Bioinformatics for Computational Genomics

MSc programme in cooperation with Università degli Studi di Milano.

The lessons will be held at Università degli Studi di Milano and at the Leonardo campus of Politecnico di Milano.

Admission is open to students with a Bachelor Degree in either biomolecular sciences OR computer science/mathematics, with a basic knowledge in either genetics, molecular biology and biochemistry, OR computer/information science and mathematics (programming, data bases, statistics).

The joint Master Degree in “Bioinformatics for Computational Genomics” (BCG) of Politecnico di Milano and Università degli Studi di Milano aims to give its graduates an adequate knowledge on the molecular basis of biological systems; the structure and function of biological molecules and how they participate in cellular processes; the technologies and platforms for the analysis of genomes; the tools for bioinformatics and genomic analysis; and the statistical and computational methodologies for the analysis of biomolecular data.
Therefore, the BCG degree includes activities providing in depth knowledge on:

• the organization of information in the genome and the molecular and cellular processes at the basis of gene expression and its regulation
• the experimental methods used for studying genes and their function in different model species, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic
• the technologies employed in modern genomic research
• methods and protocols of bioinformatic analysis in functional genomics studies
• algorithmic, mathematical and statistical approaches underlying bioinformatic and genomic analysis tools
• data base technologies for the storage and organization of the data
• modelling and analysis techniques employed in systems biology for the study of interactions in complex biological systems.

Università degli Studi di Milano will offer the courses focused on biological topics, while Politecnico di Milano will offer the computational ones.

1^ST YEAR

1^st semester

• Mandatory courses: Organic Chemistry; Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
• Elective courses: Genetics, Cellular and Molecular Biology; Biochemistry; Programming and Data Bases; Statistics

2^nd semester

• Mandatory courses: Genomics and Transcriptomics; Scientific Programming; Machine Learning; Biostatistics

2^ND YEAR 

1^st semester

• Mandatory courses: Advanced Genomics and Epigenomics; Structural Chemistry; Systems Biology and Network Analysis
• Elective courses: Interdisciplinary project; Genomic Big Data Management and Computing

The BCG Master degree aims to train “data scientists”, highly skilled professionals able to merge in depth knowledge on the molecular foundations of life sciences with up-to-date knowledge of the current techniques and technologies for bioinformatic and genomic analysis. Particular emphasis will be put on the quantitative and computational aspects of the latter ones, which will be focused on the analysis, modelling, and comprehension of biological systems. The ultimate goal is to train in a multi-disciplinary context professionals ready to cope with the challenges deriving from modern biomolecular sciences in the post-genomic era, and able to conjugate and integrate knowledge on biology, genetics, computer science, information engineering, and statistics in different fields of basic or applied research.
Graduates in BCG will thus be able to:

• take part in the design and execution of large scale genomic analyses
• identify and extract the biological meaning from the results obtained
• design tools and protocols for the bioinformatic analysis of different types of experimental data autonomously
• play a pivotal role in research groups focused on basic or applied genomic research
• coordinate and supervise research projects and groups focused on bioinformatics and genomics

Application website

For info: bcgenomics(at)unimi.it

Industrial and Information Engineering

Department of Biosciences Università degli Studi di Milano