The PhD program of Molecular Genetics Applied to Medical Sciences covers the following thematic areas:

GENOMICS AND PERSONAL GENOMICS
NEUROBIOLOGY AND NEUROGENETICS
EXPRESSION REGULATION OF IONOTROPIC GLUTAMATE RECEPTORS
RNA EDITING
microRNAs AND GENE EXPRESSION REGULATION
BIOLOGY AND GENETICS OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISORDERS.
BIOMARKERS FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF MOOD DISORDERS
FIBROBLASTS AS PERIPHERAL MODEL FOR PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS
COMPARATIVE GENOMICS AND STUDY OF DISEASE GENES IN ANIMAL MODELS
DEVELOPMENT OF SOFTWARES FOR GENOME ANALYSIS

The Program is designed to prepare students for careers in basic and industrial research.

Ideal candidates are young graduates with an excellent education track, a strong commitment to develop as independent investigators and a good knowledge of the English language.
Admission to the program is a three-step process. Candidates submit the formal application enclosing a complete CV, describing the educational and scientific profile, and their publications. All the applicants are invited for a written examination (in English language for foreigner applicants) to assess their basic and general knowledge of the most relevant issues in the field of Molecular Genetics Applied to Medical Sciences. Only the applicants passing the written examination will be admitted to interviews to assess their motivation and commitment for scientific research and the knowledge of the English language. Written examination and the interview are usually scheduled in the same day. There will be a ranking of the assessments of individual applicants.

Progress in the thesis work is carefully monitored to ensure a productive scientific and professional outcome by the end of the Program.
PhD students are assigned to a direct Supervisor, who will monitor progress in the development of the research project, the ability to acquire new technologies and expertises, the ability to plan the experimental work and critically interpret the results, the ability to solve problems that arise, the commitment to study. Once a year all PhD students give a progress report of their research activity to the staff of the Medical Faculty of the University of Brescia. At the end of each year students submit a brief written report of the research activity to the Supervisor Board of the PhD Program whose approval is required for continuing the PhD program.

Students will be provided the opportunity to pursue training in the specific area of the research program and to participate to seminars, laboratory courses and workshops in Italy and abroad in the fields of Cell Biology, Molecular Genetics and Genomics. Students will also be provided the opportunity to develop research activities abroad on the topic of the thesis: these stays are granted by the University of Brescia with an higher salary (50%) and can not exceed 18-24 months.

The culmination of the Program is the submission of a written doctoral thesis (possible also in English language), which is approved by the Supervisor Board of the PhD Program. The thesis will be supplemented with scientific papers published by the student during the doctoral program, concerning the research project developed. The thesis is then presented in a public lecture at the University of Brescia. The research activity and its presentation will be evaluated by a Committee, of national and/or international experts in the field of Molecular Genetics and Genomics, nominated by the Rector of the University of Brescia. Supervisors and PhD Coordinator cannot participate to the Committee. Following the thesis presentation and the overall evaluation of the student activity, the Experts Committee will propose to the Rector of the Brescia University the attribution of the title of - Dottore di Ricerca- (PhD) in Molecular Genetics Applied to Medical Sciences.

Brescia University and MIUR fellowships
Private fellowships

Accomodation is not granted by the University of Brescia.
Students are encouraged to visit the students office to gather information about availability for rental apartments and rooms. It is easy to find an accommodation in Brescia.