Course Overview
Neuroscience represents a multidisciplinary research area of prominent scientific relevance. It has grown exponentially in recent years due to the combined application of molecular and cellular technologies, which have enabled a deeper understanding of brain function. The PhD program aims to provide students with the advanced knowledge necessary to understand the unique mechanisms underlying brain function, as well as the neural processes involved in cognitive functions, behavior, and learning. These topics will be explored under both physiological and pathological conditions, with a specific focus on neurological and psychiatric disorders. The core disciplinary fields, encompassing both theoretical frameworks and specific investigative methodologies, will address psychiatry, molecular and cellular neurobiology, biochemistry, neuropharmacology, neurophysiology, cognitive neuroscience, behavioral biology, psychobiology, and neuropsychology in an integrated manner. In line with current trends in the study of the brain/mind relationship, the course will provide the foundation to transition from a basic reductionist approach to a progressively more integrated functionalist paradigm. The impact of neuroscience on public and social health is immense, considering that approximately 100 million people worldwide suffer from neurodegenerative diseases, which represent genuine social emergencies. In Italy alone, dementias are estimated to affect over 500,000 individuals. With the progressive aging of the population, these conditions will increasingly become a healthcare priority for our country. Furthermore, given the human and social costs of disorders induced by nervous system injuries, neuroscience currently stands as one of the research fields capable of making the greatest contribution to individual and public health through its advancements. Consequently, regarding biomedical aspects, particular attention will be dedicated to neurodegenerative disorders characteristic of old age. Within this context, emphasis will be placed on identifying predictive biomarkers (proteins, metabolites, nucleic acids) and developing advanced, ultra-sensitive methodologies. The insights gained will serve to validate cellular and animal disease models in vitro and in vivo, thereby expanding the spectrum of current therapeutic interventions. Notably, this project proposal has also been received with great interest by the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the Apulia region (including healthcare, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology companies, clinical facilities, local health authorities [ASL], and residential care homes). Numerous preliminary discussions have been initiated; however, they have not yet been formalized, as this is a newly established PhD course. Specifically, the proposed educational path aims to create value through the knowledge generated by geriatric and gerontological research, develop cutting-edge research programs on aging—encompassing both basic and translational research—and guarantee elderly patients excellence in care and assistance
integrated with research activities, while also contributing to scientific progress through research outputs transferable to the healthcare system.
Learning Objectives
The PhD program in Basic and Clinical Neuroscience aims to provide advanced research training
focused on the interdisciplinary study of the central and peripheral nervous systems, the mind/brain
system, and their applications in social and clinical contexts.
Accordingly, the primary macro-objectives are:
- To deepen the understanding of the molecular and pathophysiological bases of some of the most significant neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders through synergies between basic and clinical researchers. Doctoral students will be provided with a solid theoretical-practical background and an in-depth experimental and analytical knowledge of the most modern and advanced technologies in molecular biology, neurochemistry, electrophysiology, neurogenetics, and animal behavior applied to neuroscience, with the aim of acquiring knowledge beneficial to the development of innovative therapies and prevention oriented toward active and healthy aging.
- To expand neuroscientific knowledge underlying learning processes and various types of memory in both physiological and pathological conditions, in order to develop tools that can enhance cognitive performance and the effectiveness of educational processes, thereby offering new avenues of support and therapy for individuals with special and specific needs.
- To enable students to acquire an independent scientific research capacity characterized by creative originality and methodological rigor, embedding them within a network of relations and exchanges with prestigious national and international research institutions, as well as public and private entities.
The thematic areas intended for development are as follows:
- Neurobiological: This area comprises basic and applied research within the cellular and molecular domains. It includes Neurobiology, cellular and molecular Neurophysiology, Neuroanatomy, cellular and molecular Neuropathology, cellular and molecular Neuropharmacology, as well as all research conducted on experimental models aimed at developing and testing molecules or procedures for diagnostic or therapeutic application. Scientifically, this theme centers on the study of molecular, metabolic, synaptic, and functional changes affecting the brain following the onset of learning disorders, as well as during aging, and the study of synaptic and systemic plasticity mechanisms.
