The programme
This section provides a comprehensive overview of the degree programme, including details on its structure, regulations, and additional resources. It also introduces the University’s Quality Assurance system and outlines the Student Orientation services available to prospective students, aimed at guiding them in selecting the most suitable course.
Course of study in brief
The Master's degree program in Biology for Translational Research and Precision Medicine trains new professional figures who play an active role in the design, planning, implementation, and coordination of research activities within the fields of precision medicine and translational research.
Precision medicine represents the new frontier for the prevention and treatment of diseases. The effectiveness and side effects of the same therapeutic treatment depend on the complex relationship between genetic specificity, environment, and lifestyle of each patient. The overall goal of the program is to train biologists capable of rapidly transforming insights from basic research into advanced, personalized predictive, diagnostic, and therapeutic tools for groups of patients. The program features innovative content and is entirely delivered in English, to immediately familiarize students with the language of research communication, thereby enhancing its internationalization value and the employability of the degree.
As a direct consequence of the educational pathway, students can train “in the field,” using the most modern technologies on which translational research is based, while fully engaging with biomedical research topics. A key feature of the program is intensive laboratory activity, totaling over 160 hours per student. During laboratory hands-on practice, instructors demonstrate to small groups how concepts learned in lectures are applied to biomedical and translational research, involving students in group projects. Students also participate in high-profile seminars on specific topics. These optional activities, carried out in collaboration with local, national, and international stakeholders, maximize students’ learning capacity by exposing them to real-world scenarios.
In addition to traditional lectures, the program incorporates innovative teaching methods such as flipped classroom, team-based learning, and challenge-based learning, fostering teamwork skills.
The curriculum emphasizes the synergy between basic sciences applied to medicine and clinical research, with particular attention to experimental design and bioethics. It provides solid molecular, cellular, and physiological foundations to understand diseases through a “multi-scale” approach, starting from the analysis of individual biomolecules and their functional and pathological interactions, up to a comprehensive description at the system and patient levels. A distinctive feature of the program is the transversal use of various “omics” approaches and multi-scale imaging to support biomedicine. It also introduces innovative cellular and gene therapies, including genome editing techniques, and provides strong knowledge in biostatistics and bioinformatics for the analysis of complex data. Students learn to design translational biological experiments, choosing the most suitable research model with full awareness of regulatory and bioethical implications. Through elective courses, students can focus their interests on translational neuroscience, oncology, and precision diagnostics. The preparation of the thesis work involves a highly formative internship, during which students develop an original research project in an internal or external laboratory.
The Master’s degree in Biology for Translational Research and Precision Medicine allows graduates to find employment at public entities (universities, service laboratories and healthcare system institutions, research institutes) and private research and diagnostics companies. In these sectors, they can undertake:
- Basic and translational experimental research in biomedical, clinical, and/or healthcare fields;
- Advanced diagnostic activities, particularly oriented towards precision medicine.
- Design and research activities aimed at developing prevention, diagnosis, and therapy products within the scope of precision medicine.
More generally, the master's graduate can contribute to planning and managing national and international research projects.
The solid theoretical and experimental training provided by the course will enable graduates to propose innovative solutions for the transfer of knowledge and technology in the fields of precision medicine and translational research, and to hold high-profile roles as “product specialists” in companies that produce scientific instrumentation or conduct research and analysis in the pharmaceutical and biomedical sectors. Additional professional opportunities include roles such as “medical science liaison” and/or “data analyst” in companies operating in the pharmaceutical or biomedical fields, as well as in regulatory affairs within pharmaceutical industries.
- Degree type Corsi di laurea Magistrale
- Duration 2 years
- Part-time Study option available No
- Admissions Limited-entry degree programme based on qualifications
- Degree class LM-6 R
- S.T.E.M. course Yes
- Administrative headquarters verona
- Locations for lessons and exams Map of the Locations
- Language English
A significant number of teaching hours are devoted to laboratory activities. These go beyond traditional practical sessions designed to support theoretical learning and, under the guidance of experienced faculty members, actively engage students in addressing real-world challenges in personalized biomedicine and translational research. In addition to acquiring advanced scientific research skills, students develop important transferable competencies, including problem-solving abilities and teamwork skills.
