Phd in MOLECULAR MEDICINE

Educational goals and objectives

MOLECULAR MEDICINE

The objectives of the PhD in Molecular Medicine are: 1. train researchers capable of carrying out bio-medical research projects with technologically advanced operating methods in the field of pathophysiological, diagnostic, prognostic, predictive and preventive medicine and molecular therapy, through an educational program and the implementation of research projects that aim to understand and transfer to the clinic the genetic/molecular bases of diseases, the use of genetic/molecular tools and procedures for the diagnosis and cure of pathological states; 2. to encourage the exploitation and investment of the entrepreneurial sectors of the emerging biotechnology industry and advanced translational biomedical research. The educational project is divided into three curricula: 1) Molecular Medicine 2) Molecular Pathology and Physiopathology 3) Endocrine-Metabolic Pathophysiology PhD students participate in theoretical-practical courses and seminars. Each PhD student will be entrusted with a research project to be carried out at one of the laboratories associated with the PhD program. Annually, PhD students will be evaluated through the preparation of a written draft and the discussion of a presentation with members of the PhD Board and the scientific staff. PhD students can complete their training in a foreign laboratory. The course will end with the presentation of the results in the form of a written thesis and discussed/defended in a seminar open to the public. Specific training objectives concern the following areas: 1) Genetic diseases and genome analysis techniques, with reference to hereditary cancer syndromes; 2) Signal transduction pathways and biochemical methods of analysis; 3) Modifications of gene expression in pathological conditions and methods for studying gene expression; 4) Modifications of the proteome, post-translation modifications and protein-protein interactions, protein stability and degradation in physiological and pathological conditions and related methods of analysis; 5) Tumor-host interactions, inflammation and immunity in neoplastic development and progression; 6) bioinformatics and biostatistic analyses applied to oncology; 7) Endocrine and metabolic pathologies, aberrations of cellular and bioenergetic metabolism associated with human disease and related methods of investigation; 8) Genetic, molecular and pathophysiological heterogeneity of autoimmune diabetes; 9) Development and analysis of cell models, organoid and 3D cultures; 10) Development and analysis of animal models; genome editing methodologies (i.e. CrispR / Cas9); 11) Development and use of vectors and methods for gene transfer, gene therapy approaches, also based on RNA. 12) Prognostic and predictive genetic profiles of efficacy for target therapies, liquid biopsy (cells, nucleic acids and circulating vesicles), with reference to cancer. (more details at https://phd.uniroma1.it/web/MEDICINA-MOLECOLARE_nD3521_IT.aspx)