims to outline the increasingly widespread use of NGS technology in clinical oncological practice and to show how tumor classifications require the integration of in-depth knowledge of tumorigenic mechanisms for the recognition of distinct biological entities and for the correct setting of therapeutic approaches.
Carried out by prof. Furlan

Cancer stem cells: understanding tumor hierarchy and heterogeneity for cancer treatment Lesson 1: From Stem cells to Cancer Stem Cells. Lesson 2: Cancer Stem Cell's niche. The relation with the microenvironment Lesson 3: Targeting Cancer Stem Cells. Innovative approaches for targeting CSCs.
III year: cancer stem cells (CSCs) are self-renewing cells that are identifiable in most liquid and solid cancers and contribute to tumor onset, expansion, resistance, recurrence and metastasis following therapeutical approaches.
CSCs are identified by the expression of cell surface markers, which depends on the type of tumor. The transition between CSCs with cancer cells occurs in tumors and is under the control of reciprocal signals between CSCs and the tumor microenvironment (TME), including the CSC niche. Different degrees of evidence indicate that cancer stem cells are a relevant cause of failure of conventional chemo / radiotherapy, due to their resistance to such therapeutic approaches. Therefore, targeted therapy to eliminate CSCs is essential.
Performed by Prof. Bonapace and Prof. Catapano IOR - Bellinzona (CH) (to be confirmed)

Experimental imaging in translational research.
III year: the seminary is focused on the usefulness of experimental imaging for preclinical and clinical researchers in translational medicine. The use of advanced and innovative imaging technologies allows to observe, monitor, analyze with high resolution every change in small animals (mice, rats) induced by drugs, molecules, anti-bodies before histology. Experimental imaging based on Ultrasound, Color Doppler, Photoacoustic, CEUS, Magnetic Resonance, Computed Tomography, micro-PET, Optical Imaging can accurately provide qualitative and quantitative information in dif

You can enroll after a public competition for qualifications and examinations.
Number of Scholarships: 7
Positions without scholarship: 2
Please see:
call for admissions (PDF)
Online application
Online application to PhD Programs guide (PDF)
For all information, please see also:
italian call for admissions