Master’s Degree in Biology program will prepare individuals to work professionally with the capacity to plan and innovate in the field of biology at both the molecular and cellular levels, as well as the level of organisms and their interactions within ecosystems and with the environment. These individuals will be particularly suited for teaching and research activities at the highest levels in the subject of life sciences and will have ample knowledge to acquire technical, organizational and managerial positions in various industries (pharmaceutical, wellness, environmental biotechnology and food), and in the institutions and businesses involved in safeguarding health and the environment.

The program will train professional figures in the areas of biomedical research, diagnostics, advanced therapies and nutrition, intended as both disease prevention as well as conservation and appreciation of biodiversity (including biological resources) within ecological transition and restoration processes in the region.  Career opportunities include public and private universities and research institutions, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food, environment and laboratory analyses companies, public and private institutions dedicated to the protection, rehabilitation and appreciation of biological and environmental resources, such as parks and nature reserves, hospitals and care facilities, and wellness, health and diet services.

The degree is within the Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences and is a part of the LM-6 Master’s Degree Program with a duration of 2 years and the acquisition of 120 university education credits (ECTS). Acceptance into the program is dependent upon the outcome of an entrance exam and knowledge of English or an alternative European language of at least Level B1.

The degree includes a total of 12 courses (72 ECTS). The second year is dedicated to an internship for the preparation of an experimentally-based thesis (44 ECTS), which will allow the student to apply their acquired knowledge, and to develop, by applying the scientific method, their capacity to propose innovative solutions to evolving problems. The remaining credits (4 ECTS) will be acquired through other educational activities (useful knowledge for the working world 2 ECTS) and additional linguistic knowledge (proficiency in English at B2 level, 2 ECTS)

The program provides students three educational tracks defined by enhanced training approaches that will allow students to delve deeply into the subjects in an integrated, interdisciplinary manner, thanks to the wide variety of courses available from which to choose from. Laboratories dedicated to emerging problems in Biology in their operating environments (parks, nature reserves, businesses and biomedical research) are organized around a transdisciplinary approach.

Master’s degree graduates in Biology, based on the track selected, will acquire sufficient knowledge to obtain management and coordinator positions in the areas of:

• Scientific research across the many fields of modern biology
• Analysis, control and coordination of production and management activities in the fields of pharmaceuticals-health, diagnostics and biotechnology, cosmetics, food and diet, as well as ecology and the environment
• Education, popularization and support at institutions and companies in the areas of biology, healthcare and the environment

This track will prepare students to operate in sectors related to personal health and nutrition, offering a solid knowledge base of the elements linked to human diet and nutrition, with an emphasis on disease prevention and the promotion of health lifestyles. Particular attention will be paid toward food products, their biological properties and the bioactivity of various components, as well as an analysis of combined benefits for the human body. This course of study will also provide information on technological advances ranging from food resources and genetic improvements in agriculture to the conservation and traceability of food, encompassing aspects of biology, psychology and society.  Emerging and evolving themes, such as the relationship between diet and intestinal microbiota and the prevention of multifactorial illnesses, represent the principal content of several courses and laboratory experiments that will allow students to develop relevant and impactful skills.

The organization of the 10 courses for the first year are as follows:

Required courses:

Plant bioprospecting  (ex Biodiversità e Bioprospecting) LINK
Applied Plant Biology LINK
Biostatistics LINK
Evolution of Animal Genomes LINK
Biochemistry of Natural Substances LINK

Limited choice courses (select one between each pair of alternative courses)

Biogeography LINK
Biology of Plant Adaptations LINK

Bioinformatics LINK
Pathology of Metabolism LINK

Clinical Biochemistry LINK
Functional Mechanisms of Environmental Adaptations LINK

Student-chosen courses (select one from the two following options)

Food Chemistry LINK
One Health Laboratory: From the Environment to Health LINK

Select one course from among the following:

