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professional profile

Medical biotechnologist
Function in a work context:
The Second Cycle Degree Programme in Medical Biotechnology aims to produce professionals with high level scientific skills. At the end of the two-year programme, Medical Biotechnology graduates will have acquired the knowledge and technical skills to work professionally in the following fields:
- experimentation and coordination of research activities and projects in the biomedical field (in particular, of innovative medicines, medicines for advanced therapies in the fields of gene therapy, cell therapy and tissue engineering);
- participation and coordination, in a multidisciplinary team, in the planning and definition of prevention and diagnosis interventions, through the management of molecular analysis technologies and biomedical technologies;
- participation in the assessment of personalized therapies based on genetic profiles and pharmacogenomic interventions;
- participation in therapeutic approaches, with particular regard to the development and testing of innovative medicines or biotechnological systems (including gene therapy and regenerative medicine) to be applied to human pathology;
- participation and coordination of work groups for the drafting of regulations concerning the technical / scientific aspect in the identification of new therapeutic principles (in particular, development of patents and evaluation of the relative industrial application in the biomedical field);
- performance of clinical study monitoring or Clinical Research Associate (CRA) functions for different therapeutic areas in accordance with the reference procedures.
According to current legislation, graduates in Medical Biotechnology can take part in the State Examination for the profession of Senior Biologist.
To gain greater levels of autonomy and responsibility, graduates in Medical Biotechnology can acquire additional skills by attending a Professional Master's Programme (2nd Level) in management and business management, or by continuing their studies in a PhD Programme or in a Specialization school.
Skills associated with the function:
Graduates in Medical Biotechnology are able to apply, with defined degrees of autonomy, biotechnological protocols in the medical field and to collaborate in development and surveillance programmes of biotechnology applied to man, taking into account not only the technical aspects but also the ethical, economic, and administrative ones. Graduates in Medical Biotechnology are able to readily enter relevant national, European and non-European work environments, possessing appropriate technical and scientific skills, including information and communication management.
The following specific skills are required to perform the functions described above: students will be able
- to conduct basic and applied biotechnological research;
- to develop skills in health care and applications;
- to manage a biotechnology laboratory and to develop autonomous projects in the sector;
- to manage research in various fields, from molecular diagnostics to omics analysis, with knowledge of the advanced instrumentation available today in both research and applied medicine;
- to experiment and coordinate activities and research projects in the biomedical field;
- ability to experiment innovative medicines or for advanced therapies (gene therapy, cell therapy, tissue engineering);
- to participatate in multidisciplinary teams to plan and define prevention and diagnosis interventions, through the management of molecular and biomedical analysis technologies.
Appropriate transversal skills of a communicative-relational, organizational-management and planning type are also required, in accordance with the level of autonomy and responsibility assigned, with the organizational and work methods adopted and with the main interlocutors (colleagues, other professions, users and patients).
Employment Opportunities:
The main employment opportunities in Italy and abroad expected for graduates in Medical Biotechnology can be identified in:
Hospitals and specialized public and private laboratories;
Universities and public and private research institutions;
National and private health service structures;
Biotechnology, diagnostic and pharmaceutical industry;
Biotechnology service centers;
Institutions responsible for the development of health and patent regulations in the biotechnology field;
Environmental Prevention Bodies;
Medical-legal structures;
Notified and certification institues (conformity assessment);
National and international regulatory agencies;
Monitoring of clinical trials;
Biotech and genomic companies.
Graduates in Medical Biotechnology will also be able to operate:
in the industry oriented towards the protection of human health (in particular, in the pharmaceutical, diagnostic, cosmetic and biomaterial sectors), through advanced products and services;
in chemical-biotechnological and molecular-biological analysis laboratories (classification of economic activities, ATECO2002: N 85.14.1 Clinical analysis laboratories, hygiene and prophylaxis);
as consultants in specific fields of biotechnology;
at research institutes and public or private, national and international companies operating in the biotechnological sector applied to the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, vaccine and biomaterial fields;
in private and large companies as a specialist in advanced instrumentation in research and diagnostics; in public and private structures in both research and analysis laboratories.
Graduates in Medical Biotechnology are also eligible to apply for technical-logistic positions in the RIS (Criminal Investigative Unit) of the Carabinieri or for teaching positions at the middle (Scuola Superiore-I livello) and high school level (Scuola Superiore-II livello) (Code A060 - Natural Sciences, Chemistry and Geography, Microbiology).
In addition, graduates from the Second Cycle Degree Programme in Medical Biotechnology, upon passing the state exam, can enroll in the Professional Association of Biologists.
Continuation of studies:
- Ph.D Programmes
- Specialization Schools
- Professional Master's Programmes (2nd Level)
- for Clinical Research Associate, CRA: certification in accordance with Ministerial Decree November 15, 2011.

Continuing to study

It gives access to third cycle studies (Dottorato di ricerca/Scuole di specializzazione) and master courses of second degree.