Series of seminar events in which the PhD students of the TeCSBi PhD Course present emerging topics of transversal interest related to their research field. At the end of the presentations, the PhD students interact with the public leaving room for questions, curiosities and exchange of opinions. The events are open to PhD students, structured staff of the Department and students of the Master's Degree Courses.

Annual meeting organized by the PhD students of the TeCSBi PhD Course during which the PhD students themselves present the main results and the progress of their research projects. The event takes place as a real scientific conference, in which prestigious national and international guests also participate as invited speakers. The event is opened to the university and company supervisors / tutors of the PhD students, and sponsoring companies.

Planned 16-18 September, 2024 at UNIMIB (program and details available soon)

The Doctoral Course in Convergent Technologies for Biomolecular Systems (TeCSBi) is based on a cultural project that focuses on biological systems studied from the point of view of specific emerging properties, exploiting innovative technologies and analyzing the different levels of complexity, from ecosystemic to molecular level. The study of complex biological functions, their modulation and engineering represents an element of value for biotechnological innovation and for technological transfer to the industry and the territory.

The training project benefits from the presence in the Doctoral Board of interdisciplinary and complementary skills in the biological, biotechnological, chemical, bioinformatics and computational fields. The Board also includes teachers and national and international experts from universities and research centers who encourage the creation of scientific collaboration networks and promote the enrichment of the educational background of doctoral students. Starting from the 40th cycle, periodic consultation with the societal actors is relevant and constitutes a fundamental support for the Quality Assurance processes of the Doctorate course allowing further improvements for the training of doctoral students. In recent years, teamwork among the PhD students, supported by the teaching and training activities proposed by the Doctoral Course, has culminated in the development of large, collaborative and synergistic projects, in Research Responsible Innovation (RRI) logic and with an international vision.

TeCSBi's research activities are mainly focused on three pillars:

i) Study of complex biological functions: with molecular and Systems Biology approaches also exploiting modeling, computational and bioinformatic analyses: this pillar includes lines of research on systems understood as cellular units, organs, individuals, microbial communities and ecosystems. This integration is particularly virtuous, creating synergies where the computational language and skills of each discipline allow the integrated reading of experimental evidence and data analysis.

ii) Synthetic Biology, Bio-organic Chemistry and Green Chemistry: the most well-known principles of Green Chemistry, outlined in the 12 points of its manifesto, in this pillar are associated with the frontier technologies of synthetic biology, which is increasingly aimed at reducing "time to market". In continuity with the first pillar, the activities also include the development of new molecules of interest for medicinal chemistry, and new theranostic systems based on nanotechnology.

iii) Characterization of biodiversity and bioprospecting: this area includes both research aimed at conserving, monitoring and restoring biodiversity, and projects to enhance biological resources, including residual biomass. Of particular interest are bioprospecting activities that exploit chemical and biological technologies to identify bioactive molecules, genes, phytocomplexes and various products to create new foods, cosmetics, drugs and nutraceuticals.

The Doctoral Course in Convergent Technologies for Biomolecular Systems aims to train scientifically high-skilled figures capable of carrying out research and innovation activities in the field of biological and biotechnological sciences, exploiting advanced technologies to analyze and integrate in a multidisciplinary way the complexity of biological systems, their dynamics and interactions, to also generate efficient biotechnological processes. The training proposal has a multidisciplinary approach, functionally connecting different areas by adopting biostatistical and bioinformatics modeling systems to interpret complex biological information, and returning qualitative and quantitative information. These elements constitute a valuable process, capable of stimulating the technical-scientific evolution of the Doctoral Course, and therefore of the Doctoral Students. Elements of valorization, dissemination and technological transfer of research are also delivered thanks to synergistics collaborations with the territory (e.g., institutions, companies, consortia), which create a shared “milieu” for doctoral students.

Considering the University's support for the entire Research and Innovation chain and the intrinsic multidisciplinarity and spirit of collaboration that characterize the TeCSBi Board, the Doctoral Course aims at a progressive improvement and evolution of its training project to guarantee a continuous alignment with the frontiers of biological and biotechnological innovation, increase internationalization and promote an effective transfer of its results towards the productive manufacturing processes and society. This will allow doctoral students to acquire interdisciplinary professional profiles to enter universities and research centers at a national and international level,  to operate in private contexts as well as institutions to define research and innovation strategies in the biological and biotechnological fields. Central elements of the TeCSBi strategic vision are i) the acquisition by doctoral students of biomolecular, bioinformatic and computational knowledge fundamental to understanding and describing biological complexity, and where possible redesigning it in a "human & planet wellbeing" key; ii) a shared vision of projects capable of integrating visions of different stakeholders; iii) a strong connection with the territory and businesses to facilitate and encourage constructive contamination.

