DIMET :: Ph.D. Program in Translational and Molecular Medicine

University Departments and Institutions Participating to the Program

Participating Departments

The University of Milano-Bicocca spans the whole field of medicine and biotechnology, from functional genomics to clinical applications. Biomedical Research at the University of Milano-Bicocca is mainly conducted at 5 departments, which belong to the School of Medicine and to the Faculty of Science.

The Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences hosts a number of Core Facilities: the functional genomics consortium (Genopolis) (www.genopolis.it), is a corelab with the Affymetrix technology for transcriptional profiling analysis. The consortium acts as service provider to 50 Italian laboratories, working mostly in oncology and immunology and develops microarray technology, software and databases that are made available to the scientific community. A facility for Flow Cytometry with high-speed cell sorting (moFlo-Cytomation) and FACS analysis is also available. The Department is fully equipped for cellular and molecular biology, biochemistry, microbiology, biophysics, chemistry, and bioinformatics. Access to a SPF mouse facility is also available.

At the Faculty of Medicine the Department of Experimental Medicine focuses its research on the molecular mechanisms of the alterations associated to the genesis and development of diseases and to the molecular and cellular therapy in vivo and in vitro models in transgenic animals. Labs expand on 1.500 square meters and are equipped for cellular cultures, molecular genetic, histo-chemical biology.

The Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Technologies hosts labs for immunohistochemistry and electronic microscopy, neurobiology and functional imaging. The department has available: beta and gamma counters, facilities for cellular cultures and molecular biology, PET, SPET, laboratory for radiochemistry for the synthesis and making of radioactive tracers.

The Department of Clinical Medicine and Prevention is devoted to the cardiovascular physiopathology and diagnostic, to the study of the pathogenesis of tumors and to innovative therapeutic approaches. The department has numerous labs of cardiovascular ultrasound, invasive and non-invasive assessment of blood pressure and micro-neurography.

The Department of Surgical Sciences is involved in the identification of innovative therapeutic approaches for the prevention of stroke, the study in animal models of the vascular damage and the multidisciplinary approach to the peripheral arterial diseases. A fully equipped unit for experimental surgery with large and small animals is available. The educational activity of the department also includes a University Master in Endovascular Techniques (MET) and the European School for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery (EScVES).

Host Institutions

The Italian National Neurological Institute "Carlo Besta" will share training at the Italian site covering the whole area of genetics, neuroimmunology, neurophysiology, epilepsy and neurodegeneration. Research for the elucidation of the causes of and mechanisms leading to genetic, neurological, immunological, muscular, and mitochondrial diseases is carried out. The Institute has 15 laboratories that support the work of clinical diagnosis as well as research activities and diagnostic procedures that spans form animal model to patients. The Institute, in collaboration with the University of Milano-Bicocca can offer a supervised training in its labs following cases from bench to bedsides in its departments.

The San Raffaele Clinical and Research Institute, established in 1972, belongs to the non-profit private San Raffaele del Monte Tabor Foundation. DIBIT, is the research institute dedicated to basic science where at present 250 people are employed in basic, translational and clinical research, including scientists, technicians and administrative personnel, along with additional 300 fellows, consultants, trainees and graduate students.
Mission of the Institute is basic and clinical research and to promote the translation of knowledge acquired in the fields of molecular and cellular biology into diagnosis, treatment and prevention of neoplastic, infectious, metabolic and acquired degenerative diseases.

The National Institute of Molecular Genetics (INGM) is a no-profit research foundation aimed at the discovery and initial development of new therapies and new diagnostics in the fields of tumors and autoimmune diseases.
The INGM Foundation was established by the Italian Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore of Milan and the Region of Lombardy.
INGM comes to life to be a “translational” medical Research Institute that creates scientific knowledge capable of generating value on the basis of the intellectual property that ensues from its research activities. Research activities are coordinated by a Chief Scientific Officier with scientific and managerial expertise who is supported by a Scientific Advisory Board composed by researchers having a high international profile.
INGM participates to the Ph.D program in Translational and Molecular Medicine, organized by the University of Milano-Bicocca and offers high level training opportunities in Immunology, Cell Biology and Functional Genomics. For their research program, students have access to all the main facilities of the institute:   flow cytometry and cell sorting, confocal microscopy, micro and protein array technologies. During their training program students, have to participate to seminars, Journal Clubs and discuss their research work to INGM scientific meetings.

The IRCCS Centro Cardiologico Monzino is a Scientific and Clinical Institute highly specialized in cardiovascular diseases and recognized by the Italian Ministry of Health as a Scientific Institute carrying out basic research and clinical activities of relevant national interest (IRCCS). Two independent Research Laboratories in Centro Cardiologico Monzino have basic science and translational expertise in human stem cells for cardiovascular repair and atherothrombosis, respectively.

The Laboratory of Cellular Therapy G. Lanzani is part of the Unit of Hematology of the Ospedali Riuniti, Bergamo. The students participating to the Program will have the opportunity to get involved in the execution of research activities in the field of oncohematology, going from basic research right through to translational research and finally clinical phase I and II trials, in particular in the areas of cell therapy and that of novel anti-leukemic drugs, including therapeutic monoclonal antibodies.