Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
Blended learning programme
Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
Course sheet
A.Y. 2026/2027
Master programme
LM-9 R - Biotecnologie mediche, veterinarie e farmaceutiche
The curriculum is aimed at providing in-depth expertise in the scientific aspects of biotechnology drug design and
engineering, characterization of their molecular and cellular mechanisms, and their therapeutic potential.
engineering, characterization of their molecular and cellular mechanisms, and their therapeutic potential.
To increase internationalization, students will be informed on the Erasmus and Erasmus Mundus programs activated within the master course. Lectures of foreign teachers and stages in foreign laboratories will be also proposed. Some of the classes will be given in English to give the students the opportunity to improve the English knowledge, with specific focus on scientific terminology.
More info is available at the link:
https://www.unimi.it/en/node/273
https://www.unimi.it/en/node/12879
Procedure for the recognition of study periods abroad: each student must propose a Learning Agreement regarding training activities that lead to the recognition of a number of credits adequate to the period spent abroad. Specifically, 20 CFU for a three-month period; 30 CFU for a six-month period; 45 CFU for a nine-month period.
Evaluation of the period spent abroad: the period of study abroad will be recognized as valid after obtaining at least 70% of the credits specified in the learning agreement, while the activity of the thesis or internship will be valid only after acquisition of all credits.
Incentives: for students who have accomplished satisfactorily the training program, additional points are added to the final degree mark. Up to a maximum of 3 points can be added depending on the duration of the study period, the amount of credits attained, and the overall results obtained by the student.
More info is available at the link:
https://www.unimi.it/en/node/273
https://www.unimi.it/en/node/12879
Procedure for the recognition of study periods abroad: each student must propose a Learning Agreement regarding training activities that lead to the recognition of a number of credits adequate to the period spent abroad. Specifically, 20 CFU for a three-month period; 30 CFU for a six-month period; 45 CFU for a nine-month period.
Evaluation of the period spent abroad: the period of study abroad will be recognized as valid after obtaining at least 70% of the credits specified in the learning agreement, while the activity of the thesis or internship will be valid only after acquisition of all credits.
Incentives: for students who have accomplished satisfactorily the training program, additional points are added to the final degree mark. Up to a maximum of 3 points can be added depending on the duration of the study period, the amount of credits attained, and the overall results obtained by the student.
Mandatory to the labs, recommended to the courses.
Students who are working
If the student is enrolled in working activities in laboratories in which techniques that are subject of the teaching laboratories are used, he/she is entitled of a partial/total exemption from laboratory attendance. To take advantage of such concession, the student has to present to the Secretariat of the Teaching Committee copy of the job contract and timetable at the beginning of each academic year.
Alternatively, the students who are working are entitled to enroll as part-time students (see below).
Part-time students
In agreement with the University of Milan rules, students who cannot attend classes with academic continuity and take exams within the regular duration of the course, can be granted the possibility to follow a specific path based on the particular situation and can be enrolled as part-time students.
For further information, please visit the website https://www.unimi.it/en/node/113/
Students who are working
If the student is enrolled in working activities in laboratories in which techniques that are subject of the teaching laboratories are used, he/she is entitled of a partial/total exemption from laboratory attendance. To take advantage of such concession, the student has to present to the Secretariat of the Teaching Committee copy of the job contract and timetable at the beginning of each academic year.
Alternatively, the students who are working are entitled to enroll as part-time students (see below).
Part-time students
In agreement with the University of Milan rules, students who cannot attend classes with academic continuity and take exams within the regular duration of the course, can be granted the possibility to follow a specific path based on the particular situation and can be enrolled as part-time students.
For further information, please visit the website https://www.unimi.it/en/node/113/
Enrolment
Enrolment
Application for admission: from 22/01/2026 to 25/08/2026
Application for enrolment: from 05/05/2026 to 30/11/2026
Attachments and documents
Non-EU students visa applicants are required to apply for admission no later than 30 April 2026.
