PHD PROGRAM IN MOLECULAR MEDICINE (website: https://phd.uniroma1.it/web/MEDICINA-MOLECOLARE_nD3521_IT.aspx) The activity of the PhD Program in Molecular Medicine is focused on: a) understanding the molecular basis of diseases and development of appropriate experimental models; b) development of tools and procedures applied to molecular diagnosis and therapy. AIMS a) Training scientists able to perform biomedical research using advanced technologies on the fields described in the Research and Study Program, within the areas of predictive and preventive Medicine and molecular therapy using physiopathological, diagnostic and prognostic approaches. The projects aim to understand and to translate into medical practice genetic and molecular basis of diseases and to generate new molecular tools for diagnosis and therapy. b) Exploiting biomedical research products and knowledge advancement in biotechnology industry. RESEARCH AND STUDY PROGRAM The PhD program in Molecular Medicine is run in agreement with the University La Sapienza and related clinical institutions (Policlinico Umberto I and S. Andrea Hospital) as school site. Training & Students' Monitoring The PhD program graduate research training is interdisciplinary, with a concentration in one or more of the following areas: biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, Molecular Oncology and Cancer Genetics, Immunology, Molecular Genetics, Proteomics, genomics, Structural Biology, developmental biology and Stem Cells, computational biology, The methods and experimental approaches used to address questions within these areas range from the techniques of molecular biology, protein chemistry, cell biology and biophysics to those of molecular and developmental genetics. Lectures are held by a combination of internal and external ad hoc teachers. The theoretical part of the course may be flanked by practical activities. Scientific Methodology, Molecular Oncology, Cancer Genetics, Statistics, Genomics & proteomics, Science communication, Drug Discovery are some of the courses held. Moreover in the context of its training activities the PhD program organizes a series of scientific seminars. These are held weekly by internationally recognized scientists and cover a wide range of topics related to molecular medicine. Journal clubs sessions are foreseen in the context of the three year courses. To ensure a productive scientific and professional outcome by the end of the Program, students" progresses are carefully monitored by tutors of the PhD program Faculty members and external. Doctoral Thesis Thesis must be approved by the supervisor before being submitted, firstly to external reviewers and then to an examination panel (made up of national or international experts. The examination includes a public seminar during which the student will be given the opportunity to comment on any adverse points and on any revisions that the examiners intend to suggest. The examination panel will finally provide final recommendations about the award of the title. Before the public discussion, the Thesis must be submitted to external reviewers, selected in accord with the tutor and approved by the internal evaluation Committee. Publication of part or all of his/her experimental work in an international scientific journal is required. EDUCATION 1) SECTION OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE a) Molecular Pathology and Technologies of Molecular Diagnosis: gene mutation detection (Real Time QPCR and PCR, heteroduplex analysis, SSCP, DGGE, PTT, Fluorescent Assisted Mismatch Analysis, microsatellite analysis, DNA sequencing, DNA-microarrays, microRNA-microarray, Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), ChIP-on-chip, next-generation massively parallel sequencing DNA-Seq, ChIP-seq, RNA-seq); b) Models of gene therapy and genetic engineering; c) Genotype-phenotype relationships and molecular pathogenesis of human diseases and animal models of diseases. d) Molecular Oncology e) Biotechnology - Cellular and molecular biology: cell differentiation and growth (stem and progenitor cells); gene expression; recombinant DNA technologies; - Genomics and post-genomics: gene searching; transcriptomics; functional characterization of gene products; - Mouse models of diseases: conditional transgenic, knock-out and knock-in mice; - Gene transfer: transfection and viral vectors. 2) SECTION OF MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY AND PHYSIOPATHOLOGY The activity of the Section of Molecular Pathology Physiopathology is focused on the study of the molecular pathogenesis of the human diseases and to the development of new diagnostic methodologies in human pathology. Deepening of a strong background in human pathology mainly in the fields of Molecular Pathology and oncology of solid tumors. a) Study of the molecular mechanisms during damage production in specific conditions of human disease. b). Optical and electron microscopy; c). Development of laser microdissection, coupled to biochemistry or molecular biology techniques, mainly for the study of small biopsies from patients; 3) SECTION OF ENDOCRINE AND METABOLIC PHYSIOPATHOLOGY a) Molecular pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy of endocrine diseases and molecular basis of hormonal signal transduction. b) the technological expertise to perform studies on molecular epidemiology and on genetic characterization and prediction of multifactorial diseases. c) the methodological approach to evaluate the interactions between genetic susceptibility and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases and cancer. d) Genetics of diabetes e) Genetic susceptibility and immune response. ONGOING RESEARCH PROJECTS Genetic and molecular aspects of brain tumors. Genetic and molecular aspects of T cell leukemias. Genetic and molecular aspects of solid tumors. Genetic and molecular aspects of hematological tumors. Epigenetic regulation (chromatin and microRNA) of normal or cancer stem cells. Genetic and molecular aspects of signal transduction during neural progenitor development and pathological implications. Genetic and molecular aspects of hereditary tumors (breast/ovary). Genetic and molecular aspects of miocardiopathies. Genetic and molecular aspects of diabetes. MAIN FACILITIES Department of Molecular Medicine, viale Regina Elena 291, Rome; concurrent: Dept. Experimental Medicine; Dept. Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology. Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Laboratories of Cell Culture (included BL2), digital Library, Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Laboratory of Genomics (Next Generation Sequencing – Illumina HiSeq 1500, MySeq, Nanostring Quantitatve PCR Via7, Ion Torrent, capillary DNA Sequenzer ABIPrism 3100), Animal Facility (breeeding and development of genetically modified murine models), Laboratories of Flow Cytometry and cell sorting, confocal Microscopy and time-lapse.