Studying at the University of Verona
Here you can find information on the organisational aspects of the Programme, lecture timetables, learning activities and useful contact details for your time at the University, from enrolment to graduation.
Academic calendar
The academic calendar shows the deadlines and scheduled events that are relevant to students, teaching and technical-administrative staff of the University. Public holidays and University closures are also indicated. The academic year normally begins on 1 October each year and ends on 30 September of the following year.
Course calendar
The Academic Calendar sets out the degree programme lecture and exam timetables, as well as the relevant university closure dates..
| Period | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| I semestre | Oct 1, 2019 | Jan 31, 2020 |
| II semestre | Mar 2, 2020 | Jun 12, 2020 |
| Session | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Sessione invernale d'esame | Feb 3, 2020 | Feb 28, 2020 |
| Sessione estiva d'esame | Jun 15, 2020 | Jul 31, 2020 |
| Sessione autunnale d'esame | Sep 1, 2020 | Sep 30, 2020 |
| Session | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Sessione estiva di laurea LM9 | Jul 14, 2020 | Jul 14, 2020 |
| Sessione autunnale di laurea LM9 | Oct 9, 2020 | Oct 9, 2020 |
| Sessione invernale di laurea LM9 | Mar 12, 2021 | Mar 12, 2021 |
| Period | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Festa di Ognissanti | Nov 1, 2019 | Nov 1, 2019 |
| Festa dell'Immacolata | Dec 8, 2019 | Dec 8, 2019 |
| Vacanze di Natale | Dec 23, 2019 | Jan 6, 2020 |
| Vacanze di Pasqua | Apr 10, 2020 | Apr 14, 2020 |
| Festa della Liberazione | Apr 25, 2020 | Apr 25, 2020 |
| Festa del lavoro | May 1, 2020 | May 1, 2020 |
| Festa del Santo Patrono | May 21, 2020 | May 21, 2020 |
| Festa della Repubblica | Jun 2, 2020 | Jun 2, 2020 |
| vacanze estive | Aug 10, 2020 | Aug 23, 2020 |
Exam calendar
Exam dates and rounds are managed by the relevant Science and Engineering Teaching and Student Services Unit.
To view all the exam sessions available, please use the Exam dashboard on ESSE3.
If you forgot your login details or have problems logging in, please contact the relevant IT HelpDesk, or check the login details recovery web page.
Should you have any doubts or questions, please check the Enrolment FAQs
Academic staff
maurizio.boscaini@univr.it
alessandramaria.bossi@univr.it
045 802 7946 (Studio) - 045 802 7833 (Laboratorio)
Study Plan
The Study Plan includes all modules, teaching and learning activities that each student will need to undertake during their time at the University. Please select your Study Plan based on your enrolment year.
| Modules | Credits | TAF | SSD |
|---|
| Modules | Credits | TAF | SSD |
|---|
1° Year
| Modules | Credits | TAF | SSD |
|---|
2° Year activated in the A.Y. 2020/2021
| Modules | Credits | TAF | SSD |
|---|
| Modules | Credits | TAF | SSD |
|---|
Legend | Type of training activity (TTA)
TAF (Type of Educational Activity) All courses and activities are classified into different types of educational activities, indicated by a letter.
Molecular Pharmacology (2019/2020)
Teaching code
4S003674
Teacher
Coordinatore
Credits
6
Language
English
Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)
BIO/14 - PHARMACOLOGY
Period
I semestre dal Oct 1, 2019 al Jan 31, 2020.
Learning outcomes
The objectives of the course are : How the drugs produce their effects How the body and the cells respond to the drugs How to develop a new drug Examples of new biotech drug generations
Program
PHARMACOKINETCS
General principles of drug delivery
Absorption: kinetics, routes, advantages and disadvantages
Distribution: concept of Vd, distribution equilibrium kinetics, barriers
Elimination: elimination pathways and kinetics; concepts of clearance and half-life
Control of the plasma concentration of drugs: operating models
Dosage corrections: variables to consider
DRUG-RECEPTOR INTERACTIONS
Quantitative and qualitative aspects of the drug-receptor interaction
Characteristics and kinetics of interaction
Quantitative aspects of drug-receptor interaction and analysis of binding curves
Concepts of affinity-powers and effectiveness
Relations between employment and receptor response
Overview of the methods used to quantify the link, the type of interaction and the answers
Concept and forms of competition between drugs
Evaluation of the effects of drugs
DRUG METABOLISM
Generality and organization
CYPs
Metabolic pharmacogenetics
Metabolic interactions between drugs and food
DRUG DEVELOPMENT
Industrial strategies
Preclinical research: goals, objectives, limits and rules
Clinical research: Setting and conducting clinical studies, terminology
Types of clinical trials
Critical procedures and aspects of a clinical trial
RECEPTORS
Ligand gated-CHANNEL
Structural classification and methods of study
Molecular characteristics of the different classes
The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor: structure, functions and pharmacology
The GABAA receptor: structure, functions and pharmacology
Glutamate receptors: classification, functions
RECEPTORS COUPLED WITH PROTEIN G
Classification
Molecular and activation characteristics
G (trimeriche) proteins: classification, functions, activation and pharmacology
effectors
The nucleotide messengers: synthesis, degradation, effects and pharmacology
Inositol: liberation, metabolism, effects and pharmacology
The calcium ion:
Sympathetic system: organization and function; direct and indirect catecholaminergic agonists; beta receptor antagonists (beta-blockers)
Muscarinic system: agonists and antagonists
Nitric oxide
Synthesis, functions and signal transduction
Pharmacology of nitrioxide
Organic nitrogen derivatives: mechanism of action and fields of use
