Biotechnology for the Bioeconomy - (Classe LM-7)-Enrolled from 2018/19 Academic Year
Bioeconomy responds to the environmental challenges the world is facing, oriented to reduce the dependence on natural resources, transform manufacturing, promote sustainable production of renewable plant, microbial and animal resources and their conversion into food, feed, materials, bio-based products and bio-energy, while growing new jobs and industries. Biotechnology is one of the key enabling technology to sustain a new green and sustainable economy (i.e. bioeconomy), offering solutions for i) an efficient and sustainable production of plant and microbial biomasses; ii) production of bioenergy from (waste) biomasses; environmental protection and safety in terms of bioremediation; iii) green chemistry processes and applications; iv) sustainable agrofood production and processes.
In this context, the BforB Master degree aims at providing students with advanced molecular and cellular background of microbial and plant systems, which are the basis for the several sectors of the biotechnologies applied to the bioeconomy. The BforB Master degree will equip students with a solid and broad expertise about the structure and function of biological macromolecules of interest for the bioeconomy sector. In addition, the BforB Master degree will provide theoretical and practical instruments for the set up, analyses and improvement of biotechnological processes for the transformation of renewable raw materials in biotechnological processes exploiting microorganisms, plant systems and enzymes.
The BforB Master degree will be taught entirely in English, providing the students with knowledge and competences that can be spent at European and extra European level, at which the bioeconomy sector is faced. Moreover, the English language will allow the participation of students from out of Italy, making the Master degree a stimulant learning environment.
In this context, the BforB Master degree aims at providing students with advanced molecular and cellular background of microbial and plant systems, which are the basis for the several sectors of the biotechnologies applied to the bioeconomy. The BforB Master degree will equip students with a solid and broad expertise about the structure and function of biological macromolecules of interest for the bioeconomy sector. In addition, the BforB Master degree will provide theoretical and practical instruments for the set up, analyses and improvement of biotechnological processes for the transformation of renewable raw materials in biotechnological processes exploiting microorganisms, plant systems and enzymes.
The BforB Master degree will be taught entirely in English, providing the students with knowledge and competences that can be spent at European and extra European level, at which the bioeconomy sector is faced. Moreover, the English language will allow the participation of students from out of Italy, making the Master degree a stimulant learning environment.
The BforB graduate is an expert in coordination, management and set up of research and development laboratories in public entities and in private companies in the chemical, agro-environmental and biotechnological sectors. The function will primarily be the development, implementation and coordination of laboratory activity within basic and applied research projects, the set up of bioprocesses, the quality control.
More in detail, the BforB graduate is an expert in planning, development, analyses and control of processes for:
· Industrial fermentation for production of metabolites and renewable energy
· plant and microbial cell as biofactories for molecules of interest in the fine chemical and polymer industry, agro-food and pharmaceutical industry with particular application to the green chemistry and bio-based industry
· bioremediation of contaminated land and waters, using plants and/or microorganisms
· innovative diagnosis tools, applied in particular to the traceability in agro-food chain
The employment opportunities for the BforB graduate are in research bodies (both public and private) and bio-based chemical, pharmaceutical, agro-food, and biotechnological enterprises.
Employment statistics (Almalaurea)
More in detail, the BforB graduate is an expert in planning, development, analyses and control of processes for:
· Industrial fermentation for production of metabolites and renewable energy
· plant and microbial cell as biofactories for molecules of interest in the fine chemical and polymer industry, agro-food and pharmaceutical industry with particular application to the green chemistry and bio-based industry
· bioremediation of contaminated land and waters, using plants and/or microorganisms
· innovative diagnosis tools, applied in particular to the traceability in agro-food chain
The employment opportunities for the BforB graduate are in research bodies (both public and private) and bio-based chemical, pharmaceutical, agro-food, and biotechnological enterprises.
Employment statistics (Almalaurea)
Students with an Italian University degree: The BforB Master degree can be accessed by graduates of Laurea Triennale belonging to the L-2 class (Biotecnologia) and previous class I (Biotecnologia). It can also be accessed by any student with a Laurea Triennale providing a strong background (at least 60 University credits, CFU) in biotechnology-related subjects, i.e. subject identified as "core disciplines" for the L-2 class of Laurea Triennale.
Students with a degree from non-Italian institution: the candidates must possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or University, and strong knowledge in some (or all) of the following areas: molecular biology, genetics, microbiology, plant cell biology, biochemistry, chemistry.
All students must have a good knowledge of spoken and written English: a B2 level certification (vantage or upper intermediate, as defined by the Common European Framework of reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment; recognised certifications: http://www.unimi.it/cataloghi/slam/CertificazioniENG_Apr2018.pdf) or, in alternative, an equivalent result in the Placement test offered by the University of Milan must be obtained prior enrolment and it is required to attend the exam sessions. Students that will not provide a valid certification at the enrolment application will be contacted by the course secretariat to sustain the English placement test. The placement test for students that will apply within September 15th, 2018, will take place on September 26th, 2018. Who will be contacted and will not attend the test will not have any other possibility to obtain the English certification by the University of Milan.
Students with a degree from non-Italian institution: the candidates must possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or University, and strong knowledge in some (or all) of the following areas: molecular biology, genetics, microbiology, plant cell biology, biochemistry, chemistry.
