University of Torino

Master in Biotechnology for Neuroscience

The Neuroscience field is experiencing amazing developments, characterised by a progressive expansion of conceptual approaches, scientific tools, and clinical and technological applications. Over the past two decades, this sector has extended its boundaries far beyond biomedical sciences, incorporating knowledge and tools not only from physics, mathematics, computer science and engineering, but also from the humanities and social sciences. The growing integration between Neuroscience and other scientific sectors is delivering great clinical, economic and social impacts, stimulating the transfer of basic knowledge to different applications. These include new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, increasingly better tools for the study of the nervous system in physiological and pathological conditions, as well as powerful approaches for examining and manipulating neural circuits.

This fast growth poses new challenges to the academic preparation of new professionals in the sector, who may be able to operate competitively in a work scenario that increasingly requires complex interdisciplinary preparation.

The Master's degree course in Biotechnology for Neuroscience aims at training a figure of researcher / biomedical operator who, starting from a strong general background in medical biotechnologies, will develop advanced multidisciplinary skills in various areas of Neuroscience. The theoretical and practical abilities acquired during the course will allow graduates to operate in multidisciplinary and international work contexts, interacting productively with professionals operating in the medical, engineering, physical and ICT subfields of Neuroscience.

Objective

The course aims to provide at-the edge statistical tools for exploring and analysing multimodal data. Using programming routines, it will introduce statistical methods for qualitatively and quantitatively testing experimental hypotheses.

First of all, Biotechnology for Neuroscience graduates will know and know how to use the main biotechnological strategies in the diagnostic, therapeutic and research fields, both basic and translational. These will mainly include statistical and ICT methodologies for the quantitative analysis of large amounts of data, genetic and molecular diagnostic systems, multi-omics technologies for the identification and exploitation of new diagnostic markers and molecular targets, cell therapy and gene therapy, the bases of regenerative medicine, the main technologies for development and production of new drugs and bio-active molecules.

At the same time, the course is aimed at characterising the training of graduates towards the skills necessary for the exercise of qualified activities in the field of Neuroscience. These will include in-depth knowledge of: the anatomy and development of the nervous system; the molecular, cellular and physiological processes that govern the correct functioning of the nervous system; the pathological processes responsible for the main neurological, neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases; the clinical impact of these pathologies on individual homeostasis and relationship functions; the technologies used for the study of the cellular structure, morphology and connectomics of the nervous system, with particular regard to neuroimaging methods used for the production and analysis of neuroimaging; the technologies used for the study of physiology, pathophysiology and pathologies of the nervous system.

The last phase of the training program will be characterised by the acquisition of multidisciplinary specialist knowledge of great importance for Neuroscience, through curricular and optional courses designed in constant cooperation with the principal stakeholders. These courses will not follow distinct curricular paths, but will allow graduates to flexibly decline their training in specific sectors of Neuroscience.

This approach will allow the Master course to maintain both a strongly characterised unitary structure as well as a high adherence to the changing needs of a sector in constant and rapid transformation over time.