PhD Programme in Experimental Medicine
Director: Prof. Ernesto Fedele
Dear all,
it’s my true pleasure to welcome you to the PhD Programme in Experimental Medicine.
Choosing to enroll in a doctoral course is certainly not a lifestyle choice, but it is certainly an important step. It means committing a significant period of your life to seeking new challenges to access new knowledge and open up to new horizons. It is our duty to provide the method, theoretical preparation, and technical knowledge to allow you to achieve your goals. The activities put in place in our training programme and described on this site have been implemented for this purpose. However, in order to never disappoint the expectations of young people, especially those like you who intend to commit to achieving an important goal, I believe it is even more important to create a fascinating process that can stimulate your creativity, to allow you to live the experience you imagined when you decided to take this path, to allow you to give your contribution to the development of knowledge. This is also and above all what we, the teachers of the course, work for.
The Project
The PhD Programme in Experimental Medicine, Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), accredited by the MIUR as an “Innovative Doctorate” for its internationalization and interdisciplinarity, started with the 29th cycle in place of the School of Experimental, Molecular and Clinical Biology and Medicine, active since the 21st cycle.
From the 40th cycle, the PhD Programme proposes three Curricula:
1) Biochemistry
2) Pharmacology and Toxicology
3) Molecular and Cellular Pathology of Aging-related Diseases
These curricula share the interest in basic and translational research aimed primarily at understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying physiological processes and how they can be altered during various pathologies, from cystic fibrosis to cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, to identify new possible targets suitable for the development of drugs and innovative therapeutic strategies. In this view, another aspect that is transversally shared by the different curricula is represented by the identification, purification and characterization of the pharmacological activity of synthetic and natural origin molecules.
Teaching activities include specialized courses provided by the Experimental Medicine Course, by other PhD Courses and by the University itself, seminars/webinars and workshops with an inter-, multi- and transdisciplinary training approach. The teaching activity is planned by the Board of the PhD Course while the experimental activity is carried out in the research laboratories of the Departments to which the teachers of the Board belong, where PhD students acquire the use of the most modern experimental in vitro and in vivo techniques, along with their theoretical bases and advantages/disadvantages of their applications. For research projects, tutors and students discuss together the scientific starting bases, the aims to achieve and the planning of the experiments necessary to accomplish them. Particular attention is paid to the processing of experimental data and their statistical analysis. The training activity is also aimed at preparing posters and oral communications for the presentation of data at national and international scientific conferences. Finally, the PhD students actively participate in the drafting of manuscripts to submit for publication and in the drafting of requests for funding to public and private sources. Taken together, these activities are therefore aimed at optimizing PhD students’ CVs in the context of the research topics specific to the PhD course.
The Objective
The main objective of the PhD Programme is to train highly qualified researchers in the various fields of Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology, Clinical Pharmacology and General Pathology, capable of increasing knowledge on the pathogenic mechanisms of various diseases and therefore identifying molecular targets for effective therapies with new synthetic or natural drugs. Thanks to the solid scientific collaborations between the members of the PhD Board, witnessed by the many joint publications, this programme aims to continue the highly positive experience of integrated and multidisciplinary training in the field of Life and Health Sciences, which has led and will lead to the training of professional figures with a common scientific-methodological basis and skills typical of the respective scientific fields, capable of contributing to the progress of both basic and applied research. This path, in line with the objectives of the University strategic plan, is achieved by teaching PhD students to independently manage specific research topics, accustoming them to critical rethinking, to the solution of scientific problems and to the interpretation and correct communication of their results. The international collaborations, the presence of foreign professors in the PhD Board, the Erasmus+ projects that can be activated in the Doctorate guarantee the possibility of attending qualified foreign laboratories to improve PhD students’ preparation and explore work opportunities in an international context. The collaborations that the various members of the doctorate have with both public and private companies aim to expand the knowledge of eminent working realities to facilitate entering the world of work.
Expected employment and professional opportunities
The main employment and professional opportunities are represented by the sector of basic and applied research in national and international, public and private, academic and non-academic laboratories. Indeed, more than 75% of graduates who obtained the PhD title in previous programme cycles have found work in these areas. Other expected employment opportunities include industrial applications of research products (e.g. companies producing molecular biology kits), drug development in pharmaceutical companies, commercial departments of (bio)chemical companies, development and monitoring of clinical trials (e.g., Contract Research Organization).
