Dottorato di ricerca
Bando di concorso del XLII ciclo
Description and Objectives of the Program
The new PhD Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences is an advanced, international, and interdisciplinary training program aimed to prepare highly qualified, multidisciplinary researchers in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, capable of working in the pharmaceutical, medical device, and healthcare product sectors. The program aims to develop advanced skills across the entire life cycle of these products, from the design of molecules, materials, and biologically active systems to technological development, characterization, preclinical validation, efficacy and safety assessment, and regulatory, manufacturing, and industrial transfer aspects.
The program is based on the integration of experimental, computational, omics, predictive, and translational approaches, with a particular focus on the rational design of new therapeutic entities, biomaterials, and delivery systems, the quantitative modeling of complex biological systems, the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, as well as the sustainability of materials and processes and the quality of the final product.
Within this framework, the Doctorate aims to prepare researchers capable of working in academic, industrial, and regulatory settings, contributing to the development and innovation of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products, including nutraceuticals, cosmetics, biocides, medical devices, and related technologies. The Doctorate falls within fields consistent with the ERC PE and LS areas, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue between chemical and chemical-pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology and nanotechnology, biology, pharmacology, computational modeling, precision medicine, and industrial innovation.
Scientific Framework and Curricula
The Doctorate's scientific framework is articulated into three curricula, conceived as integrated scientific axes along a common pipeline that connects the design of molecules, biomaterials, and biologically active systems to technological development, biological and pharmacological validation, predictive modeling, and the transfer of knowledge to industrial, clinical, and regulatory applications. Each curriculum provides a specific area of specialization but is designed to interact with the others, fostering transversal and multidisciplinary research paths.
A cross-cutting theme for all curricula will be the sustainability of pharmaceutical sciences and health products.
Advanced Drug Discovery, Development, and Delivery (AD4)
This area includes activities related to the discovery, design, and development of new drugs and biologically active molecules of both natural and synthetic origin, along with their innovative formulations. The objective is to develop a rational approach to the extraction, isolation, design, formulation, and delivery of bioactive compounds and biomaterials, integrating pharmaceutical biology, synthetic and medicinal chemistry, structural and analytical characterization, molecular modeling, biological evaluation, and innovative delivery strategies.
The curriculum will also promote approaches such as Quality-by-Design, green chemistry, circular design, safe-and-sustainable-by-design, reduction of the environmental impact of processes, lifecycle thinking, and responsible development of materials, formulations, and technologies. At the same time, the biochemical-molecular study of bioactive compounds capable of facing various pathological conditions will be explored in depth.
These skills are essential today to train researchers able to contribute not only to the efficacy and safety of products, but also to their environmental, manufacturing, and regulatory sustainability. The fields of application of these researches will range from the therapeutic sector to medical devices, from advanced nutraceuticals to functional cosmetics, and even to the development of high-tech healthcare products.
Quantitative Systems Pharmacology (QSP)
This curriculum trains researchers in an advanced interdisciplinary area that integrates quantitative pharmacology, systems biology, mathematical modeling, computational science, and artificial intelligence to understand, quantify, and predict the interaction between drugs and complex biological systems. The program focuses on the development of multiscale mechanistic models and the structured integration of experimental, preclinical, clinical, and omics data, with the aim of supporting the discovery, development, and optimization of new therapies within the framework of Model-Informed Drug Development. Particular attention is paid to defining the context of model use, verification and validation, uncertainty quantification, and credibility frameworks, in line with the latest developments in in silico medicine, New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), and international regulatory guidelines. The curriculum prepares professionals capable of operating at the interface between academic research, industrial development, translational medicine, and regulatory assessment.
Translational and Systems Biology and Pharmacology
This area integrates traditional experimental approaches and multi-omics technologies to study biological systems, disease mechanisms, and the action of drugs, bioactive molecules, biomaterials, and healthcare products on complex biological systems.
In addition to the biological and pharmacological validation of new therapeutic and technological strategies through advanced in vitro and ex vivo cell and tissue models, organoids, organ-on-chips, and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), the program focuses on understanding the physio-pathological processes and morphological and functional characterization of organs. This will enable the development of advanced in vitro models and support the identification of biomarkers, pharmacological targets and advanced therapeutic approaches.
The combined use of genomic, proteomic, metabolomic, bioinformatic, and imaging tools strengthens the predictive dimension of research and supports the development of multiscale mechanistic models to study the mechanisms underlying these processes.
The topics covered in the three curricula will train professionals with advanced scientific, organizational, and planning skills, suited to working in the fields of Pharmaceutical Sciences, health technologies, and highly innovative products. PhD graduates may find employment in academia, research institutions, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, cosmetics, nutraceutical, biomedical, and medical device companies, as well as in regulatory bodies, technology transfer organizations, evaluation agencies, and advanced scientific consultancy settings.
Graduates will be particularly suited to roles in research and development, preclinical development, formulation, drug delivery, quality control and assurance, predictive modeling, biomaterials and health product development, regulatory innovation, and management of complex scientific projects.
From this perspective, the Doctorate program not only aims to train researchers for academia, but also to prepare professionals capable of acting as a bridge between fundamental research, technological development, industry, regulation, and society.
