Study at the Faculty of Science and Biotechnology in an international and multidisciplinary environment for food, nutrition and health

Rome, January 30, 2026 Health is no longer simply the treatment of a disease. It is increasingly seen as a complex balance involving prevention, lifestyle, environmental quality, production systems, and animal welfare. It is a broader perspective, transcending the confines of the individual and combining biological, social, and environmental factors. This is also the perspective underlying the new Departmental Faculty of Sciences and Biotechnologies at the University of Bologna.Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma (UCBM) on the topics of food, nutrition, and health, where the concept of health is approached as a network of relationships that spans nutrition, technological innovation, and sustainability.

ONE HEALTH

«Talking about health today means moving away from an exclusively clinical vision», explains the professor Chiara Fanali, Dean of the Departmental Faculty. "The One Health approach reminds us that human health is closely connected to that of the environment and animals. These are dimensions that are in constant dialogue with each other and must be addressed together, especially if the goal is prevention." This integration is the focus of the degree programs, where food, nutrition, and technology become strategic levers for improving the quality of life. "Nutrition," continues Professor Fanali "It is considered not just a field of study, but a concrete prevention tool, capable of impacting the health of individuals and populations. Furthermore, innovative technologies applied to food, both in terms of primary production and processing, are crucial for ensuring quality, safety, and nutritional value along the entire supply chain."

TRAINING OFFER

The educational offering of the Departmental Faculty of Sciences and Biotechnology UCBM The program is structured around a three-year program in Food Sciences and Human Nutrition, with two alternative majors—one in Human Nutrition and the other in Food Technology—preparatory to the two master's degree programs in Human Nutrition and Food Technology and Food Design, respectively. These different majors are united by a common vision that focuses on sustainability, prevention, and the impact of production choices on public health. The program is complemented by coherent research, focused on the same topics and conceived as a natural source of the teaching work.

A distinctive element of the curriculum is the design of the programs as a continuum. The bachelor's and master's programs are designed as a continuum, avoiding overlap and accompanying those who wish from the first to the fifth year. "We have imagined a single program," Professor Maurizio continues. Chiara Fanali "This allows us to build a solid, coherent education that is truly geared towards the challenges our students will face."

The training project of theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, starting from the motto "Science for Man", makes teaching and research a multidisciplinary and international environment characterized by experiential learning in which students can grow as individuals, becoming professionals capable of operating in their sector with advanced skills and awareness of their future role.

Those who work with food today are called upon to address numerous innovative aspects: food as a determinant of health, the use of technologies for quality and safety, the relationship between climate change, biodiversity, and the new challenges surrounding food. UCBM Prevention, technology, and the environment are at the heart of the curriculum. And thanks to a cutting-edge Simulation Center and a university campus nestled in the Decima Malafede Nature Reserve in Rome, learning quickly becomes experience, and the university space helps cultivate relationships between students and improves the relationship with faculty.

PREVENTION

In the field of nutrition and prevention, for example, dietary approaches and nutritional interventions play a central role. "A healthy lifestyle," explains the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Biotechnology, "is not just about physical activity, but also about the quality and composition of food. Hence the focus on functional foods and nutraceuticals, substances that are not drugs but which, when integrated into the diet, can provide recognized and regulated benefits. Great importance is also given to the study of diets and their effects on the body, with particular attention to the microbiota, now considered a key element of human well-being."

TECHNOLOGIES

Food technologies then enable these objectives to be translated into concrete solutions. The formulation of functional foods requires redesigning production processes to obtain products that maintain flavor and texture while also offering added nutritional value. Furthermore, advanced technologies enable quality and safety monitoring throughout the supply chain thanks to sensors, shelf-life monitoring devices, and chemical-analytical analyses for contaminant detection. Among the most innovative areas, also receiving attention from UCBM , 3D printing and food design stand out, tools that allow the creation of foods with customized textures and nutritional properties, opening up new scenarios both in terms of health and the eating experience. "Another research area is 'molecular farming,' which uses plants and plant organisms to produce useful molecules, such as vaccines or bioactive compounds. This sector is still not widespread in Italy, but is destined to grow, and L'Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma invests significantly", explains the professor further Fanali.

SUSTAINABILITY

The One Health approach is directly intertwined with environmental challenges, finally. "The environment is the starting point for everything we eat," he observes. Fanali "Climate change affects the quantity and quality of agricultural production. Less rainfall, higher temperatures, or prolonged environmental stress alter the nutritional profile of foods." Hence the commitment to research into plant varieties more resistant to climate stress, capable of adapting to adverse conditions without losing quality. Protecting biodiversity, particularly native species, thus becomes essential, because biological diversity also provides nutritional wealth. In short, there is no shortage of reflection on global dynamics. The globalization of food, to name just one example, offers opportunities for exchange and innovation, but, Professor A. Fanali, "also entails risks, such as the spread of pathogens along increasingly extensive production chains. These issues reinforce the need for an integrated and systemic approach, in which the environment, health, and food safety are addressed with appropriate scientific and technological tools."

TEACHING

All this translates, on the teaching level, into courses designed by the departmental faculty according to a strong multidisciplinary approach. Biology, chemistry, medicine, and engineering interact with each other together with a

Anthropological and humanistic education. "Nutrition is a complex human act," emphasizes the dean. "It involves values, relationships, psychological and cultural aspects. This is why we believe it is essential to also offer students humanistic interpretations." Teaching is highly experiential, thanks to the Simulation Center, laboratories, curricular internships, and numerous relationships with companies, which bring students closer to the world of work. Internationalization is also central, with exchange programs and European collaborations. Among the most representative initiatives is "Foodture," an intensive week of practical activities and lessons dedicated to future scenarios in food, innovation, and sustainability, which features students from six European universities and is organized each year at a different European university. All information is available at www.unicampus.it