Biotechnology

• First Cycle Degree Programme
• Degree class: L-2 R Biotechnology
• Language: English
• Access mode: Free
• CFU: 180
• Length: 3 Years

The First Cycle Degree Program in Biotechnology (Class L2-R) is a 3-year course with open access, taught in English, through conventional classroom lessons and practical lab courses.

The educational offer, entirely delivered in English, provides additional advantages to graduates, since the biotechnology sector is inherently international, with pharmaceutical companies, research centers, and biotech organizations operating on a global scale. Early exposure to scientific and technical English improves both Italian and foreign students' career prospects and competitiveness in the global job market. Furthermore, the courses taught in English would facilitate collaborations and exchange programs (such as Erasmus programs) with foreign universities, thus enriching the professional and life experience of the students.

The Biotechnology program aims to provide a multidisciplinary theoretical and practical education, useful to develop new technologies and products primarily used in healthcare and pharmaceuticals, an area commonly known as "Red Biotech”. At present, in Europe, the Red Biotech is the leading segment of the entire biotechnology sector, both in terms of the percentage distribution of companies and the percentage distribution of revenue.

The program aims to provide graduates with a solid knowledge of the structure and functions of several biological systems including virus, bacteria, cultivated cells, tissues and complex organisms (such as Zebrafish, Caenorhabditis elegans, medium-size mammals). It also provides advanced and updated knowledge of chemistry, biochemistry, cell physiology, genetics, molecular biology, microbiology, immunology, biostatistics and data mining, as well as biotechnological applications in the biomedical area. Emphasis is placed on the ability to analyze and modify biomolecules and cells to develop products and services beneficial for human health and sustainability. Additionally, the course seeks to equip students with the knowledge, skills and competencies in regulatory, bioethical, and economic sectors towards the production of goods and resources within biological systems.

Special attention is given to laboratory activities, which are either standalone modules in integrated courses or constitute a significant portion of most single-discipline courses. The training activities provide Biotechnology graduates with the cultural and methodological foundation necessary to understand and apply technological innovations in the medical, veterinary, and pharmaceutical biotechnology sector (Red Biotech).

Distinct features characterizing the Biotechnology program include:

• personalized hands-on training learning in single workstationspresent in didactic laboratories;
• qualified faculty that, being internationally active researchers in several disciplines, will transfer up-to-date knowledge to their classes;
• a collaborative environment with a constant interaction and mentorship offered by the teaching staff to their students;
• high-level internships through the partnerships with national and international universities, research institutions, and public and private companies.