Course Overview
The Degree Programme in Biotechnology aims to train graduates who are able to work at different levels within research and production processes in the biotechnology sector. In line with the objectives of the relevant degree class, the programme covers several areas, including industrial, biomedical and therapeutic, agricultural, and pharmaceutical biotechnology.
The programme provides knowledge and skills in a wide range of fields, including: agricultural systems, their characteristics and production requirements, and their interaction with other environmental components, particularly soil; herbaceous, horticultural and tree crops; the application of modern biotechnologies to the breeding and propagation of these species; plant protection against pathogens and pests through sustainable biotechnological approaches; food technologies and microbiology applied to the preservation and processing of agricultural products.
Students also acquire knowledge of the morphological and functional aspects of the human body and skills in the application of basic techniques for the study of antibiotics, antibodies, and recombinant and non-recombinant vaccines. The programme also covers basic biochemical and molecular diagnostic methods; global analysis of nucleic acids and proteins; medical genetics; pathology; the handling of biological samples and the main laboratory tests used to obtain information on metabolic conditions, biochemical and genetic characteristics, and diseases for the purposes of prevention, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment.
Further areas of study include host–pathogen interactions in disease pathogenesis and diagnosis; cellular and molecular mechanisms; pharmacological and pharmaceutical aspects of drug design and the delivery of biotechnological drugs; bioinformatics; high-throughput technologies; and fermentation biotechnology.
The Degree Programme is organised into three curricula: Biomedical Biotechnology, Agricultural Biotechnology, and Biopharmaceutical Biotechnology.
During the first year, which is common to all three curricula, students undertake basic courses in mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry, biology, genetics, agricultural genetics, and bioinformatics. Each curriculum also includes, during the first year, a specialised course in the area of regulation and economics.
During the second year, students continue to attend courses shared by all three curricula, including core biotechnology subjects such as biochemistry, molecular biology, and physiology. At the same time, the three specialised pathways begin to develop through courses in their respective subject areas, including agricultural, biological and industrial, chemical and pharmaceutical, and medical and therapeutic biotechnology.
During the third year, students complete both their common and specialised training according to the chosen curriculum. They also select elective activities for the relevant optional credits, undertake a curricular traineeship aimed at training and career guidance, and complete the final examination. The final examination consists of the discussion, in either Italian or English, of a dissertation based on experimental work.
The programme has been designed to provide students with knowledge and skills that can be readily applied in the labour market. In particular, the curricula enable students to achieve the learning objectives of the degree class by developing their ability to apply innovative biotechnologies to the main fields in which biotechnology industries operate.
Particular emphasis is also placed on the ability to continuously update one's knowledge, which is essential in a field characterised by rapid scientific and technological progress. Graduates in Biotechnology may therefore undertake technical, scientific, operational, and managerial roles in basic research, medical diagnostics, agriculture and environmental biotechnology, the pharmaceutical sector, bio-industrial production, and the various processing activities associated with these fields.
The degree also provides access to further studies through Master's Degree Programmes, both at the University of Catania and at other Italian universities.