Prospects

Professional Profile: PHARMACEUTICAL BIOTECHNOLOGIST

Main functions and necessary competencies of the profession

Pharmaceutical Biotechnologists are highly-skilled experts able to design, conduct and manage research and development activities in biotechnologies applied to health, for the design, characterization, production, analysis and formulation of innovative and biotechnological drugs, vaccines, diagnostic devices.

Specifically, Pharmaceutical Biotechnologists:

- Plan and apply methodologies to the research finalized to the development of new drugs and diagnostic devices;

- Plan and develop biotechnological systems to produce biotechnological drugs, vaccines, antibodies and other macromolecules applicable for diagnostic and therapeutical purposes;

- Plan and develop bioanaliyical devices and molecular nanostructures for technological and analytical purposes;

- Plan, manage and control the industrial processes for the production and quality check of biotechnological and innovative drugs;

- Plan and organize promotion activities and scientific and technological innovation development.

Pharmaceutical Biotechnologists can perform high responsibilities duties in biotechnology and pharmacology labs, even at an international level. They may also collaborate at a managerial level to development and surveillance programmes of biotechnologies applied to health, for the design, characterization, production, analysis and formulation of innovative and biotechnological drugs, vaccines, diagnostic devices, also taking into account technological and juridical aspects.

Graduates in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology fulfil the requirements needed to access higher education cycles to acquire advanced competencies for specific job environments (2nd Level Professional Master Programmes, PhD Programmes, Specialisation Schools).

Competencies/Key Workplace Skills

• In depth knowledge of cellular systems’ genetic and biochemical aspects;
• In depth knowledge of the structure, functions and interactions of biological macromolecules, as well as the organization of the related cellular processes;
• Knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of pathological processes, including those deriving from the interaction with viruses and microorganisms;
• Use of the main methodologies related to molecular and cellular biotechnologies for the design and production of biopharmaceuticals, vaccines and diagnostics;
• Use of the chemical and computational methodologies to identify therapeutic agents and specific technologies related to molecular modelling, design and formulation of innovative drugs;
• Analysis of biopharmaceuticals, vaccines and diagnostics, particularly as far as their chemical, biological and pharmaco-toxicological aspects are concerned;
• Application of bioinformatics methodologies to identify and build database, with special reference to genomics and proteomics and to acquire and divulgate scientific and technological information;
• Application of methodologies to develop molecular nanostructure for the analysys, monitoring and therapy of human pathologies, as well as for the nano-formulation of biotechnological pharmaceuticals;
• Knowledge of the fundamental aspects of operation processes related to the industrial design of biotechnological products and formulation of biopharmaceuticals;
• Acquisition of the fundamental notions of economy, organization, creation and management of companies, innovation projects, marketing activities related to biotechnological pharmaceutical products;
• Knowledge of the national and European Union law concerning bioethics, intellectual property and security in the biotechnological field.

Career Opportunities

Career opportunities - both at a national and International level - include:

• Universities and Public and Private Research Bodies;
• Biotechnological Industries and Services;
• Pharmaceutical Industry;
• Cosmetics and Dietary-Nutritional Industries;
• Diagnostic and Scientific Instrument Industries;
• Public and Private Health Bodies;
• Pharmaceutical Monitoring Authorities;
• Environmental Control and Prevention Bodies and Authorities;
• National and International Regulatory and/or Certification Agencies.

According to DPR 328/01, graduates in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology can work as Senior Biologists (section A of the Professional Register), provided that they pass the National Exam.

Graduates who have the required number of credits in the required scientific-sector groups may compete in public selections and/or participate to admission tests for secondary schools teaching, according to the Italian Law.