Alongside courses in the basic and preclinical sciences, the programme is distinguished by an extensive seminar series delivered by experts from both academia and industry. Stakeholders are actively involved, including through remote teaching activities, thereby providing students with access to companies and advanced research laboratories located both nationally and internationally, where on-site participation may be limited. Throughout the two-year programme, students also gain knowledge of the statistical and ethical aspects of preclinical research and develop skills in innovation management, biomedical economics, and intellectual property.
The programme is structured over two years, with distinct educational objectives:
First Year
The first year includes core courses designed to provide:
i) A solid foundation in the molecular, cellular, and physiological bases of disease through a multi-scale approach, ranging from the analysis of the biological role and properties of individual biomolecules to the description of their functional and pathological interactions at the systems level;
ii) The physical principles and potential applications of multi-scale imaging and its translational applications;
iii) Fundamental knowledge of the most innovative cell and gene therapies, including genome-editing technologies;
iv) Strong expertise in biostatistics and bioinformatics approaches for the analysis of complex datasets;
v) The fundamentals of experimental design in biomedicine, from selecting the most appropriate research model to understanding regulatory and bioethical implications.
In addition, related courses introduce students to the potential of modern large-scale investigative approaches, including clinical proteomics, metabolomics, epigenomics, and genomics.
Second Year
The second year includes core courses that provide:
i) Fundamental concepts of molecular and structural modelling and computational genomics, essential for precision medicine;
ii) Basic knowledge of tumour biology, including specific metabolic characteristics and personalized therapeutic approaches.
The study programme also includes alternative courses within the core curriculum, allowing students to develop specialized competencies in the following areas:
i) Pharmacology and drug discovery;
ii) Neurophysiology and neurobiology;
iii) Laboratory medicine;
iv) Oncology.
Furthermore, a group of elective courses is available within the related educational activities to deepen knowledge of preclinical aspects in:
i) Systems and clinical neurobiology;
ii) Precision oncology.
Finally, the internship, which represents an essential component of the specialized training provided by the programme, is carried out in a research laboratory either within or outside the University, in Italy or abroad.
SENIOR BIOLOGIST SPECIALIZED IN TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
Role in the Workplace and Skills
Functions
Graduates of the Master's Degree in Biology for Translational Research and Precision Medicine perform highly responsible roles in all professional settings requiring advanced expertise in translational research and biomedicine. They conduct basic and translational experimental research in biomedical, clinical, and healthcare fields, as well as advanced diagnostic activities, particularly in the area of precision medicine.
They are involved in the design and development of prevention, diagnostic, and therapeutic products within precision medicine and, more broadly, contribute to the planning and management of national and international research projects. They propose innovative solutions for knowledge transfer and technological innovation in the fields of precision medicine and translational research.
Skills
The Senior Biologist holding a Master's Degree in Biology for Translational Research and Precision Medicine possesses a strong theoretical and experimental background in biomedical research and biology applied to precision medicine. Specifically, graduates are able to:
- Independently design biological experiments with translational relevance;
- Select the most appropriate experimental models to investigate specific biomedical problems through a multiscale approach ranging from individual molecules and cells to tissues and whole organisms;
- Optimize preclinical studies according to the specific characteristics of patient groups;
- Apply the most advanced technologies and bioinformatics tools supporting precision medicine;
- Understand the statistical and ethical aspects of preclinical research;
- Manage innovation processes, regulatory affairs, and intellectual property issues;
- Oversee scientific protocols, technology transfer processes, and related bioethical implications;
- Communicate effectively across multidisciplinary teams of biologists and clinicians, work collaboratively, and maintain a commitment to continuous scientific development.
Career Opportunities
According to Italian Presidential Decree (DPR) 328/2001, graduates may sit the State Examination qualifying them to practice as professional biologists and subsequently register with the National Order of Biologists (Section A). They may also pursue PhD programmes, Specialization Schools, and second-level Master's degrees.
Career opportunities include employment in:
- Universities and public or private research institutions;
- Hospitals and healthcare organizations;
- Public and private laboratories for biological and genetic analyses, quality control laboratories, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies;
- Agencies involved in scientific communication, dissemination, information services, and biomedical scientific publishing;
- Independent professional consultancy activities in the biomedical field.
