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.

Type D and Type F activities

This information is intended exclusively for students already enrolled in this course.
If you are a new student interested in enrolling, you can find information about the course of study on the course page:

Laurea magistrale in Molecular and Medical Biotechnology - Enrollment from 2025/2026

Type D learning activities are the student's choice, type F activities are additional knowledge useful for job placement (internships, transversal skills, project works, etc.). According to the Teaching Regulations of the Course, some activities can be chosen and entered independently in the booklet, others must be approved by a special committee to verify their consistency with the study plan. Type D or F learning activities can be covered by the following activities.

1. Modules taught at the University of Verona

Include the modules listed below and/or in the Course Catalogue (which can also be filtered by language of delivery via Advanced Search).

Booklet entry mode: if the teaching is included among those listed below, the student can enter it independently during the period in which the curriculum is open; otherwise, the student must make a request to the Secretariat, sending the form to carriere.scienze@ateneo.univr.it during the period indicated.

2. CLA certificate or language equivalency

In addition to those required by the curriculum/study plan, the following are recognized for those matriculated from A.Y. 2021/2022:

  • English language: 3 CFUs are recognized for each level of proficiency above that required by the course of study (if not already recognized in the previous course of study).
  • Other languages and Italian for foreigners: 3 CFUs are recognized for each proficiency level starting from A2 (if not already recognized in the previous study cycle).

These CFUs will be recognized, up to a maximum of 6 CFUs in total, of type F if the study plan allows it, or of type D. Additional elective credits for language knowledge may be recognized only if consistent with the student's educational project and if adequately justified.

Those enrolled until A.Y. 2020/2021 should consult the information found here.

Method of inclusion in the bookletrequest the certificate or equivalency from CLA and send it to the Student Secretariat - Careers for the inclusion of the exam in the career, by email: carriere.scienze@ateneo.univr.it

3. Transversal skills

Discover the training paths promoted by the University's TALC - Teaching and learning center intended for students regularly enrolled in the academic year of course delivery https://talc.univr.it/it/competenze-trasversali

Mode of inclusion in the booklet: the teaching is not expected to be included in the curriculum. Only upon obtaining the Open Badge will the booklet CFUs be automatically validated. The registration of CFUs in career is not instantaneous, but there will be some technical time to wait.  

4. Contamination lab

The Contamination Lab Verona (CLab Verona) is an experiential course with modules on innovation and enterprise culture that offers the opportunity to work in teams with students from all areas to solve challenges set by companies and organisations.  

Upon completion of a CLab, students will be entitled to receive 6 CFU (D- or F-type credits).  

Find out more:  https://www.univr.it/clabverona 

PLEASE NOTE: In order to be admitted to any teaching activities, including those of your choice, you must be enrolled in the academic year in which the activities in question are offered. Students who are about to graduate in the December and April sessions are therefore advised NOT to undertake extracurricular activities in the new academic year in which they are not enrolled, as these graduation sessions are valid for students enrolled in the previous academic year. Therefore, students who undertake an activity in an academic year in which they are not enrolled will not be granted CFU credits.  

5. Internship/internship period

In addition to the CFUs stipulated in the curriculum/study plan (check carefully what is indicated on the Teaching Regulationshere you can find information on how to activate the internship. 

Check in the regulations which activities can be Type D and which can be Type F.

Please also note that for traineeships activated after 1 October 2024, it will be possible to recognise excess hours in terms of type D credits, limited only to traineeship experiences carried out at host organisations outside the University.

Academic year:
Semester 1  From 10/1/24 To 1/31/25
years Modules TAF Teacher
Python programming language [English edition] D Carlo Combi (Coordinator)
Semester 2 From 3/3/25 To 6/13/25
years Modules TAF Teacher
Python programming language [Edizione in italiano] D Carlo Combi (Coordinator)

Teaching code

4S003677

Coordinator

Linda Avesani

Credits

6

Language

English en

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

BIO/15 - PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY

Period

Semester 1  dal Oct 1, 2024 al Jan 31, 2025.

Courses Single

Authorized

Learning objectives

The course aims to give the students notions of the use of recombinant systems for the production of biopharmaceuticals. In particular, the course will be focused on the biomolecular techniques used for the expression of recombinant proteins in prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems and the downstream processing and purification for their large-scale production. The different platforms used for the recombinant expression will be studied and compared. The different US and EU normative procedures for biopharmaceutical commercialization will be evaluated and compared. Specific examples of biopharmaceutical produced in recombinant systems and their therapeutic applications like for vaccines and antibodies will be discussed and studied.

Prerequisites and basic notions

Basic knowledge of molecular biology, biochemistry and immunology

Program

General introduction to the concept of Molecular farming
Definition of biopharmaceuticals and drugs
Route for biopharmaceuticals approval.
The Clinical Trials and the main Regulatory Agencies.
GMP definition
Intellectual Property for Biopharmaceuticals
Biosimilars and Bioequivalence
Platforms for the heterologous production of recombinant proteins with a focus on the relative upstream processes (bacteria, yeasts, plants, baculovirus/insect cells, mammalian cells and transgenic animals)
Downstream processing: continuous and discontinuous production
The main categories of biopharmaceuticals: Antibodies, Vaccines, Toxins and Hormones
Heterologous expression of antibodies
The clinical use of antibodies from pathogen defence to chronic diseases
Active immunization: the vaccines
Production of vaccines
Immunogenicity
Post-translational modifications and glycoengineering of platforms
Immunological tolerance
T-cells Biotechnology: CAR-T cells
Production of peptides and their clinical and daignostic applications
Techno-economic analysis for the production of recombinant proteins
Patent, Clinical Trials and Description of a Biopharmaceutical. TEA analysis development

Didactic methods

In-person lessons with co-teaching relating to the techno-economic analysis part with a teacher of international origin with a high scientific profile

Learning assessment procedures

Oral exam with the availability of a non-appeal date for each student. Development of group work (groups of 3 people) relating to a technical-economic analysis for a defined disease and related treatments based on biopharmaceuticals with related patent panorama. Individual paper relating to the production of a specific bio-drug with analysis of a selection of Clinical Trials (optional)

Students with disabilities or specific learning disorders (SLD), who intend to request the adaptation of the exam, must follow the instructions given HERE

Evaluation criteria

Knowledge of the topics covered during the course. Ability to research individually and in groups on recent scientific literature and on specialist sites for biopharmaceuticals

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

Oral exam: maximum score 26/30
Group work: 2/30
Individual work: 2/30

Exam language

Inglese /italiano