Biochemistry of nutrition LINK
Mathematics for teaching – Algebra LINK
Mathematics for teaching – Geometry LINK
Food Microbiology LINK
Molecular Microbiology LINK
Plant Biodiversity (Ex Stress Ecology)

The curriculum completes the training started with the first level of study in Biological Sciences with the goal of preparing individuals to work professionally in Microbiology and Biomedical fields. Coursework will provide a solid preparation of genetic-molecular, cellular and functional aspects with an integrated and multidisciplinary vision of human biology. Studies will be based on the rigorous application of the scientific method aimed at problem-solving. Human health will be addressed by studying the mechanisms that are the foundation of human development and physiology to understand the genesis of illnesses to develop precise pharmaceutical therapies.

The organization of the 10 courses for the first year are as follows:

3 required courses

Biostatistics LINK
Evolution of Animal Genomes LINK
Cellular Physiopathology LINK

6 courses of limited choice

Biodiversity and environment disciplines – choose 1 course between:

Biology of Animal Interactions LINK
Reproductive and Developmental Biology LINK

Microbiology disciplines – choose 1 course from each of the following pairs:

Genetics of Development and Differentiation LINK
Human Molecular Genetics LINK

Bioinformatics LINK
Advanced Cellular Technologies LINK

Metabolic pathologies LINK
Molecular Oncology LINK

Biomedical disciplines - 1 course chosen from the following:

Pharmacology of Chemotherapies LINK
Applied Immunology LINK

Related and integrated disciplines – 1 course from the following:

Genetic Diseases: From Diagnosis to Therapy LINK
Model Systems for Human Diseases LINK

1 course from among the following options:

Protein Biochemistry  LINK
Computational Biology  LINK
Stem Cells: Human Pathology and Regenerative Medicine  LINK
Cytogenetics and Cytogenomics of Human Genetic Disorders LINK
Mathematics for teaching – Algebra  LINK
Mathematics for teaching – Geometry   LINK
Neuroscience LINK
Cellular Homeostasis of Somatic Tissues and Stem Cells LINK

This course of study will prepare students to work in the biodiversity and environmental sectors with a skill set ranging from foundational biological concepts to molecular biology and modeling. Students will learn the methods used to study functional biology and ecosystem services in order to promote strategies for the monitoring, conservation, restoration and enhancement of biodiversity. Thanks to case study analyses and fieldwork experiences, students will acquire multidisciplinary skills that will allow them to fill emerging job positions in the category of ‘green jobs’ – biodiversity manager, land-use managers and planners, biological resource curator, molecular diagnostics – and to confront research topics and innovations directly related to the conservation and management of natural landscapes. This will require training and experience in the use of innovative technologies such as sensors, imaging techniques, diagnostic tools based on environmental DNA, and big data analysis, and the knowledge to elaborate these types of data sets using specific AI algorithms. The Ecological Transition Track will also provide the skills needed to work in the environmental education sector, as a guide in protected areas and museums, and in research in academic or other public institutions.

The organization of the 10 courses for the first year are as follows:

Required coursework:

Biodiversity and Animal Conservation (ex Analysis and management of animal biodiversity) LINK
Biogeography LINK
Biology of Plant Adaptations LINK
Biology of Animal Interactions LINK
Biostatistics LINK

Limited choice courses: (select one between each pair of alternative courses)

Applied Plant Biology LINK
Advanced Cellular Technologies LINK

Biochemistry of Natural Substances LINK
Bioinformatics LINK

Applied Immunology LINK
Functional Mechanisms of Environmental Adaptation LINK

Student-chosen courses (select one from the two following options)

Functional Biodiversity Laboratory LINK
Plant Biodiversity (Ex Stress Ecology)

Select from one course from among the following

Protein Biochemistry LINK
Computational Biology LINK
Mathematics for teaching – Algebra LINK
Mathematics for teaching – Geometry  LINK
Molecular Microbiology LINK
Model Systems for Human Diseases LINK