Online services
Learn more:
Programme description and courses list
First semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Biology of Development and Differentiation | 6 | 56 | Italian | BIOS-10/A |
| Integrated Systems Physiology | 6 | 56 | Italian | BIOS-06/A |
| Metabolic and Functional Biochemistry | 6 | 48 | Italian | BIOS-07/A |
| Molecular Virology | 6 | 56 | Italian | BIOS-15/A |
| Organ Pathophysiology | 6 | 48 | Italian | MEDS-02/A |
Second semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Biotechnology in Pharmacology | 8 | 80 | Italian | BIOS-10/A BIOS-11/A |
| Design, Development, and Therapeutic Application of Biotechnological Drugs | 9 | 72 | Italian | BIOS-11/A CHEM-05/A CHEM-07/A |
| Omics Approaches: from Research to Therapy | 6 | 56 | Italian | BIOS-07/A BIOS-11/A |
| Structural Bioinformatics and Molecular Modeling | 10 | 96 | Italian | BIOS-07/A CHEM-05/A CHEM-07/A |
be activated by the A.Y. 2027/2028
First semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Analytical and Formulation Strategies in Biotechnological Drug Discovery | 8 | 72 | Italian | CHEM-07/A CHEM-08/A |
| Pharmacogenomics and Biomarkers | 9 | 72 | Italian | BIOS-11/A MEDS-08/A |
Open sessions
There are no specific sessions for these activities.
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optional | ||||
| Experimental Laboratory of Biotechnology | 9 | 0 | Italian | NN |
Conclusive activities
There are no specific sessions for these activities.
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Lab Training | 10 | 0 | Italian | NN |
| Final Exam | 21 | 0 | Italian | NN |
Optional activities and study plan rules
- By the deadline for submission of the study plan, the student must proceed to indicate the choice teachings for a total of 9 ETCS. These will be chosen freely a) among all the teachings proposed by the University as long as they are consistent with the study plan, after hearing the opinion of Interdepartmental Teaching Board of the master program; b) among all the teachings in the curricula not selected by the student. The student may also choose 9 ETCS of Experimental Biotechnology Laboratory. This laboratory aims to deepen the theoretical and practical aspects of the research topic that is the subject of the experimental laboratory work, and the program will be agreed with the supervisor consistently with the thesis topic. In addition, activities included in the University project for the development of soft skills are noted. The study plan will be submitted for evaluation and approval by the Interdepartmental Teaching Board of the master program.
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | Lesson period | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Experimental Laboratory of Biotechnology | 9 | 0 | Italian | Open sessions | NN |
First semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Biology of Development and Differentiation | 6 | 56 | Italian | BIOS-10/A |
| Integrated Systems Physiology | 6 | 56 | Italian | BIOS-06/A |
| Metabolic and Functional Biochemistry | 6 | 48 | Italian | BIOS-07/A |
| Molecular Virology | 6 | 56 | Italian | BIOS-15/A |
| Organ Pathophysiology | 6 | 48 | Italian | MEDS-02/A |
Second semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Biotechnological Drugs in Therapy | 8 | 72 | Italian | BIOS-11/A |
| Clinical Pharmacology and Applied Biochemistry | 9 | 80 | Italian | BIOS-07/A BIOS-11/A |
| Preparation and Development of Drugs with Biotechnological Methods | 9 | 72 | Italian | CHEM-07/A CHEM-07/C |
| Purification and Formulation of Biotechnological Drug Products | 8 | 72 | Italian | CHEM-07/A CHEM-08/A |
be activated by the A.Y. 2027/2028
First semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Production, Legislation and Marketing of Biotechnological Medicines | 7 | 56 | Italian | CHEM-08/A |
| Quality Control and Analysis for Biopharmaceuticals | 9 | 72 | Italian | BIOS-11/A CHEM-05/A CHEM-07/A |
Open sessions
There are no specific sessions for these activities.
