Vision of the PhD Programme and learning objectives (specific and transversal)

The training and research project of the PhD Programme in Applied Life and Health Sciences provides advanced knowledge and skills necessary to address the complexity of the problems inherent to the scientific area "Life and Health Sciences" from a biological, medical, epidemiological, bioinformatics and statistical perspective. These skills contribute to the pursuit of Goal 3 "Ensure health and well-being for all and all ages" of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. In addition, the PhD Programme aims to strengthen the chain of research activities and collaboration with enterprises, in order to facilitate the technology transfer of the skills acquired by PhD students during their training and to facilitate their recruitment by enterprises, also by activating scholarships on specific topics, financed by other entities.

Therefore, the PhD Programme aims to:

• foster the training of PhD students capable of independently tackling the most topical issues in biomedical research, assuming a prominent role in the international context and with spin-offs on the territory;
• offer a training curriculum, both theoretical and practical, that facilitates the insertion of PhDs into the world of work, encouraging high qualifications and internationalisation through internships in Italian or foreign laboratories where they can use the most modern technologies for scientific research.

The specific objective of the PhD Programme is to develop in doctoral students the ability to use modern biomolecular, bioinformatics and computational technologies and platforms, i.e. global and high-process analysis technologies and methodologies (“High-throughput and omics technologies”, “Tandem Mass Spectrometry” and innovative molecular technologies), and modern statistical techniques, for the characterisation of biological and pathological processes, for the development of screening assays of omics data and for the realisation of disease prediction and prevention models. Particular emphasis is placed on strengthening training in the use of advanced biological and microbiological technologies for large-scale screening of biomarkers and for the modification of genes, macromolecules and cellular systems.

Training and research project

The training and research project of the PhD Programme

• has a three-year duration;
• is organised in three strongly interdisciplinary curricula ("Genomics", "Epidemiology-Biostatistics" and "Microbiology-Infectious Diseases");
• involves professors from 10 scientific-disciplinary sectors (molecular biology, clinical biochemistry and molecular biology, applied biology, medical statistics, medical genetics, microbiology and clinical microbiology, infectious diseases, odontostomatological diseases, child neuropsychiatry, general and applied hygiene) belonging to four Departments of the University of Verona (“Diagnostics and Public Health”, “Engineering for Innovation Medicine”, “Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences”, “Surgery, Dentistry, Paediatrics and Gynaecology”);
• provides advanced knowledge and skills in biology and medicine, spanning the research fields of genomics, pharmacogenomics, cell and molecular biology, preventive and predictive medicine, microbiological diagnosis, microbiological surveillance of the environment and drug resistance, epidemiology;
• provides advanced knowledge and skills concerning the application of modern technological platforms and analysis methodologies (molecular, omics, microbiological and statistical) and the use of software for the management and analysis of biomedical data.

The PhD Programme offers several courses that refer to one or more curricula and deal with both highly specific topics related to the research project and more general topics to fill any gaps in training. In addition, the PhD Programme offers seminars and workshops held by high-profile national and international experts from academia and research institutions. The teaching activities are also conducted in telematic mode and are partly carried out in the computer lab using software dedicated to research activities. The training proposal is supplemented by other teaching activities provided by the PhD School concerning transversal topics of the different PhD Programmes of the University Verona, such as: language training; computer training; valorisation and dissemination of results, intellectual property and open access to data and research products; fundamental principles of ethics, gender equality and integrity; seminars with reference to specific transversal topics.

Each PhD student is expected to carry out intensive individual research in a structured research group. PhD students participate in broadly interdisciplinary research projects with the possibility of collaboration with international laboratories and research groups. PhD students are trained to present the results of their research both in internal seminars and at national and international scientific congresses. They are also trained to write reports on the results of their research, aimed at publication in international scientific journals.

Each PhD student is entrusted to a supervisor and one or more co-supervisors who follow the student's educational and training path for the development of a three-year research project. The tutors stimulate the writing activity with a view to publishing original results in international scientific journals, encourage the participation of PhD students in scientific congresses, also as speakers, and promote the performance of part of the research activity in international laboratories and research groups and/or private companies. The period of stay abroad is a maximum of 12 months and is not mandatory for obtaining the PhD degree. PhD students are not required to produce a minimum total scientific output during the doctoral course, although the scientific output contributes to the acquisition of the credits necessary for admission to subsequent years and eligibility for thesis discussion. Subject to the authorisation of the Board of teachers, PhD students may carry out, as an integral part of their training project, supplementary teaching activities (within the limit of 40 hours per academic year) and tutoring and guidance activities within the framework of Degree Programmes, which are to be considered as non-compulsory training activities.

Outgoing professional profiles and job opportunities

The skills acquired in the areas of genomics, epidemiology-biostatistics and microbiology-infectious diseases are applicable in both basic and applied research at universities, research centres, pharmaceutical and food industries, as well as scientific materials industries.

In particular, the skills acquired are applicable in the following areas:

• research and development in the field of experimental medicine for obtaining molecules of therapeutic interest;
• research and development of substances of diagnostic interest;
• research into regulatory mechanisms of gene expression and development of functional assays in cellular models;
• development of models for the analysis of genetic, molecular, phenotypic and environmental data, in epidemiological and pharmacogenetic fields.

In addition, PhDs can carry out professional activities in:

• industrial and health sectors involving the design, development and control of protocols for the analysis of biomolecules and microorganisms;
• design teams of health programmes for the reduction of the incidence of multifactorial diseases on a territorial, national and global network basis;
• teams advising on intervention plans for health emergencies of viral or microbiological origin;
• microbiology laboratories of private and public institutions;
• hospitals and other National Health System laboratories;
• environmental protection agencies and public health bodies;
• technical and commercial sector;
• training sector in public and private institutions.

Co-operation and international collaboration agreements active in the academic year 2022/2023

• No. 1 outgoing bilateral agreement between the University of Verona and University College Cork (Cork, Ireland) for a joint doctoral thesis and the award of a double PhD degree.
• No. 1 research collaboration agreement between the Doctoral School of the University of Verona and Department of International Health of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Baltimore, MD, USA).

Research infrastructure and services available to PhD students

The PhD Programme trains doctoral students in research facilities that possess scientific skills, project resources and equipment suitable for the acquisition of modern methodologies for scientific research in the fields of biomedical sciences.

The following structural and instrumental resources are made available to PhD students:

• laboratories of applied biology, molecular biology, human genetics, bioinformatics, epidemiology, computer science and biostatistics, clinical microbiology and clinical biochemistry, molecular virology, complete with equipment for conducting experimental research;
• study areas equipped with desks and computers;
• classroom with 40 seats for courses and seminars;
• library with scientific texts and journals;
• access to library subscriptions of the University of Verona, covering the topics of the PhD Programme;
• computer system of the University of Verona with access to databases and electronic journal packages;
• software for the management and statistical analysis of biomedical data.