MOLECULAR DESIGN AND CHARACTERIZATION FOR THE PROMOTION OF HEALTH AND WELL-BEING: FROM DRUG TO FOOD

Call for application 42nd cycle

Bando ordinario

Applications for participation in the competition, together with the corresponding payment, must be duly completed no later than 14:00 CET on 17 June 2026.

Educational goals and objectives

MOLECULAR DESIGN AND CHARACTERIZATION FOR THE PROMOTION OF HEALTH AND WELL-BEING: FROM DRUG TO FOOD

The international PhD course, “Molecular Design and Characterization for the Promotion of Health and Well-being: From Medicine to Food,” established at Sapienza through bilateral agreements with foreign universities, offers advanced training for talented graduates in drug and food sciences. The program encompasses a wide range of research areas, from organic synthesis and biochemistry to pharmacological and chemical studies aimed at identifying innovative drugs and nutraceuticals.
PhD students will develop knowledge and design skills essential for organizing and managing basic or applied research in pharmaceutical and food science. Each student will conduct their thesis project at Sapienza (Home Institution) and a foreign university (Host Institution) for a minimum period of six months, aligning with the primary topics of the course.
The technical and scientific training provided to PhD students is complemented by didactic and scientific teaching, which includes institutional courses and seminars delivered by experts from national and international research institutions as well as by members of the Board. Topics covered include organic synthesis, drug design and development, food chemistry, nutrition, and legislative and regulatory aspects. Advanced methodological skills are further ensured through the continual updating of a portion of the teaching program, reflecting the latest scientific advancements within the course’s scope.

Number of positions available

Sapienza Scholarships	Affliliated Institutions or Excellence	Industrial PhD	Without scholarship
3	1	0	1

Themes, curriculum and specific competence

Scholarships funded by affiliated Institution and Departments of Excellence

1 scholarship funded by the affiliated Institution: C4T SRL
Topic: Synthetic feasibility study, synthesis, and analytical characterization of pharmacopoeia-classified impurities of active pharmaceutical ingredients belonging to the anti-inflammatory and antibiotic classes.

Sapienza scholarships: 3

Admission Procedure

Qualifications assessment	Evaluation of candidates' academic and scientific curriculum vitae. Candidates who obtained at least 10/30 in their qualifications are admitted to the oral test.

Oral interview	The admission test consists of an oral interview to verify candidates' competence and interest in conducting research within the scope of the educational objectives' themes. The minimum positive score for the oral test is 50/70
language	INGLESE

contacts and info

sonia.renzetti@uniroma1.it

Curriculum studiorum

Graduation date and grade of the Master's degree
detailed list of exams including completion dates and scores of Masters's degree
History of Scholarships, Research Grants (or similar)
Certificates of participation in post-graduate university courses
certificates of Participation in research groups
certificates of Participation in internships
Other University Awards/Degrees (e.g.: awards in competition, second degree)

Required documentation

§ degree thesis abstract

mandatory, the file must be uploaded within le ore 14:00 del 17/06/2026

§ List of publications

optional, the file must be uploaded within le ore 14:00 del 17/06/2026

§ description of previous research experience

optional, the file must be uploaded within le ore 14:00 del 17/06/2026

§ Curriculum Vitae et Studiorum

mandatory, the file must be uploaded within le ore 14:00 del 17/06/2026

Language Skills

the candidate must know the following languages

ENGLISH

Exam Schedule

Qualifications assessment

day	30/06/2026
notes	none
publication on notice board	NO
publication on the web site	Yes
web site	https://phd.uniroma1.it/web/MOLECULAR-DESIGN-AND-CHARACTERIZATION-FOR-THE-PROMOTION-OF-HEALTH-AND-WELL-BEING-FROM-DRUG-TO-FOOD_nD3572.aspx
date of publication	02/07/2026
contacts	sonia.renzetti@uniroma1.it 06 4991 3067

Oral interview

day	06/07/2026
notes	none
time	09:30
classroom	TBD
address	TBD
publication on notice board	NO
publication on the web site	Yes
web site	https://phd.uniroma1.it/web/MOLECULAR-DESIGN-AND-CHARACTERIZATION-FOR-THE-PROMOTION-OF-HEALTH-AND-WELL-BEING-FROM-DRUG-TO-FOOD_nD3572.aspx
date of publication	06/07/2026
contacts	sonia.renzetti@uniroma1.it 6 4991 3067

Evaluation scale

Qualifications assessment

Valutazione titoli

Punteggio massimo complessivo per la prova/overall max score: 30

Voto di laurea (magistrale, specialistica o a ciclo unico – max 15 punti)
University final degree mark (max 15 points)

Punteggio massimo/max score: 15
I titoli verranno valutati secondo la seguente griglia di valutazione. Alla prova orale vengono ammessi i candidati che nella valutazione dei titoli abbiano conseguito la votazione di almeno 10/30.
The qualifications will be evaluated according to the following assessment grid. Only candidates that have reached at least 10/30 will be admitted to the interview.

Voto di laurea (magistrale, specialistica o a ciclo unico – max 15 punti), da rapportare fino a un massimo di 110/110, se espresso diversamente;
University final degree mark (max 15 points), to be converted to a maximum of 110/110 if differently expressed

110, 110 e lode 110, 110 cum laude	15,0
109 -108 109-108	14,0
107 -106 107-106	13,0
105 -104 105-104	12,0
103 -100 103-100	11,0
99-90 99-90	10,0
<90 <90	0,0

Per gli studenti laureandi la griglia precedente è sostituita dalla seguente
Students who have not obtained their title by the application deadline, but in any case within the 31st of October 2026, will be evaluated on the average grade resulting from the list of the exams.

27 - 30 27 - 30	15,0
26 – 26.99 26-26.99	14,0
25 - 25.99 25-25.99	13,0
24 - 24.99 24-24.99	12,0
23-23.99 23-23.99	11,0
<23 <23	0,0

Pubblicazioni (max 7 punti)
Publications (max 7 points)

Punteggio massimo/max score: 7

Pubblicazione ISI (primo autore) ISI (author)	5,0
Pubblicazione ISI (co-autore) ISI (co-author)	2,0
Libro o Capitolo di libro (solo autore) Book or chapter in book (author)	5,0
Libro o Capitolo di libro (co-autore) Book or chapter in book (co-author)	2,0
Contributo a convegno Contribution to a lecture/ congress	0,5

Esperienze di ricerca (max 8 punti)
Research experiences (max 8 points)

Punteggio massimo/max score: 8

Esperienze all’estero (almeno due mesi, compreso Erasmus) Experience abroad (at least 2 months, including Erasmus)	3,0
Esperienza in un laboratorio di ricerca Lab experience	2,0
Contratti di collaborazione alla ricerca Collaboration contracts	2,0
Corsi di formazione alla ricerca Training courses for researchers	1,0
Contratti di collaborazione alla didattica Teaching collaboration contracts	1,0

Oral interview

Prova orale

Punteggio massimo complessivo per la prova/overall max score: 70

Durante la prova orale verranno approfonditi e chiariti aspetti riguardanti i titoli presentati
During the oral exam, aspects related to the submitted qualifications will be further explored and clarified.

Punteggio massimo/max score: 60
Discussione dei titoli del candidato: chiarezza espositiva, capacità di sintesi e interesse scientifico del curriculum
Discussion of the candidate's qualifications: clarity of presentation, ability to synthesize, and scientific interest of the curriculum

Conoscenza della lingua Inglese
Knowledge of the English language.

Punteggio massimo/max score: 10
Verrà valutata la conoscenza della lingua inglese
Knowledge of the English language will be assessed.