If you haven’t enrolled yet, please look at code 6822.
If you have already enrolled, the course code is available in Studenti Online.
6822 - Animal Biotechnology
The second cycle degree programme in Animal Biotechnologies aims to train professionals capable of carrying out and coordinating basic or applied research and study projects in compliance with national and international regulations. The program aims to offer subject-specific knowledge, while at the same time providing technical and interpretative tools useful in a wide range of laboratory activities, from diagnostics to research across all biological and biotechnological fields.
The degree program consists of theoretical and practical core and related or supplementary learning activities, which allow achieving the learning outcomes over the two years of the program.
The learning outcomes of first-year and second-year course units are as follows:
• Application and study of basic molecular and analytical techniques for disease diagnostics;
• Application and study of genetic and genomic analysis techniques for studying genetic diseases and defining genetic indices for the improvement of animal production and its sustainability;
• Application and study of advanced analysis methods for biotechnological research;
• Application and study of national regulations on safety and on the protection of inventions in biotechnology;
• Application and study of prevention and treatment in biomedicine;
• Project management and teamwork skills development;
• Effective communication in Italian and English;
• Application and study of innovative diagnostic methods for specific diseases;
• Study of the biochemical metabolism of nutrients and xenobiotics;
• Study of molecular mechanisms of cellular toxicity;
• Application and study of basic and advanced analytical methods for food chain quality and safety assessment;
• Application and study of the gut microbiome and of the milk microbiome, and of the interactions between microbiome, diet and the environment;
• Application and study of diagnostic and control methods for infectious and parasitic diseases;
• Application and study of bioinformatics techniques for the analysis of nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences relevant to the study of the evolution and phylogeny of transmissible agents;
• Application and study of animal models of spontaneous and induced diseases;
• Application and study of biomolecular methods on animal tissues and derivatives;
• Application and study of in-vitro methods;
• Application and study of reproductive strategies based on biotechnological approaches of in-vitro embryo production;
• Application and study of methods for gamete and embryo preservation;
• Application and study of methods for cloning and transgenic animal creation;
• Application and study of regenerative medicine methods based on stem cells and biomaterials.
The learning outcomes are pursued by attending several mandatory course units that, since the first year of study, aim to cover topics such as anatomical pathology in laboratory animals, development of in-vitro study methods, genetic engineering, biochemistry of nutrients and xenobiotics, mechanisms of cellular toxicity and the diagnosis of diseases. The second year focuses on reproductive system physiology, biotechnologies applied to reproduction, including the production of transgenic animals and cloning, stem cell culturing, the study of biomaterials, nutrition biotechnology, food safety and diagnostics of infectious and parasitic diseases.
The learning outcomes above are achieved by means of lectures, seminars, group work, educational visits, practical work and laboratory internships. Practical work may be carried out in the research and diagnostic laboratories run by the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences or at partner organisations, both in Italy and abroad.