RECEPTORS FOR GROWTH FACTORS
Classification and molecular structure
activation mechanisms and signal transduction
MAPK: types, functions and biochemical cascades
IONIC CHANNELS
Classification, function and structure
Examples of active drugs on voltage-gated ion channels: mechanism of action, effects and fields of use
INTRACELLULAR RECEPTORS
Classification and agonists
Molecular structure and function
Signal transduction
Pharmacology and effects of glucocorticoids
ACTIVE DRUGS ON MICRO-ORGANISMS
Classification and mechanism of action of: antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal
Resistance mechanisms
PHARMACOLOGY OF INFLAMMATION
The inflammatory response
Metabolism of eicosanoids
Receptors and functions
NSAIDs: mechanisms of action, classifications, main therapeutic and toxic effects
PHARMACOLOGICAL TARGET
In vitro (cell cultures)
transgenesis
CELLULAR THERAPY
Definition and classification of stem cells
Drugs based on the use of stem cells
Examples of therapies based on the use of stem cells for brain diseases
BIOLOGICAL / BIOTECHNOLOGICAL DRUGS
Main differences between traditional drugs and biological drugs
Production of biological / biotechnological drugs
MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES and MOLECULAR TARGET ANTI-CANCER DRUGS
Molecular structure of antibodies
Effector functions of antibodies
Characteristics of the antigen-antibody binding
Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies
RECOMBINANT VACCINES
Mechanism of action of vaccines
Classes of recombinant vaccines
GENIC THERAPY
Definition
Gene transfer
in vivo and ex-vivo
Viral and non-viral vectors
Examples of gene therapy for the treatment of genetic diseases
LABORATORIES: Cell cultures and confocal microscopy
| Author | Title | Publishing house | Year | ISBN | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B. Katzung | Basic & Clinical Pharmacology, | 2014 | |||
| Clementi Fumagalli | Farmacologia Generale e Molecolare (Edizione 5) | Edra | 2018 | 978-88-214-4436-4 |
Examination Methods
The assessment of learning includes a written exam in the middle course and an oral exam at the end of the course
The written test consists of a test that includes multiple choice questions, open questions and exercises and aims to verify the knowledge and the ability to analyze the principles of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics.
The oral exam consists of an interview that verifies the knowledge acquired on the classes of drugs and their receptors, the identification of new pharmacological targets and the whole process that leads to the development of new drugs. It evaluates the property of language, the ability to connect in a systemic way the acquired knowledge and the analytical and argumentative capacity.
The evaluation of both the written test and the oral test is expressed with a mark out of thirty.
The final grade is the average of the marks obtained in the two tests expressed in thirtieths.
For non-attending students there is a single oral exam which verifies the entire program carried out, according to the criteria above.
The content of the textbooks and lessons held in the classroom is part of the program and further teaching material is available on the e-learning platform.
Type D and Type F activities
| years | Modules | TAF | Teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2° | Python programming language | D |
Maurizio Boscaini
(Coordinatore)
|
Career prospects
Module/Programme news
News for students
There you will find information, resources and services useful during your time at the University (Student’s exam record, your study plan on ESSE3, Distance Learning courses, university email account, office forms, administrative procedures, etc.). You can log into MyUnivr with your GIA login details: only in this way will you be able to receive notification of all the notices from your teachers and your secretariat via email and soon also via the Univr app.
Graduation
Deadlines and administrative fulfilments
For deadlines, administrative fulfilments and notices on graduation sessions, please refer to the Graduation Sessions - Science and Engineering service.
Need to activate a thesis internship
For thesis-related internships, it is not always necessary to activate an internship through the Internship Office. For further information, please consult the dedicated document, which can be found in the 'Documents' section of the Internships and work orientation - Science e Engineering service.
Final examination regulations
Students earn the Master’s degree in Molecular and Medical Biotechnology after successfully completing the final examination, for which students are required to write a dissertation in English, to be presented in front of a Graduation Committee. By writing the dissertation, students will have the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge and skills acquired. The dissertation shall be an experimental research work on a specific topic, to be carried out in university research laboratories, or in public or private institutes recognised in the biotechnology sector.
The dissertation shall be written by the student under the guidance of a Supervisor. In order to be admitted to the final examination, the student must have acquired all CFU credits in the training activities included in the Study Plan, except those specifically awarded upon completion of the dissertation.
The Graduation Committee shall evaluate each candidate, based on their achievements throughout the entire degree programme, carefully assessing the degree of consistency between educational and professional objectives, as well as their ability for independent intellectual elaboration, critical thinking, communication skills and general cultural maturity, in relation to the objectives of the programme.