In this context, the skills present in TeCSBi permit to align the doctoral projects with different themes of the PNRR, the Next Generation EU agenda, the Green Deal and the upcoming Restoration Law, where The One Health approach allows to develop a multidisciplinary research context and cutting-edge transdisciplinary system that brings together human well-being, biodiversity/environmental well-being and the use of technologies for transition processes.

The implementation of a structured and complete educational offer at a disciplinary level is a key tool to provide doctoral students with the necessary means to deal with the entire research chain: from the field of curiosity-driven research up to scientific and technological innovation and to its valorisation. In addition to stimulating the participation of doctoral students in the transdisciplinary teaching proposals offered by the Doctoral School (LINK), the objective for the next few years is to further involve the teachers belonging to the TeCSBi College in holding advanced courses (for example PDF) for the doctoral students through activities of “learn-by-doing” and “flipped class”. At the same time, it is intended to strengthen relations with foreign universities and expand training courses in collaboration with the non-academic sector by providing supervisors from the world of businesses, institutions and the third sector. It is in fact important to remember that also thanks to industrial doctorate positions (such as High Apprenticeship courses), one of the main training purposes is to acquire new knowledge and encourage technological-application transfer. In this context, even students involved in fundamental research activities can benefit by acquiring skills to operate in an operational environment and at the same time corporate PhD students can experience the dimension of curiosity driven as a trigger for innovation. These acquisitions are verified through scheduled events of discussion in which the Coordinator meets the PhD students of all the ongoing cohorts as well as the individual cohorts for moments of comparison, debriefing and planning.

As underlined in the University Strategic Plan (see here)USP, scientific research is the engine of technological innovation that allows the process of economic growth and human development to be fueled and in this the University of Milan-Bicocca has demonstrated its ability to generate high-quality research. Doctoral training is the cornerstone for scientific research and a bridge between the University and the territory, therefore it must aim to generate highly qualified, competitive figures who are in step with technological progress in various fields of application, without forgetting the aspects of social, environmental and economical sustainability.

In this context, the TeCSBi Doctoral Course intends to further exploit its multidisciplinary infrastructure, its adherence to the principles of Open Science, and its consolidated links with industry and other territorial and social realities in order to support inclusive projects with clear impact and suitable technology transfer strategies. This vision is implemented by supporting doctoral students in dialogue initiatives with civil society and the territory with the ultimate aim of stimulating conscious discussion aimed at collaboration and co-planning and the transformation of research into social value. In this context, the TeCSBi Doctoral Course assists the Department's strategies for the strengthening of RRI  models and tools and for the promotion of dissemination and training actions aimed at citizens on the transversal themes The One Health, ecological transition, prevention and biomedicine. To facilitate the acquisition of skills related to technology transfer, the interaction of PhD students is encouraged through seminar teaching moments with the staff of the spin-off and patent offices, and participation as spectators in events dealing with Innovation and Entrepreneurship themes.

The TeCSBi Doctorate Course supports the training of professional profiles who have gained experience and approaches of disciplinary integration and convergence, interaction with external, national and foreign bodies, sector associations and industries, and who have translated this training into a professional redefinition that includes the foundations of RRI, rooted in the territory and in society.

This approach allows PhDs to develop, by the end of their training course, a professional awareness capable of dealing with the continuous dynamics of innovation in the biological and biotechnological field. In fact, the Doctoral Course aims to train innovation promoters who can elicit impacts from the smallest and most integrated realities of the territory, to broader contexts, also at the level of policy makers, having developed the ability to involve and understand different categories of stakeholders. The training received by TeCSBi doctoral students will promote professional opportunities in various sectors and areas, such as:
- Curiosity-driven scientific research in the biological, biotechnological and bioinformatics fields at national and international academic and extra-academic research centers;
- Scientific-managerial coordination within national and international research and regulatory centers;
- Industrial research and innovation including design, screening, and production (following the principles of the Design, Build, Test, Learn, DBTL cycle) of molecules of interest for the chemical, pharmaceutical and agri-food industries (proteins, metabolites, fine and bulk chemicals , nutraceuticals, nano-particles and nano-derivatives, biomaterials);
- Development and optimization of industrial processes in a biotechnological key: from bioprospecting and reuse of resources (circular economy and circular bioeconomy) aimed at improving production and developing new products (rational by design, safe by design, sustainable by design), to the identification of biological and nanotechnological processes to implement diagnostic, prevention and treatment systems for diseases;
- Management of biological and natural resources in order to fill professional figures (green jobs) for the monitoring, conservation and restoration of biodiversity and the environment;
- Definition, design and re-design of sustainable production systems in different fields: from organic raw materials to rapidly growing sectors such as agri-food, nutraceuticals, cosmetics and medical devices;
- Diagnostics (molecular, physiological), theragnostics and therapy, development of new biocompatible materials.