Master’s Degree in Bioinformatics for Computational Genomics

The joint master's degree in Bioinformatics for Computational Genomics, run by the Polytechnic University of Milan and the University of Milan, trains specialists able to analyse and interpret biological data in the post-genomic era. The programme includes molecular foundations and genomic technologies, bioinformatics computational tools, statistical methodologies, large-scale genomic analysis, interpretation of complex biological data and systems biology. The approach is interdisciplinary and integrates theory and practical application, linking biological knowledge with mathematical and computing skills. Genomics produces very large quantities of data, which require specific computational and statistical methods to be analysed and interpreted, and the programme trains figures able to develop and use these methods with a deep understanding of biological mechanisms, an increasingly sought-after ability in biomedical research and biotechnology.

The programme is two years long, is held in person in Milan and is delivered in English. A defining element is the compulsory internship, carried out in research labs of the Polytechnic University, the University or partner organisations in Italy and abroad. Access is possible from two profiles: graduates in biological sciences with at least 30 credits in biological disciplines, of which at least 18 in genetics, molecular biology and biochemistry; graduates with at least 30 credits in computer science, information engineering, biomedical engineering, mathematics or statistics, of which at least 6 in mathematics and 12 in computer science, engineering or statistics. Foreign qualifications are assessed by the Faculty Board. Hours, cost, number of places, deadlines, dates and the length of the internship are not stated. The joint approach between two universities makes it possible to combine the engineering and computing tradition of the Polytechnic University with the biological and biomedical tradition of the University of Milan, and to offer students access to lecturers, labs and research groups of both institutions, with a path suited both to those coming from biology and to those coming from computer science or engineering.

The aim is to prepare researchers and professionals with multidisciplinary skills. Career opportunities include academic and industrial research positions, access to doctoral study, advanced masters and registration with the professional Register of Biologists in Italy, as well as multidisciplinary roles linked to research in the post-genomic era. The programme is aimed at those who wish to combine biology and computer science, and offers preparation suited to working with large amounts of genomic data and with statistical and computational tools, in areas such as precision medicine, biotechnology and biomedical research. The compulsory internship in a research lab, in Italian or foreign institutions, is the point at which the skills acquired are applied to a concrete project and can form the basis for the thesis or for a later doctorate; the use of English makes the programme accessible to international students and prepares them for the global scientific community.