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optional | ||||
| Experimental Laboratory of Biotechnology | 9 | 0 | Italian | NN |
Conclusive activities
There are no specific sessions for these activities.
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Lab Training | 10 | 0 | Italian | NN |
| Final Exam | 21 | 0 | Italian | NN |
Optional activities and study plan rules
- By the deadline for submission of the study plan, the student must proceed to indicate the choice teachings for a total of 9 ETCS. These will be chosen freely a) among all the teachings proposed by the University as long as they are consistent with the study plan, after hearing the opinion of Interdepartmental Teaching Board of the master program; b) among all the teachings in the curricula not selected by the student. The student may also choose 9 ETCS of Experimental Biotechnology Laboratory. This laboratory aims to deepen the theoretical and practical aspects of the research topic that is the subject of the experimental laboratory work, and the program will be agreed with the supervisor consistently with the thesis topic. In addition, activities included in the University project for the development of soft skills are noted. The study plan will be submitted for evaluation and approval by the Interdepartmental Teaching Board of the master program.
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | Lesson period | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Experimental Laboratory of Biotechnology | 9 | 0 | Italian | Open sessions | NN |
First semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Biology of Development and Differentiation | 6 | 56 | Italian | BIOS-10/A |
| Integrated Systems Physiology | 6 | 56 | Italian | BIOS-06/A |
| Metabolic and Functional Biochemistry | 6 | 48 | Italian | BIOS-07/A |
| Molecular Virology | 6 | 56 | Italian | BIOS-15/A |
| Organ Pathophysiology | 6 | 48 | Italian | MEDS-02/A |
Second semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Biochemical, Biomolecular, and Chemical Approaches for Manipulating Biological Systems | 7 | 56 | Italian | BIOS-07/A BIOS-10/A CHEM-05/A |
| Design and Optimization of Monoclonal Antibodies | 9 | 72 | Italian | BIOS-07/A BIOS-10/A BIOS-11/A |
| Nanoparticles and Viral Vectors | 7 | 56 | Italian | BIOS-15/A CHEM-07/A PHYS-06/A |
| Precision Pharmacology and Gender Therapy | 11 | 96 | Italian | BIOS-11/A MEDS-08/A |
be activated by the A.Y. 2027/2028
First semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products | 9 | 72 | Italian | BIOS-11/A BIOS-15/A |
| Formulation and Legislation of Monoclonal Antibodies, Nanovectors, and Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products | 7 | 56 | Italian | CHEM-08/A |
Open sessions
There are no specific sessions for these activities.
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optional | ||||
| Experimental Laboratory of Biotechnology | 9 | 0 | Italian | NN |
Conclusive activities
There are no specific sessions for these activities.
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Lab Training | 10 | 0 | Italian | NN |
| Final Exam | 21 | 0 | Italian | NN |
Optional activities and study plan rules
- By the deadline for submission of the study plan, the student must proceed to indicate the choice teachings for a total of 9 ETCS. These will be chosen freely a) among all the teachings proposed by the University as long as they are consistent with the study plan, after hearing the opinion of Interdepartmental Teaching Board of the master program; b) among all the teachings in the curricula not selected by the student. The student may also choose 9 ETCS of Experimental Biotechnology Laboratory. This laboratory aims to deepen the theoretical and practical aspects of the research topic that is the subject of the experimental laboratory work, and the program will be agreed with the supervisor consistently with the thesis topic. In addition, activities included in the University project for the development of soft skills are noted. The study plan will be submitted for evaluation and approval by the Interdepartmental Teaching Board of the master program.
