Master in Medical Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine

The Master's programme in Medical Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine aims to train professionals with a solid technical and theoretical background. Their expected career development will be to develop scientific methodologies and coordinate research projects in the fields of applied biotechnology and translational medicine.

The Master's programme will provide students with a solid background in the genetic and molecular bases of diseases and the physiopathological mechanisms occurring in human beings in disease states, in order to develop biotechnology-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. This knowledge will be complemented with specific training in the fields of computer science, biophysics, nanotechnology and pharmacology.

The Master's programme is organised in common and curricular learning activities focusing on neuroscience, oncology, molecular diagnostics, immunobiotechnology, modelling and bioinformatics. As part of the common course, students will learn the economic management of a scientific project, with a focus on the construction of a business plan and cost analysis.

The Master's programme devotes a long period of time, almost the entire second year, to laboratory activities in which the student, under the supervision of a tutor, will independently develop and apply different experimental approaches in the context of a larger research project. This activity will be aimed at preparing for the final examination of the degree course

The objective of the course is to provide the scientific community with experts in the fields of medical biotechnology and molecular medicine able to develop new experimental models for the study of human diseases, to develop new diagnostic approaches, to identify new therapeutic molecules, to devise innovative drug delivery systems. All these possibilities arise from the competences of the Masters graduate who will have a strong medical educational background that will allow her/him to represent a fruitful interface with the clinics, building a bridge between the bench and the bedside. A deep knowledge of the pathogenetic mechanisms of diseases is required in order to apply basic disciplines to the resolution of medical problems.

Employment opportunities: public and private research structures, including Universities, CNR (National Research Council), Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute for health); Hospitals; private pharmaceutical, diagnostics and biotechnological companies; companies supporting scientific research (instruments, biotechnological reagents); companies involved in science communication and publishing.

Below a list of professional profiles:

Medical Science Liaison (MSL) within pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies In the pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies, this new professional figure has the role of establishing scientific relationships with clinicians, supporting the appropriate use of the drugs of interest for the company.This professional has a strong medical and pharmacological background that enable her/him to talk with physicians in order to solve clinical problem related to the use of specific drugs.

Clinical Monitor within pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies; CRO (Clinical Research Organization) (upon completion of a specific training course) Thanks to the strong background in pharmacology and statistics this expert will be able to coordinate clinical studies. Market Access Manager within pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies; consulting agencies, AIFA (Italian agency for drugs) (upon completion of a specific training course) Thanks to the strong background in economy and pharmacology, and a knowledge of ethical issues related to commercialization of drugs, the graduate will be in the ideal position to establish stable relationships with the Regulatory Authorities and, in general, with the Institutions with the aim of promoting the approval and the access to the market of new pharmacological and biotechnological products.

Medical and scientific communication advisor within scientific and medical communication agencies and publishers Thanks to the multidisciplinary approaches to medical sciences acquired during the course, the Master Programme? graduate may evolve into a medical writer or a consultant for the development of distance learning modules for the Continuing Medical Education (CME) or other health professionals requiring continuing education or again as an advisor for pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies in the communication with patient organizations.

The graduates in the Master Program in Medical Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine will have access to PhD programs, second level Master degrees, Specialization School in Medical Genetics, Medical Pharmacology, Clinical Biochemistry, Microbiology and Virology, Nutrition. After the State Board Examination, the graduates can enter into the Professional Register of Biologists (Senior Section).

The University of Milan is a public teaching and research university, which - with 8 faculties and 2 schools and a teaching staff of more than 2000 professors - is distinguished by its wide variety of disciplinary fields. A leading institute in Italy and Europe for scientific productivity, the University of Milan is the largest university in the region, with approximately 64,000 students; it is also an important resource for the socio-economic context of which it is a part. Milan is, in fact, the capital of Lombardy, one of the most dynamic and international regions in the European Union, a leader in the national economy that stands at the Italian forefront of research and development investments and commitment to technological innovation.

The University of Milan also possesses a remarkable artistic and cultural heritage that includes important historic buildings, inherited and acquired collections, archives, botanical gardens and the old Brera Observatory commissioned by Maria Teresa of Austria. The University’s departments are housed in important historic edifices in the center of Milan and in modern buildings in the area known as Città Studi (the City of Studies). Among the palazzos that house the University’s facilities are the old Ca' Granda (the big house) – a monumental complex from the 15th-century in the heart of the historical city centre - the 18th-century Palazzo Greppi designed by Giuseppe Piermarini – who built the Scala Theatre in Milan – and the 17th-century Sant’Alessandro College commissioned by the Arcimboldi family. The book collection , which is one of the richest in the region, is preserved in 47 libraries, while the APICE Centre collects rare and valuable book stocks and archives. The University also has a Choir and its own Orchestra, which actively contributes to the cultural life of the city and receives international acknowledgments on an increasingly frequent basis.