Biomolecular science is the most rapidly developing area in science at the crossroads of the biological, chemical, physical and computational sciences. Over the past decade, important methodological and conceptual advances in life sciences have enabled the development of the so-called new biology, which is mainly based on the ability to “read” the cells at the molecular level, thanks to the increasing availability of genomic sequences of many species and to the possibility to determine, in a comprehensive way, gene expression profiles as well as the interactions between biological macromolecules.
In addition, technological advances in genetic engineering have led to an increased capacity for designing and building new biological systems with applications in medical, environmental and industrial fields, attested by the growth of synthetic biology. Finally, the strong development of bioinformatics and computational biology is providing new tools for the management, interpretation and modeling of a constantly increasing amount of biological data.
Bachelor of Science in Biomolecular Sciences and Technology
The Bachelor of Science in Biomolecular Sciences and Technology (in Italian) is a three year program examining microorganisms, plants and animals in the context of the discovery, understanding, improvement and development of viable products or activities. The program is taught in Italian and is made of a core curriculum introducing the fundamental principles of molecular and cellular biology, biotechnology, microbiology, as well as societal and ethical issues in biotechnology and intellectual property.
This course also provides students with key elements from many related areas such as physics, chemistry, computer science and mathematics, as well as a range of experiences in research methods, data analysis and use of advanced instrumentation. Career options include biotechnological research, development and production positions in biomedical, chemical, food, energy, environmental, and pharmaceutical companies.
Master of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology
The Master of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology is a two year program entirely taught in English and aimed at the training of experts in cellular and molecular biotechnology, with a focus on genomic-based approaches in the biomedicine field. Experimental, technological and computational aspects are considered.
Teaching activities include lectures, laboratory courses and seminars. The master thesis will be prepared during the second half of the second year of the Master program. Research projects will be proposed to the Master of Science students at CIBIO, but also in other Italian and European universities, as well as in companies operating in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical field.
The Master of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology provides students with a high level of expertise to design and perform analyses, basic research, applied research, and R&D in biotechnology, with special reference to the biomedicine field.
Master of Science in Quantitative and Computational Biology
The Master of Science in Quantitative and Computational Biology is a multidisciplinary degree that formally integrates quantitative sciences and applied biology, thanks to the involvement of the following organizations at the University of Trento:
- Department CIBIO
- Department of Physics
- Department of Mathematics
- Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science
The course focuses on a strategic area where technology and methodology enable students to face essential questions in clinical and pre-clinical areas through analytical and quantitative approaches.
The course is designed to capture the increasing need for researchers and experts able to transform the enormous amount of biological information ("big data") into knowledge.
Key target areas include pharmacogenomics, biotechnology, food science, and precision medicine, which represent applied research fields where the growing availability of multidimensional data demands high interdisciplinarity.
Italian students enrolled in one of the CIBIO Master Degrees are eligible to apply to the Armenise-Harvard Summer Fellowships.
A complete guide into the CIBIO degrees is also available (in Italian).