- Pathophysiological: This area encompasses, on one hand, research aimed at defining the alterations characterizing age-related brain diseases and, on the other hand, the application of regenerative medicine principles and methods (with particular attention to the development of stem cell-based techniques) to the specific challenges of aging. This area therefore includes research traditionally falling under experimental Neurology and Psychiatry, or Neurology, as well as research concerning systems Physiology, Psychology, Artificial Intelligence, Neural Networks, and Behavioral Sciences.
- Prevention: This fundamental, long-term area is closely linked to the previous two. It aims, on one hand, to define procedures suitable for promoting adaptive plastic mechanisms capable of improving learning and slowing down the mechanisms that contribute to the brain aging process, and on the other hand, to reduce factors that promote this process or exacerbate the clinical manifestations of certain neurological and neuropsychiatric pathologies.
Educational Activities
- Neurochemistry
- Cellular and animal models of human diseases
- Genetics and neuroscience
- Stem cells and regenerative medicine
- Microbiome and the gut-brain axis
- Sensory and cognitive neuroscience
- Mitochondrial pathophysiology
- Chronobiology
- Scientific research methodology
- Cellular senescence and aging
Other educational activities (seminars, laboratory and research activities, interdisciplinary,
multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary training)
- Advanced IT and computer skills
- Research management and knowledge of European and international research systems
- Valorization and dissemination of results, intellectual property, and open access to research
data and products - Fundamental principles of ethics, gender equality, and integrity
- Seminars
Admission Requirements
- LM-6 Biology
- LM-8 Industrial Biotechnology
- LM-9 Medical, Veterinary, and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
- LM-13 Pharmacy and Industrial Pharmacy
- LM-17 Physics
- LM-18 Computer Science
- LM-21 Biomedical Engineering
- LM-32 Computer Engineering
- LM-40 Mathematics
- LM-41 Medicine and Surgery
- LM-42 Veterinary Medicine
- LM-46 Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics
- LM-51 Psychology
- LM-54 Chemical Sciences
- LM-55 Cognitive Science
- LM-60 Natural Sciences
- LM-61 Human Nutrition Sciences
- LM-67 Sciences and Techniques of Preventive and Adapted Physical Activities
- LM/SNT1 Nursing and Midwifery Sciences
- LM/SNT2 Rehabilitation Sciences of Health Professions
- LM/SNT3 Technical Health Professions Sciences
- LM/SNT4 Preventive Health Professions Sciences
Sbocchi occupazionali e professionali
The PhD training network is extensive and encompasses all locations where the members of the Doctoral Committee operate, ensuring that PhD students can engage with high-level laboratories within prestigious university and non-university environments possessing an internationally recognized profile of excellence. Upon completion of the doctoral program, students will be capable of independently developing research projects, coordinating data collection by integrating methods unique to basic and clinical sciences, evaluating results, proposing technological innovations, and working effectively within multidisciplinary teams. PhD graduates may continue their training in their respective areas of specialization and acquire functional expertise for professional roles such as Basic Researcher or Clinical Researcher within fields such as neurology and psychiatry. The competencies acquired will facilitate career placement in various sectors of Neuroscience, including dedicated university laboratories equipped with advanced instrumentation, healthcare companies, research and development (R&D) departments of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, as well as regional and national clinical research and hospitalization facilities (IRCCS) with which the faculty members of the PhD course have already established and consolidated scientific collaborations, and in consulting activities related to their specific area of scientific expertise.
PhD students in the Basic and Clinical Neuroscience program are actively involved in "Third Mission" activities, with the goal of promoting the dissemination of scientific knowledge and the transfer of research results to the socio-economic context. Specifically, they participate in conferences, public seminars, science festivals, and public engagement initiatives aimed at schools, associations, and the general public, thereby contributing to the spread of scientific culture and the promotion of public health.
They also collaborate with healthcare facilities, public and private entities, as well as biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, facilitating processes of technological transfer and innovation. Finally, they take part in projects and activities with a direct social impact, such as prevention programs, the promotion of active aging, and support for people with specific needs, thereby strengthening the role of the PhD program as a bridge between the university, the productive sector, and civil society.