The main goal of the Master’s degree Molecular biology of the Cell is to train biologists in the field of advanced bio-molecular research and to enable them to face the present and future challenges in this field.

Specific goal of Molecular biology of the cell is to provide a deep and up-to-date knowledge in the following subjects: molecular genome analysis; regulation of gene expression; structure and function of biological macromolecules and their interactions in supramolecular complexes; cellular communication, signal perception and transduction, metabolic regulation, bio- molecular engineering and computing. The focus will be on theoretical as well as on practical aspects of bio-molecular research.

The graduate student will apply novel and emerging research technologies/approaches, ultimate data acquisition systems and analysis by conducting research on a real-world problem in the laboratories of the Department of Biosciences.

The graduate in Master Molecular biology of the cell has a specific and in-depth knowledge in the field of molecular and cell biology and related analytical methodologies and experimental techniques.

The graduate will be particularly knowledgeable in the comprehension of complex biomolecular systems and of their application to the industry and to the society. The program has been designed specifically for students who have an interest in careers in:

• basic and applied research at the University and/or in other public or private research centers;
• biomedical, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, spin off and startup companies for self-directed and independent work;
• promotion and development of scientific and technological innovation;
• planning and management of industrial technologies;
• holding high-level of responsibility in industrial, environmental, health care, and public service sectors;
• teaching biology at all levels.

Employment statistics

Application and admissions: Free, subject to entry requirements.

The access to the Master’s in Molecular biology of the cell is open to:

• Graduates in Biological Sciences (L-13) from any Italian University that follows the rules of CBUI (Collegio Biologi Università Italiane), as adequately stated by a certificate (www.cbui.unito.it). In this case, the credits acquired as an undergraduate by the candidate will be fully recognized and they are considered to have the curricular prerequisites.
• Graduates in Biological Sciences (L-13) from Universities that do not follow the rules of CBUI, graduates in other related classes and foreign graduates that have acquired a title considered to be equivalent to the I level degree by the Italian law. In all these cases students are requested to have earned at last 90 ects (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) in relevant subjects.

Students missing adequate curricular requirements can contact the Director of the Master well in advance in order to plan acquisition of the requested ects before the application deadline. The missing ects can be acquired by passing the relevant exams at the University of Milan as well as at any other University.

The minimum requirement for the English language knowledge is, for all students, the B1 level ("lower intermediate") of the Common European Framework or equivalent certification.

English language

In order to be enrolled to the Master degree, students who did not obtained the bachelor degree in an international course are required to certify their knowledge of the English language at the B2 level in one of the following ways: by submitting a language certificate accepted by the University of Milan and attesting a B2 or higher level of knowledge, or by sitting for the Placement Test run by SLAM-Servizio Linguistico di Ateneo.

MBC students are given the opportunity to spend part of their curriculum abroad, at a University within the European Union (EU), in the context of the Erasmus+ program of the European Commission. Students can attend courses and sit exams that can be included in the core curriculum and/or perform their practical thesis in several European Universities localized in North Europe, France, Germany, Ireland, Poland and Iberian Peninsula (see http://www.dbs.unimi.it/ecm/home/erasmus/studenti-in-uscita/scienze-bio…).

Most of the Northern European Universities offer courses taught in English. The Erasmus+ call is released each year, usually in February. More information can be found at Erasmus page

Accepted students must present a study plan that reports all the activities he/she intends to perform abroad, detailing the corresponding CFU; the number of proposed CFUs should approximately correspond to those the student would have achieved over the same time period in his/her university.

The proposed study plan, to be carried out under the Erasmus+ program, must be coherent with the MBC course content and must be evaluated and approved by the Teaching Board. If necessary, the Teaching Board may request the student to integrate the program of exams taken abroad. In accordance with the rules established by the Academic Senate, following completion of the Erasmus+ program, approved exams will be registered, possibly with the original denomination, as part of the student's curriculum, upon the conversion of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) into CFU.

If the student performs the experimental thesis work abroad, he/she must follow the rules outlined above (see Internship criteria and Rules for the thesis and final exam).

Course attendance is strongly recommended.