Course
Biomolecular Sciences
School
Scienze Biologiche e Molecolari / Biomolecular Sciences
University
Milano
Course Coordinator & Office of Graduate Studies
name
Prof
Paolo
Plevani
email
paolo.plevani@unimi.it
phone
+39-02-50315032
fax
+39-02-50315044
Students' Office
email
margherita.russo@unimi.it
phone
+39-02-50315053
Thematic Areas
The Ph.D. School in Biomolecular Sciences derives from the aggregation of three previous Research Doctorate Programs of the University of Milano.
The School includes four major Research Areas:
1) Molecular and Biophysical Analysis of Biological Structures; 2) Control of Gene Expression in Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes; 3) Functional Genomics, Bioinformatics and System Biology; 4) Molecular Mechanisms Controlling Cell Proliferation and Degeneration, Differentiation and Development.
The above Research Areas corresponds to the European Research Council (ERC) Life Sciences Areas LS1, LS2, LS3,LS5, LS8, LS9.
The PhD School is interested in establishing collaborative agreements with other national and international PhD Schools or research institutions to award Joint Degrees or to establish any other type of qualified scientific and training collaborations. Collaborative agreements are presently active with:
1) Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Studies of the New York University, USA;2) EMBL (European Molecular Biology Laboratory) PhD Program, Heidelberg, Germany; 3) The PhD Program of the Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversität, Salzburg, Austria; 4) Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milano; 5) IBBA CNR (Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), Milano; 6) Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C. Besta, Milano.
Selection & Admission
Candidates PhD students will be selected every year following the University of Milano rules available at the Web site http://www.unimi.it/ricerca/dottorati/
Briefly, the students will be selected on the basis of: 1) their CV, letters of presentation and an original research project written by the candidates that she/he must be able to discuss; 2) an interview to assess candidate"smotivation and commitment for scientific research as well as general knowledge of relevant issues in modern biological areas. Accepted candidates will select the preferred research project among those presented by the scientists acting in the School and after an interview with the possible supervisor the best match between the candidates and the participating investigators will possibly be reached.
Students' Monitoring
Progress in the thesis work is monitored by a Thesis Committee (TC) to ensure a productive scientific and training outcome by the end of the PhD program. The TC includes the project supervisor, one internal and one external expert with a broad expertise in the area under investigation. At the end of each year, the student must submit a short written progress report and present and discuss the obtained scientific data in a public seminar (in English). Approval of the research and training activities by the TC is required for continuing the PhD program.
Training & Education
Residential courses dealing with broad topics in the thematic areas of the program are organized by the participating investigators. The courses (2-4 each year) will have a variable time-frame depending on the topic of the course and will be based on formal lectures by staff members and invited guests, as well as interactive tutorial activities in the form of journal clubs, etc. The PhD students will be also invited to follow similar courses organized by other PhD Schools or scientific institutions in the Milano area, as well as courses organized by scientific societies and organizations (EMBO, FEBS etc.). Course work includes the refinement of general skills, such as improvement of reading, writing and speaking English, presentation of scientific literature and data, etc.
Doctoral Thesis
The end of the PhD Program is the submission of a written doctoral thesis, which will be presented and discussed in a public seminar in front of a Commission nominated by
the Rector of the University of Milano. Presentation of the thesis is allowed only after positive evaluation of the research and training performance of the individual PhD students by the Scientific and Training Board of the School. A successful thesis defense is required to obtain the Dottore di Ricerca title by the University of Milano. A high quality scientific publication on a peer-reviewed Journal related to the experimental work carried out by the student, or at least submission of a manuscript
concerning such work is required prior to the discussion of the thesis. The PhD dissertation should allow
Fellowships
Students entering the program should be granted a three year fellowship, provided either by the University of Milano, by the Ministry of Education and Research or, whenever available, by individual scientists of the participating institutions. One"year extensions of the fellowship are foreseen in case the project cannot be completed within the standard three"year period. Such extension will be provided by the host laboratory. Presently, the minimal net salary for students enrolled in the program is 12,200 Euros/year. Additional allowances are provided for periods spent abroad and linked to the student"s research activity (up to 18 months in 3 years).
Accommodation
Students are encourage to visit the University of Milano students office Web site to gather information about agreements and availability for renting apartments and rooms.