Course Name: PhD Program in “Biomedicine, Neuroscience, and Advanced Diagnostics”
Academic Year: 2024-25
Teaching Location: University of Palermo
Department: Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience, and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND)

Description of the Educational and Research Project

The PhD program in “Biomedicine, Neuroscience, and Advanced Diagnostics” (BiND) at the University of Palermo has been active for four cycles (starting from the XXXV cycle). The PhD program in “Biomedicine and Neuroscience”, from which it derives, has been active for six cycles. Notably, the PhD program has been strengthened by an established partnership with the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston (USA) since 2012. For the XXXIX cycle, UTMB made available two additional scholarships for two foreign PhD students. In the last 10 cycles, UTMB has awarded a total of twelve scholarships to foreign PhD students without funding, who ranked high enough in the admission competition. Students enrolled at UTMB benefit from the status of “in-state students”; thus, they do not pay PhD program fees, do not pay “bench-fees,” are entitled to health insurance, and receive assistance with housing. All research costs for PhD students are covered by UTMB for the entire duration of their stay at the Texas campus. Students attend courses and earn credits both at the University of Palermo and at UTMB, both of which will be free of charge.

The BiND PhD program is structured in an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary way, enabling students to promptly engage with key topics across the three curricula it encompasses: Biomedicine; Neuroscience; and Advanced Diagnostics. All three curricula address important and current issues in the fields of basic and applied research, which the scientific community recognizes as strategic for technological advancement.

Specifically:

• The Biomedicine curriculum aims to provide PhD students with the technical and scientific skills necessary to address the research topics within the field. These include various aspects of biological sciences, biotechnology, biomedical engineering, and clinical research in various areas (excluding neurological topics, which are covered in the Neuroscience curriculum). This training will enable students to address and solve scientific and practical problems, particularly regarding changes in cell differentiation, tissue homeostasis, and organ remodeling that lead to the onset of diseases.
• The Neuroscience curriculum includes specialized research topics in the main branches of neuroscience, particularly Neuroanatomy, Neurophysiology, Neurosurgery, Cellular Neuroscience, Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Neuroscience, Computational Neuroscience, Evolutionary Neuroscience, Molecular Neuroscience, Neuroimaging, and Neuroinformatics. This curriculum is also partnered with the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Graduate Program, PhD in Neurobiology of Disease at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, USA.
• Finally, the Advanced Diagnostics curriculum offers PhD students the opportunity to acquire specific technical and scientific expertise in advanced fields of radiological and biochemical diagnostics, such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, computerized analysis with "big data" techniques, digitization and networking of research laboratories, as well as next-generation biomarkers and advanced imaging techniques. Among the most significant and relevant of these, especially for its intersection with the Neuroscience curriculum, is neuroimaging and its innovative applications.

The training project is structured to provide students with the necessary elements for both personal and professional growth across a broad spectrum of topics related to biological sciences, biotechnology, biomedical engineering, clinical research, neuroscience, biomedical engineering in diagnostics, and advanced diagnostics.

International stays are mandatory; specifically, all students who apply to the international pathway must spend at least 18 months at UTMB, while all other students must spend at least 6 months at a foreign research institution. Educational activities will primarily be conducted in English. At the end of each year, students will be admitted to the following year based on an examination, and at the end of their studies, they will present their work in the form of a doctoral thesis in English. Students enrolled in the international program will take two exams, one at the University of Palermo and one at UTMB, and will receive two degrees as a result.

The acquisition of advanced scientific and technical knowledge and essential methodological tools for training highly specialized professionals capable of working in both public and private research institutions enables the following career prospects for PhD graduates in Biomedicine, Neuroscience, and Advanced Diagnostics, both in Italy and abroad: Academia, public or private research institutions, private high-tech companies in the fields of biomedicine, neuroscience, and advanced diagnostics, and public administration.

The ultimate goal is to train future PhD graduates in the principles of research in the biomedical, neuroscience, and advanced diagnostics fields, in the research sectors where the PhD faculty operate, providing all the necessary tools to pursue future activities in both scientific and technological research, as well as to enter professional roles in the economic and industrial sectors.

General overview

The PhD Program in “BIOMEDICINE, NEUROSCIENCE and ADVANCED DIAGNOSTICS” (formerly “Biomedicine and Neuroscience”) has offered students, since its XXVI cycle, the opportunity to undertake a joint doctoral research program through a partnership with the “Neuroscience Graduate Program” of the University of Texas Medical Branch (Galveston, Texas, USA).

PhD objectives

The PhD program aims to train highly specialized scientists in the fields of biomedicine, neuroscience, and advanced diagnostics, providing them with strong expertise in advanced experimental techniques and an in-depth knowledge of the structure and functions of the human body. PhD candidates will develop skills to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in physiological and pathological processes, with particular attention to the nervous system.

Educational activities, curricula and research topics

During the course, students participate in educational activities specifically designed for doctoral training, including courses, international seminars delivered by visiting scholars, and dedicated workshops. The educational activities are closely integrated with the research activities developed within the different curricula of the Program in the fields of biomedicine, neuroscience, and advanced diagnostics. The curricula are designed in accordance with the most advanced international research areas and with the scientific expertise of the Professors affiliated with the PhD Board. In addition to the specific educational objectives of the course, PhD students participate in transversal activities organized by the Doctoral School of the University of Palermo, which is a member of the Council for Doctoral Education of the European University Association. These activities include interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary training, language and IT courses, and activities related to research management, European and international research systems, dissemination of scientific results, intellectual property, open access, and the fundamental principles of ethics and research integrity.

Internationalization

Through experience in highly qualified scientific laboratories, PhD students acquire the tools necessary to develop innovative research projects, often interdisciplinary and carried out in collaboration with national and international institutions. Students are encouraged to conduct research activities abroad and to produce scientific results of high international impact. Furthermore, thanks to the participation of the PhD Program in the international NENS (Network of European Neuroscience Schools) network, PhD students have access to advanced training opportunities, international mobility programs, specialized schools, and scientific collaborations with prestigious European institutions in the field of neuroscience. The network also promotes the integration of young researchers into a highly qualified international scientific community.

Completion of the program and career opportunities

At the end of the PhD course, all students present their work in the form of a doctoral thesis written in English. Scholarship holders may also enroll in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

Graduates of the PhD Program may pursue careers as researchers and/or academic staff in universities, public and private research institutions, industries, and biotechnology organizations.

Link to previous PhD program: D003 Biomedicina e Neuroscienze