The International PhD program in Biomedicine and

THE)INTERNATIONAL)PHD)PROGRAM)IN)BIOMEDICINE)AND)NEUROSCIENCE)
at#the#University#of#Palermo,#Italy,#
joined#with##
THE)NEUROSCIENCE)GRADUATE)PROGRAM))
OF)THE)GRADUATE)SCHOOL)IN)BIOMEDICAL)SCIENCES))
at#the#University#of#Texas#Medical#Branch#(UTMB),#Galveston#(TX),#USA.
Francesco)Cappello,)MD)
Ins>tu>onal)strategies)and)policy)
•  The#longDterm#vision#and#mission#of#our#
program#is#to#graduate#young#researchers#
who#will#become#scien>sts)and/or)teachers)in)
the)fields)of)biomedicine)and)neuroscience)in#
academic#(public#or#private)#insHtuHons,#
industries,#or#Government.#
Educa>onal)objec>ves)and)competences)
•  It#is#expected#that#our#graduates#will#have#a#
broad#base#of#experience#with#modern#
experimental#skills#and#comprehensive#
background#knowledge#on#the#organiza>on,)
structure)and)func>ons)of)the)human)
body,#and#who#will#explore#cellular)and)
molecular)mechanisms)of)human)disorders,#
including#those#of#the#nervous)system.##
Tools)
•  During#the#course,#students#must#aKend#
Laboratory)ac>vi>es)(~#75%),#Seminars#and#
ElecHve#courses,#at#both#the#UniPA#and#the#
UTMB.##
•  In#parHcular,#students#must#aKend#the#UTMB#
for#at#least#18)months.##
•  Other#internaHonal#experiences#can#also#be#
contemplated.#
Laboratory)ac>vi>es#
Research)fields:)
•  RegeneraHve#medicine#and#therapeuHc#applicaHons#of#
stem)cells;##
•  Pathophysiological#changes#induced#by#stress#in#
human#Hssues;##
•  ModificaHon#of#the#cell#differenHaHon#and#of#the#
microenvironment#that#lead#to#aging#and#to#the#
pathogenesis#of#human#diseases;##
•  IdenHficaHon#of#new#biomarkers,#including#
extracellular#vesicles;##
•  Development#and#tesHng#of#new#therapeu>c)agents.#
Candidates)selec>on#
Interview#on:#
•  Curriculum#
•  Research#project#
to#ascertain#the#candidate's#apHtude#to#research.#
#
Foreign#candidates:#Interview#by#Skype)
Admission)policy#
Board#of#examiners#with#three#members:#
•  2/3#from#UTMB#
•  1/3#from#UNIPA#
#
Interviews:#in#English#
#
The#selecHon#process#aims#to#idenHfy##
the)most)suitable)students)
Benefits)
•  Candidates#who#are#accepted#are#considered#
eligible#for#inSstate)tui>on)by#the#UTMB#and#
will#not#be#required#to#pay#any#outDofDState#
fees.##
•  Health)care)coverage#is#also#provided#by#the#
UTMB#as#part#of#benefits.#
Bursary)
•  The#bursary#for#the#PhD#students#is#provided#
by#the#University#of#Palermo,#that#transfers#it#
to#the#UTMB;#UTMB#integrates#it#with#a#bonus#
and#pays#the#students#for#all#the#three#years#
of#the#Course#(including#when#the#students#
are#in#Italy#or#in#other#Countries,#for#mobility).##
Mentoring#
At#least#two)tutors)for#each#PhD#student.#
•  One#from#UTMB#
•  One#from#UNIPA#
Tutors#are#idenHfied#among#the#members#of#the#
board#of#tutors#based#on#these#rules:#
•  Economic#sustainability#of#the#research#project#
•  AlternaHon#among#board#members#
#
Curriculum)(1/2))
Classes)(in)Italy):#
Human#Anatomy#(33%)#
Physiology#&#Biochemistry#(23%)#
Internal#Medicine#(13%)#
Neurology#(13%)#
Others#(Chemistry#and#PharmaceuHcal#
Chemistry,#Surgery#and#Neurosurgery,#
Ophthalmology,#Health#Sciences)#(18%)###
#
Curriculum)(2/2)#
Classes)(in)Texas):#
Neuroscience#(33%)#
Cell#Biology#(13%)#
Molecular#Biology#and#GeneHcs#(13%)#
Biochemistry#and#Pharmacology#(13%)#
Others#(Ethics#of#ScienHfic#Research,#CitaHon#
and#Plagiarism,#Laboratory#Biosafety,#
BiostaHsHcs)#(28%)###
#
Mobility)for)PhD)students#
•  ParHcipaHon#to#NaHonal#and#InternaHonal#
conferences#
•  ParHcipaHon#to#compeHHve#calls#for#
scholarships#
•  Study#periods#abroad#(other#than#in#Texas#and#
Italy)#
Degree#
•  To#obtain#their#PhD#Htle,#students#have#to#
present#a#thesis#and#successfully#deliver#a#
public)final)defense)seminar)on#their#research#
project#both)at)the)UniPA)and)the)UTMB.#
•  They#will#obtain#two)PhD)>tles,#one#from#Italy#
and#one#from#Texas,#and#thus#(hopefully!)#be#
very#compeHHve#in#the#postSdoc)job)market)
all#over#the#world.#
State)of)the)art#
•  The#Course#has#been#acHve#for#three#years.#
•  Nine#PhD#students#have#been#enrolled#so#far:#six#
from#Italy,#one#from#Ukraine,#one#from#U.S.A.,#and#
one#from#Lebanon.#
•  A#number#of#candidates#from#several#European#
(Hungary,#Malta,#Poland,#Serbia#and#U.K.)#and#extraD
European#(Afghanistan#and#Iraq)#countries#have#also#
parHcipated#to#the#selecHon#interviews#in#these#
years.#
#
Summary#
•  This#PhD#Course#combines#issues#of#Biomedicine#
and#Neuroscience.#
•  The#PhD#Htles#are#awarded#by#two#InsHtuHons,#
one#in#Italy#and#one#in#USA.#
•  CooperaHon#with#Texas#=#growing#appeal#for#our#
PhD#Course#in#the#EuroDMediterranean#area#(and#
not#only).##
•  InternaHonal#PhD#Course#=#posiHve#scienHfic#
“melHngDpot”#=#benefit#for#the#overall#scienHfic#
community#in#Palermo.#
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS#
David)L.)Calender,#President#
Cary)W.)Cooper,#Rector#
David)W.)Niesel,#Dean#of#the#Graduate#School#
Giulio)Taglialatela,#Dean#of#the#Graduate#Program#
Luca)Cicalese,#Director#of#the#Joint#Program#
Vincenzo)Arcobelli,#President#
Vincenzo)Graci,#President#
Antonino)Bono,#PastDPresident#
Aldo)Schiavello,#ViceDRector#for#PhD#Courses#