As regards the scientific production, in the period 2021-2023 the XXXIII, XXXIV and XXXV cycles were concluded and the 22 graduates who obtained the title have published 159 articles in indexed peer-reviewed international journals. To date, they all have a fixed-term, permanent or freelance job position. Of these, 60% continue a preclinical/clinical research activity at universities/hospitals or at public/private research institutes and the remaining 40% find employment consistent with their doctoral training (e.g., scientific writer, medical advisor, high school teacher, pharmacist).
Governing Bodies
Governing Bodies of the PhD Programme are: the Director, the PhD Board and the PhD Student Representatives.
Director
The PhD Programme Director is usually a full professor, but can be also an associate professor in case of unavailability of full professors. The Director holds office for three years.
PhD Board
The PhD Board consists of full/associate/assistant professors, first researchers and research managers (or equivalent titles) of public bodies, as well as highly qualified experts even if not possessing the above-mentioned titles.
The Phd Board members of the University of Genoa (UNIGE) belong to the Department of Pharmacy (DIFAR), Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialities (DIMI), Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, and Maternal and Children’s Sciences (DINOGMI), Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV).
Curriculum of Biochemistry
Maurizio Bruschi: Assistant Professor, DIMES, UniGe
Santina Bruzzone: Full Professor, DIMES, UniGe
Simona Candiani: Full Professor, DISTAV, UniGe
Gianluca Damonte: Associate Professor, DIMES, UniGe
Enrico Millo: Associate Professor, DIMES, UniGe
Laura Sturla: Associate Professor, DIMES, UniGe
Elena Zocchi: Full Professor, DIMES, UniGe
Andreas H. Guse: Full Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, UKE-Hamburg, Germany
Curriculum of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Tiziana Bonifacino: Assistant Professor, DIFAR, UniGe
Bruno Burlando: Associate Professor, DIFAR, UniGe
Chiara Cervetto: Associate Professor, DIFAR, UniGe
Ernesto Fedele: Full Professor, DIFAR, UniGe
Massimo Grilli: Associate Professor, DIFAR, UniGe
Francesca Mattioli: Associate Professor, DIMI, UniGe
Marco Milanese: Associate Professor, DIFAR, UniGe
Anna Pittaluga: Full Professor, DIFAR, UniGe
Curriculum of Molecular and Cellular Pathology of Aging-related Diseases
Cinzia Domenicotti: Full Professor, DIMES, UniGe
Anna Lisa Furfaro: Assistant Professor, DIMES, UniGe
Michele Iester: Associate Professor, DINOGMI, UniGe
Barbara Marengo: Associate Professor, DIMES, UniGe
Mariapaola Nitti: Associate Professor, DIMES, UniGe
Roberta Ricciarelli: Associate Professor, DIMES, UniGe
Nicola Traverso: Associate Professor, DIMES, UniGe
Ottavio Arancio: Full Professor, Taub Institute for research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the aging brain, Columbia University, United States
Giovanni Enrico Mann: Full Professor, Cardiovascular Division, King’s College London, United Kingdom Unito
PhD Students Representatives
For each active cycle, a representative of the doctoral students is elected in the PhD Board to discuss issues regarding the general progress of the doctorate and the training activities.
Representatives of active cycles:
XXXVII cycle: Dr. Sara Tessitore
XXXVIII cycle: Dr. Marianna Ambrosio
XXXIX cycle: Dr. Nicole Rosenwasser
Commissioni e Comitati
PhD Programme Quality Assurance Commission (AQ)
The PhD QA Commission assists the Coordinator in the various activities relating to the quality assurance process of the Doctoral Course according to the AVA3 model and the directives of DM226/2021 and DM301/2022.
