Course overview

The Biotechnology Program provides students with a throughout knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying living organisms, coupled with the aquisition of modern tools that allow the manipulation of living systems (bacteria, cultivated cells, tissues and complex organisms) towards the production of goods and resources not obtainable with conventional methods.

Biotechnology is a markedly multidisciplinary discipline, therefore students will initially follow core courses like Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry (Inorganic/Organic), and Biology, in order to learn an integrated scientific method and to approach biological issues with a versatile and flexible attitude. Later courses will cover more in depth topics dealing with biotechnological research and its applications, in the fields of chemistry, biology and in the pharmaceutical- biomedical area. Thus, the Biotechnology Program will give students the option to choose among three different curricula: Biomolecular more oriented towards research in life science; Chem- Parma-Tech, more focused to the application of biotechnology in the pharmaceutical and chemical industry; and Medical, mainly oriented to applications in the biomedical field.
There is a practical-methodological emphasis in the Biotechnology Program, that is truly distinctive compared to other First Level Degree Programs. Several courses including core courses and advanced courses have laboratories with practical activities. In addition, all students during the third year will take a full immersion integrated laboratory course that is totally organized as practicals on microbiology, molecular biology, physiology, medical genetics and immunology. Students will also have a possibility to increase their practical experience in selected laboratories under the supervision of staff belonging to the  Biotechnology Program, in the department of Biology and Biotechnology and in other departments.
The completion of the Biotechnology Program is achieved by discussing a thesis based on experimental work done during the practical laboratory experience.