Educational goals

The master's degree course in Industrial Nanobiotechnologies for pharmaceuticals aims to train highly specialized professional figures capable of satisfying the complex research, production and quality control needs of the nanotechnology sector applied to industrial biotechnology with particular reference to industrial design and development of biopharmaceuticals. The general objective of the study course is to provide specialized skills in the specific sector of industrial biotechnology that develops nanosystems for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. In particular, the master's graduate will have the knowledge and skills necessary to: - design and develop advanced nanostructured systems for diagnostics and/or pharmaceutical products; - design and formulate nanobiotechnological pharmaceutical products and vaccines, as well as apply techniques for their analysis; - apply to the study of the structure and functions of biologically active macromolecules and to the identification of a possible molecular target for the development of a biopharmaceutical; - develop a medicinal product in an industrial context, with particular attention to nanobiotechnology-based medicinal products; - know and be able to apply the regulations that guarantee the quality, safety and effectiveness of the nanobiotechnological medicine; - actively interact with the main bodies responsible for the correct application of national and international regulations in the nanobiotechnology field. The training course will be divided into 4 semesters and includes lessons, exercises as well as activities aimed at orientation and guidance in the world of work and will conclude with the final thesis paper. In the 1st semester there are 3 compulsory courses and 3 optional courses. The 3 optional courses of the SSD CHIM/06, BIO/10 and CHIM/01 have been included with the aim of standardizing the students' preparation. The student will then be advised in his choice so that he can attend the most suitable one to implement his basic preparation. The 3 compulsory courses are part of the BIO/10 and CHIM/09 SSDs, expected to characterize the LM-8 class, in the biological and chemical fields, and will provide a solid basic preparation to students, necessary to understand the subsequent path. In particular, the teachings of the SSD CHIM/09 are bimodular and each of them includes an integrative in-depth part relating respectively to the preformulation of biopharmaceuticals and traditional pharmaceutical forms. In the 2nd semester there are 2 courses relating to the CHIM/09 and CHIM/08 SSDs which fall within the SSDs foreseen in the LM-8 class as chemical characterizing disciplines. These courses will introduce the student to the formulation aspects of nanobiotechnological pharmaceutical products by providing knowledge and skills relating to: i) the technological aspects of nanosized therapeutic systems, with a focus on the formulation and control of nanotechnology-based medicines (SSD CHIM/09); ii) aspects of correlation between structure and activity of different classes of biopharmaceuticals and vaccines (SSD CHIM/08). In particular, this second teaching will also deal with a similar discipline aimed at deepening the immunological aspects of biopharmaceuticals. The curricular internship (3 months) included in the 2nd semester has the function of introducing the student to experimental activities that he can carry out in a university laboratory or in a company, with the aim of implementing his training and will conclude with a report that the student can discuss in a workshop that will be organized at the end of the 2nd semester (Other activities). This activity represents a moment of intense interactivity for the students who will also be personally involved in the organization of the workshop, and will involve the 1st and 2nd year students in discussing the activities carried out during their respective internships. In the 3rd semester there are 3 compulsory courses and 3 free choice courses. The compulsory courses belong to the SECS-S/01, CHIM/09 and BIO/14 SSDs foreseen as characterizing the LM-8 class and will complete the student's training by providing: i) the basic concepts relating to the management and processing of data ( SSD SECS-S/01); ii) the knowledge and skills to transition from the therapeutic idea and formulation development to the production process of a biopharmaceutical (SSD CHIM/09); iii) the principles that regulate the passage of a molecule in the organism and its effect through the interaction/modulation of endogenous molecular cascades (SSD BIO/14). The discipline of the SSD SEC-S/01, which in the LM-8 class is a characterizing discipline for professional skills, is of particular importance in order to provide the student with skills currently required by the industry. Some CFU of the CHIM/09 SSD will be dedicated to industrialization, in order to complete the student's training in the industrial sector and will be accompanied, in the same course, by CFU of a similar discipline dedicated to the in-depth analysis of the analytical aspects linked to the industrialization of the nanobiotechnological pharmaceutical product . The free-choice courses will allow the student to direct their knowledge to a specific sector of interest. In the 4th semester the student will be engaged in an experimental practical activity to be carried out in affiliated companies (internships) or in a university laboratory with the aim of developing the skills acquired during the course of study, as well as introducing the student to the world of work and /or scientific research. This activity will lead to the development of an experimental thesis which can also be discussed by participating in the workshop organized at the end of the 2nd semester by the 1st year students. This organization will be a further source of interaction between students, teachers and company tutors. The thesis will allow the student's abilities and autonomy to be verified in the development of a research project as well as the skills acquired by the student.

Career opportunities

Pharmaceutical nanotechnologist. The main employment opportunities that the master's graduate will be able to cover are: - researcher in a pharmaceutical company; - project manager (PI) in a pharmaceutical and biotechnology company; - manager in a pharmaceutical and biotechnology company; - quality control laboratory manager in a pharmaceutical and biotechnology company; - Research and Development laboratory manager in a pharmaceutical and biotechnology company; - responsible for the production of biotechnological drugs; - regulatory office manager in a pharmaceutical company; - trainer in the public and private sector.

Admission requirements

To be admitted to the master's degree course, the student must have a degree (including that obtained according to the regulations previously in force in Ministerial Decree 509/1999 and subsequent amendments and additions) or a three-year university diploma, or another qualification obtained abroad, recognized as suitable by the competent bodies of the University. The student is also required to possess certain curricular requirements and adequate personal preparation. The required curricular requirements are automatically recognized for those who hold the degree obtained in the classes: L-2 Biotechnology, L-13 Biological Sciences, LM-13 Pharmacy and Industrial Pharmacy, L27- Chemical Sciences and Technologies ex DM 270/04 and in the corresponding classes established according to the previous educational system ex D.M. 509/99. Candidates who have obtained a degree in other classes, whose educational path has allowed the acquisition of a certain number of CFU in the following SSDs, are also admitted: - minimum 10 CFU in the mathematical, physical, IT and statistical disciplines corresponding to the following sectors scientific-disciplinary: from FIS/01 to FIS/08, from MAT/01 to MAT/09, INF/01, SECS-S/01; - minimum 10 CFU in the chemical and biological disciplines corresponding to the following scientific-disciplinary sectors: CHIM/01, CHIM/02, CHIM/03, CHIM/06, BIO/01, BIO/10, BIO/11, BIO/13. Finally, to access the Master's degree course, the student must be able to use the English language fluently (level B2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for the knowledge of languages), in written and oral form, also with reference to disciplinary lexicons. Adequate personal preparation will be verified through specific methods regulated within the Teaching Regulations of the Study Course.