The quality requirements are divided into three points of attention:
a) Planning of the Doctoral Course (D.PHD.1)
b) Planning and organization of training and research activities for the improvement of doctoral students (D.PHD.2)
c) Monitoring and Improvement of activities (D-PHD.3)
The AQ Commission is composed by the following members
Prof. Ernesto Fedele – PhD Programme Director
Prof. Santina Bruzzone – Head of the Biochemistry Curriculum
Prof. Cinzia Maria Domenicotti – Head of the Molecular and Cellular Pathology
Prof. Marco Milanese – Head of the Pharmacology and Toxicology Curriculum d
Dr Marianna Ambrosio – PhD Student Representative
PhD Programme Advisory Committeee
The Advisory Committee has the role of consultation and guidance relating to the scientific and educational project of the PhD Programme. Therefore, it provides support for the initial planning of the doctoral course and for the review of the planning and organisation of training activities.
The PhD Programme Advisory Committee is composed by the following members:
Prof. Ernesto Fedele – PhD Programme Director
Prof. Maurizio Bruschi – Representative of the Biochemistry Curriculum
Prof. Massimo Grilli – Representative of the Pharmacology and Toxicology Curriculum
Prof.ssa Roberta Ricciarelli – Representative of the Molecular and Cellular Pathology Curriculum
Dr. Alessandro Maccione – Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of the 3BRAIN AG Company
Dr. Silvia Scaglione – Chief Research Officer of the React4Life Company
Prof. Antonio Uccelli -Scientific Director of the IRCCS Polyclinic Hospital San Martino
Main collaborations with International Universities and Research Centers
– Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, USA.
– Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.
– Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College of London, U.K.
– Department of Neuroscience, The University of Sheffield, UK.
– Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, USA.
– Institute for Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutemberg University, Germany.
– School of Cardiovascular Medicine & Sciences, King’s College London, UK.
– International Associated Laboratory (LIA), Prenatal Stress and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Lille, France.
– Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
– School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, The Netherlands.
– Laboratory of Memory Disorders & Vascular Biology – Litwin-Zucker Center for Alzheimer’s Disease & Memory Disorders-The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research | Northwell Health, USA.
Training Activities
The training program includes:
– Specialistic courses with final assessment;
– Seminars with national and international speakers;
– Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary courses organized by other PhD programmes of by the University;
– Workshops.
Other training activities
Linguistic improvement
For linguistic improvement, PhD students attend seminars held by foreign researchers organized or recommended by the course and participate in the main sectorial international conferences both actively (with oral or poster presentations) and passively (audience of scientific sessions, round tables, workshops), collaborate with the tutor in drafting articles to submit for publication and in preparing projects to submit to calls for funding, have the opportunity to carry out research internships at laboratories of foreign institutions, thanks to the numerous international collaborations of the professors of the Phd Board. Furthermore, they can attend courses for writing scientific articles in English. Finally, they can enroll in foreign language courses using their PhD funding.
Computer technology
In this context, PhD students are trained in the use of software dedicated to the management of instrumentation and different types of image analysis, statistical analysis of experimental data, preparation of scientific graphs and images, preparation of presentations with multimedia tools. Furthermore, they are illustrated the use of specific databases for bibliographic research (e.g. PubMed, SciFinder, etc.) and the analysis of bibliometric indexes (Scopus, WOS, JCR, etc.).
Management of European and international research systems
PhD students, in addition to participating with their tutors in the drafting of funding requests to national and international sources, can follow internet available webinars and advanced courses organized by the University dedicated to the various European research programs (e.g. Horizon Europe, ERC, etc.). The University of Genoa is also a member of the APRE Liguria agency which aims to publicize, inform and provide initial guidance on the European Union research programs.
Valorisation and dissemination of results, intellectual property and free access to research data and products
As regards the valorisation and dissemination of results, in addition to specific training on the topic (see teaching activity), PhD students participate in the drafting of publications to submit to indexed international peer-reviewed journals, and participate in the main national and international scientific conferences with oral communications or posters.
As regards the area of intellectual property, the course organizes seminars on the topic (advertised on the PhD website www.dms.unige.it), with the possibility of seminars by the staff of the Research Valorisation and Technology Transfer Sector of the University. The University portal also contains video “pills” introducing intellectual property.
Organisation of training activities
Doctoral students must acquire at least 180 training credits (CF) during the three years of the course. For the organisation of the training activities refer to the corresponding drop-down menu in the home page.
For further information: Regulations of UniGe PhD programmes