Duration: 3 years

Coordinator: Prof. Giulio Iannello

Available places: 9, of which 7 with scholarship

Educational objectives

The PhD in Bioengineering and Biosciences aims to train experts capable of carrying out research activities in the field of science and technology applied to personal well-being and health. The PhD program is divided into two curricula, oriented respectively towards biomedical engineering and science and technology of food and human nutrition. They provide for the development of transversal skills in engineering, technology, biological and medical sciences. At the end of the course of study, the PhD in Bioengineering and Biosciences will be able to:

  • develop new methods, tools and systems, for biomedical engineering and for food and nutrition sciences, based on the latest knowledge and research results from biology, in particular physiology, and medicine;
  • describe, plan, coordinate and implement a research program by interacting with different biological medical and technical skills;
  • integrate traditional training in the biomedical field with mathematical and technological knowledge capable of dealing with the growing complexity of research in the "bio" field.

Research Areas

The main research areas in which the PhD activities are developed are:

  • bioengineering: study, design and development of new methods, systems and devices for applications in medicine, medical-biological research and the development of bio-inspired technologies;
  • materials science and nanotechnologies: study, development and experimentation of materials for industrial applications with particular reference to medical and food applications;
  • modeling: study and use of models of complex systems for applications in biology and medicine;
  • food chemistry and plant physiology: study and development with advanced technological tools of new knowledge and protocols for the characterization of bioactive molecules and their metabolism, also for the purpose of nutritional enhancement of traditional or innovative foods;
  • nutrition: study with advanced technological tools of nutritional parameters and their impact on the prevention of pathologies; experimentation of protocols and procedures applied to clinical nutrition.

Verification tools

At the end of the first and second year, the doctoral students must present a written report on the activities carried out and hold a short seminar in front of the Academic Board which decides on admission to the following year. At the end of the third year, PhD students must submit an original Thesis which is submitted to the examination of two external reviewers. On the basis of the reports of the reviewers, the PhD students are admitted to the Final Test which consists in the presentation of the Thesis in front of a Commission composed of the Coordinator and at least two external Commissioners.