40 CFU are awarded upon completion of the Master’s degree dissertation, which can be presented either in English or in Italian. Master’s degree dissertations can be either internal (written at the University or Verona) or in collaboration with an external institution/body.
For each dissertation, a Dissertation Committee shall be established: this will include one Supervisor, one or more co-supervisors (optional), and two examiners. Any professors belonging to a department of the School of Science and Engineering or the School of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Verona may act as Supervisor. Researchers working in external research institutes, research grant holders, post-doctoral fellowship holders and PhD students may act as co-supervisors. The examiners, who must be professors of either the School of Natural Sciences and Engineering or the School of Medicine and Surgery, shall be appointed by the Graduation Committee at least 25 days before the final examination, once the student's eligibility to take the final examination has been verified.
The activities of the Dissertation Committee are not subject to official invitations and will take place by agreement between the persons concerned no later than 15 days before the graduation ceremony, at which time only the awarding of the Master’s degree will take place.
At the end of the examination, the Dissertation Committee will draw up a brief evaluation note giving a summary mark (from 0 to 8 points). This note shall be sent to the relevant Teaching and Student Services Unit, no later than the day before the graduation ceremony, for the subsequent formulation of the final grade by the Graduation Committee, which shall then award the degree.
Evaluation of the dissertation
Students will be given about 30 minutes to present their dissertation. The Dissertation Committee will evaluate the work based on the following criteria:
- level of in-depth analysis in relation to the most recent developments in the Molecular and Medical Biotechnologies areas;
- scientific and/or technological outcomes of the dissertation;
- student’s critical thinking;
- student’s experimental development;
- student’s ability to carry out independent work (this point will not be assessed by the examiners);
- value of the methodologies used;
- accuracy in planning and writing the dissertation;
- communication skills in presenting the dissertation.
Graduation mark
The graduation mark (based on a 110-point scale) is a whole value between 66/110 and 110/110 and is calculated by adding together the following elements (then rounding the result to the nearest whole number, e.g. 93.50 => 94; 86.49 => 86):
- 1) the average of the marks gained in the modules, weighted according to CFU, converted to a 110-point scale;
- 2) evaluation of the dissertation and the oral presentation during the final examination, based on the following methods:
- a) a maximum of 11 points will be awarded for the presentation and the dissertation. These will count as follows: 8 points awarded by the Dissertation Committee, which will evaluate the dissertation and presentation by assigning each of the points 1-8 listed above a coefficient between 0 and 1 (fractional coefficient with one decimal place);
- b) 3 points will be awarded by the Dissertation Committee by unanimous decision, based on the student’s curriculum vitae. Specifically, in order to award the final mark, the Committee will take into account the following: any cum laude honours obtained in the exams taken during the degree programme; participation in internships officially recognised by the University; elective modules; and the achievement of the degree in a time that is shorter than the normal duration of the degree programme. Students who are awarded less than 11 points for their dissertation may be awarded 2 extra points, if: - they have earned at least 12 CFU credits by taking part in international mobility programmes; - they graduate within the normal duration of the degree programme.
- c) the sum of the points resulting from (a) and (b).
If the resulting score is 110/110 or above, the Graduation Committee may decide to award cum laude honours, in which case the student must have:
- a minimum weighted average mark of 104/110 (without rounding up) or
- a minimum weighted average mark of 102/110 (without rounding up) and must have been awarded cum laude honours in at least 3 modules during the degree programme. Under the current legislation, cum laude honours are conferred by unanimous decision of the committee.
External dissertations
An external dissertation is a work carried out in collaboration with an institution/body other than the University of Verona. In this case, the topic of the dissertation must be agreed in advance with a Supervisor from the LM-9 degree programme. In addition, the student must indicate at least one co-supervisor belonging to the external institution/body, who will support the student during the work on the dissertation. The Supervisor and the co-supervisors must be indicated in the online graduation application. The scientific outcomes of the dissertation will be available to all parties involved. In particular, the contents and results of the dissertation are to be considered public.
List of theses and work experience proposals
| theses proposals | Research area |
|---|---|
| Studio delle proprietà di luminescenza di lantanidi in matrici proteiche | Synthetic Chemistry and Materials: Materials synthesis, structure-properties relations, functional and advanced materials, molecular architecture, organic chemistry - Colloid chemistry |
| Stampa 3D di nanocompositi polimerici luminescenti per applicazioni in Nanomedicina | Synthetic Chemistry and Materials: Materials synthesis, structure-properties relations, functional and advanced materials, molecular architecture, organic chemistry - New materials: oxides, alloys, composite, organic-inorganic hybrid, nanoparticles |
| Master thesis | Various topics |
| XXXXXXXXXX | Various topics |
Erasmus+ and other experiences abroad
Attendance
As stated in the Teaching Regulations for the A.Y. 2022/2023, attendance is not mandatory. However, professors may require students to attend lectures for a minimum of hours in order to be able to take the module exam, in which case the methods that will be used to check attendance will be explained at the beginning of the module.
Please refer to the Crisis Unit's latest updates for the mode of teaching.