All students must have a good knowledge of spoken and written English: a B2 level certification (vantage or upper intermediate, as defined by the Common European Framework of reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment; recognised certifications: http://www.unimi.it/cataloghi/slam/CertificazioniENG_Apr2018.pdf) or, in alternative, an equivalent result in the Placement test offered by the University of Milan must be obtained prior enrolment and it is required to attend the exam sessions. Students that will not provide a valid certification at the enrolment application will be contacted by the course secretariat to sustain the English placement test. The placement test for students that will apply within September 15th, 2018, will take place on September 26th, 2018. Who will be contacted and will not attend the test will not have any other possibility to obtain the English certification by the University of Milan.
In the framework of the ERASMUS+ program, the BforB Master course has in place agreements with Universities in, Finland, Germany, Spain, France, Austria, all offering courses in English.
Calls for participation can be found at the following link: http://www.unimi.it/studenti/erasmus/79224.htm. The time spent abroad can be used to attend courses and pass the relative exams, thus collecting credits towards the Master degree, as well as to carry out the experimental project for the dissertation. The student admitted to the mobility program must submit a study plan detailing the training activities that he/she plans to carry out, with the corresponding credits. The number of credits should correspond as much as possible to the number of credits that the student should acquire in a similar span of time at the home University. The proposed activities must be consistent with the goals and the contents of the Master degree. The study plan must be approved by the BforB Student Mobility Committee, which can request changes or integrations. At the end of the mobility program, according to the guidelines provided by the University of Milan, the courses (with a passed exam) and laboratory trainings attended by the student are registered in his/her career, with its original name and with an indication of the ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) and their conversion in CFU (usually 1 ECTS= 1 CFU). The students willing to carry out their dissertation work as part of a mobility program abroad must have an internal supervisor (chosen among the BforB lecturers) and the study plan must be approved by the BforB board.
Calls for participation can be found at the following link: http://www.unimi.it/studenti/erasmus/79224.htm. The time spent abroad can be used to attend courses and pass the relative exams, thus collecting credits towards the Master degree, as well as to carry out the experimental project for the dissertation. The student admitted to the mobility program must submit a study plan detailing the training activities that he/she plans to carry out, with the corresponding credits. The number of credits should correspond as much as possible to the number of credits that the student should acquire in a similar span of time at the home University. The proposed activities must be consistent with the goals and the contents of the Master degree. The study plan must be approved by the BforB Student Mobility Committee, which can request changes or integrations. At the end of the mobility program, according to the guidelines provided by the University of Milan, the courses (with a passed exam) and laboratory trainings attended by the student are registered in his/her career, with its original name and with an indication of the ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) and their conversion in CFU (usually 1 ECTS= 1 CFU). The students willing to carry out their dissertation work as part of a mobility program abroad must have an internal supervisor (chosen among the BforB lecturers) and the study plan must be approved by the BforB board.
Courses list
First semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Biomass and Waste Recycling Promoting the Circular Economy | 7 | 56 | English | AGR/13 |
| Fermentation Biotechnology | 7 | 56 | English | CHIM/11 |
| Methods in Biotechnology | 10 | 118 | English | AGR/07 AGR/11 AGR/12 |
| Structure and Functions of Biomolecules | 7 | 64 | English | CHIM/06 CHIM/10 |
Second semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Environmental Microbial Biotechnology | 6 | 52 | English | AGR/16 |
| Environmental Plant Biotechnology | 6 | 48 | English | AGR/13 |
| Plants as Biofactories | 6 | 56 | English | AGR/07 |
| Protein Engineering and Proteomics | 6 | 60 | English | BIO/10 |
| Optional | ||||
| Experimental Planning and Biostatistics in Biotechnology | 6 | 60 | English | AGR/17 BIO/10 |
be activated by the A.Y. 2019/2020
First semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Bioeconomy: Management, Assessment and Intellectual Property | 6 | 48 | English | AGR/01 |
| Optional | ||||
| Bio-Based Innovation in Food Science | 6 | 48 | English | AGR/15 |
| Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals | 6 | 56 | English | BIO/09 |
| Molecular Analysis and Traceability of Biotechnological Products | 6 | 68 | English | BIO/10 |
| Natural Resource Economics and Policy | 6 | 48 | English | AGR/01 SECS-P/01 |
Second semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optional | ||||
| Applied Biocatalysis | 6 | 52 | English | CHIM/11 |
Optional activities and study plan rules
- Elective courses: The student will chose 2 course among the list of elective courses. The elective courses will be activated in the second year of the course except "Experimental planning and biostatistics in biotechnology" that will be activated since the first year.
Chose 2 among the following:
Chose 2 among the following:
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | Lesson period | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Biocatalysis | 6 | 52 | English | Second semester | CHIM/11 |
| Bio-Based Innovation in Food Science | 6 | 48 | English | First semester | AGR/15 |
| Experimental Planning and Biostatistics in Biotechnology | 6 | 60 | English | Second semester | AGR/17 BIO/10 |
| Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals | 6 | 56 | English | First semester | BIO/09 |
| Molecular Analysis and Traceability of Biotechnological Products | 6 | 68 | English | First semester | BIO/10 |
| Natural Resource Economics and Policy | 6 | 48 | English | First semester | AGR/01 SECS-P/01 |
Open sessions
There are no specific sessions for these activities (e.g. open online courses).
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Internship and Final Exam | 36 | 900 | English | |
| Other Activities (laboratories, seminars) | 3 | 0 | English | |
Optional activities and study plan rules
- Free Credits: ECTS 8
Course location
Milano
Presidente del Collegio Didattico
Prof.ssa Sara Borin
Tutors professors
A.Y. 2025/2026
A.Y. 2024/2025
A.Y. 2023/2024
A.Y. 2022/2023
A.Y. 2021/2022
A.Y. 2020/2021
A.Y. 2019/2020
A.Y. 2018/2019
Official documents