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | Lesson period | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Experimental Laboratory of Biotechnology | 9 | 0 | Italian | Open sessions | NN |
year
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Integrated Systems Physiology | 6 | 56 | English | BIOS-06/A |
| Molecular Biochemistry and Functional Biology | 10 | 88 | English | BIOS-07/A BIOS-10/A |
| Protein Engineering, Drug Delivery and Regulatory Aspects | 11 | 96 | English | CHEM-07/A CHEM-08/A |
First semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases | 8 | 64 | English | BIOS-15/A MEDS-02/A |
Second semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Bioinformatics and Molecular Modeling | 8 | 72 | English | BIOS-07/A CHEM-05/A CHEM-07/A |
| Omics: from Bench to Bedside | 6 | 48 | English | BIOS-07/A MEDS-02/A |
| Pharmacogenomics, Clinical Pharmacology, and Orphan Drugs | 7 | 56 | English | BIOS-11/A |
be activated by the A.Y. 2027/2028
First semester
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Biomarkers: from Identification to Exploitation | 10 | 88 | English | BIOS-11/A CHEM-07/A MEDS-08/A |
| Cell Therapy and Gene Silencing | 7 | 72 | English | BIOS-10/A BIOS-11/A BIOS-15/A |
| Nanotechnology Based Medicinal Products | 7 | 56 | English | BIOS-11/A CHEM-05/A CHEM-08/A |
Open sessions
There are no specific sessions for these activities.
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optional | ||||
| Experimental Laboratory of Biotechnology | 9 | 0 | English | NN |
Conclusive activities
There are no specific sessions for these activities.
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory | ||||
| Lab Training | 10 | 0 | English | NN |
| Final Exam | 21 | 0 | English | NN |
Optional activities and study plan rules
- By the deadline for submission of the study plan, the student must proceed to indicate the choice teachings for a total of 9 ETCS. These will be chosen freely a) among all the teachings proposed by the University as long as they are consistent with the study plan, after hearing the opinion of Interdepartmental Teaching Board of the master program; b) among all the teachings in the curricula not selected by the student. The student may also choose 9 ETCS of Experimental Biotechnology Laboratory. This laboratory aims to deepen the theoretical and practical aspects of the research topic that is the subject of the experimental laboratory work, and the program will be agreed with the supervisor consistently with the thesis topic. In addition, activities included in the University project for the development of soft skills are noted. The study plan will be submitted for evaluation and approval by the Interdepartmental Teaching Board of the master program.
| Courses or activities | Max ECTS | Total hours | Language | Lesson period | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Experimental Laboratory of Biotechnology | 9 | 0 | English | Open sessions | NN |
Learn more
Guidance:
Admission, ranking and enrolment
Milan
Course locations
The course activities are held in the Città Studi teaching facilities.
Laboratory locations
The program is characterized by an intense laboratory activity. The laboratories are mandatory and must be attended during the corresponding year. During practical lessons the necessary security norms and of correct behaviour in the labortory are given to the students.
Head of study programme
Academic guidance tutor
Erasmus and international mobility tutor
Internship tutor
Quality Assurance Delegate
Reference structures
Contacts
- Course management for the Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences
Via Balzaretti 9, Milano
didattica.disfeb@unimi.it
+3902 503 18231 - Student Desks
Via Celoria 18, Milano
https://www.unimi.it/it/node/359
+3902 503 25032
https://www.unimi.it/it/node/360 - Tutor for students assistance
studentsupport-BTF@unimi.it - Representative for disability services and specific learning disabilities prof.ssa Emma De Fabiani
prof.ssa Emma De Fabiani
emma.defabiani@unimi.it
The tuition fees for students enrolled in Bachelor's, Master's and single-cycle degree programmes are divided into two instalments with different calculation methods and payment schedules:
- The amount of the first instalment is the same for all students
- The amount of the second instalment varies according to the ISEE University value, the degree programme and the student status (on track / off track for one year or off track for more than a year)
- An additional fee is due for online programmes
The University also offers:
- Concessions for students meeting high merit requirements
- Diversified tuition fees according to the student's home country for international students with assets/income abroad
- Concessions for international students with refugee status
Scholarships and benefits
The University provides a range of financial benefits to students meeting special requirements (merit, financial or personal conditions, international students).
Learn more
Official documents
