PhD Degree Program in Pharmacological Sciences
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Unipd PhD Pharmacological Sciences course
Doctoral Degrees - PhD Programmes
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Admission 42° series a.y. 2026/2027
Notice of public selection for admission to PhD courses for the 42nd cycle
Application deadline: May 20, 2026, 1 p.m.
PhD Projects
C.V. Template
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Research areas
- Degenerative diseases of the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system: underlying mechanisms, including genetic bases, and potential therapeutic interventions;
- Treatment of cardiovascular diseases and differences in pharmacological response related to aging and gender;
- Pain therapy, intensive care, and hyperbaric medicine;
- Pharmacological study of compounds with antitumor activity and mechanisms of resistance;
- Role of the autonomic nervous system in bronchial function and in the development of new pharmacological agents;
- Pharmacological molecular targets in the immune system;
- Pharmacological modulation of chronic inflammatory diseases;
- Metabolomic and lipidomic studies applied to the identification of new pharmacological targets;
- Study of medicinal plants and related natural compounds as potential pharmacological agents;
- Pharmacokinetic studies of drugs, including in relation to liver diseases;
- Personalization of therapy through pheno/genotyping and therapeutic drug monitoring, and development of diagnostic screening tests;
- Pharmacological and environmental toxicology, including the presence of xenobiotics in urban water cycles;
- Development of new eco-friendly, species-selective pesticides;
- Pharmacovigilance and drug utilization studies: use and safety of biosimilars and antibacterial drugs in hospital settings;
- Occupational exposure assessment to crystalline silica.
Course objectives
- The aim of the program is to train Pharmacologists capable of taking on roles as Researchers and Coordinators of research teams focused on the experimental study of innovative drugs. Graduates will also be equipped to detect adverse drug reactions and to work as toxicologists, as well as experts in pharmacovigilance and drug utilization. The program prepares pharmacological professionals able to meet the evolving demands of the healthcare, academic, and industrial sectors.
- Students will develop integrated knowledge in pharmacology, nutraceuticals, toxicology, and epidemiology in order to address all aspects related to the discovery of new drugs, personalized therapy, prevention, and the management of toxicological risk.
- The Teaching Board is primarily composed of members from the pharmacological scientific-disciplinary sector (BIO/14), with significant contributions from clinical areas including MED/07, MED/09, MED/12, MED/29, MED/34, MED/41, MED/42, MED/43, MED/44, MED/49, and CHIM/08. The teaching staff also includes professors and researchers from public and private institutions, both in Italy and abroad, outside the University of Padua.
Planned teaching activities
Syllabus
Teaching activities are prevalent in the first year, where several key courses are recommended:
- Information Literacy in Pharmacological Sciences;
- Bio-Statistics;
- Academic English for PhD Students.
In the second year, attendance at a specialized course in “Advanced Pharmacology” is recommended.
The course, consists of five modules:
1. Pharmacokinetics
2. Clinical Biochemistry
3. Methods of Molecular Pharmacology
4. Applied Aspects of Clinical Research Methodology
5. Neuropharmacology
Additionally, a short course on scientific writing ("How to write a scientific article") will be available.
A research presentation day in which second-year PhD students can share their experiences with colleagues from other medical PhD programs will be held, fostering interdisciplinarity and multidisciplinarity between fields.
The third year is dedicated to completing research activities and writing the thesis, with the recommendation of a period of training abroad (typically of 6 months). Additionally, a short course on techniques for reviewing scientific articles (How to review a scientific article) is provided.
Other proposed activities include:
- First year: Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary Courses in Fundamental Sciences
- Third year: PhD students can choose from the transversal courses offered by the University of Padua, available at the link.
The PhD program in Pharmacological Sciences organizes an annual Summer School (Summer retreat), a two-day scientific exchange and presentation of research activities by PhD students from all three years.
To improve teaching and communication skills, PhD students are encouraged to participate in tutoring and supplementary teaching activities (up to 40 hours/year) and science dissemination (Third Mission, up to 5 hours).
For admission to the final exam, students must acquire at least 15 credits (CFU), including 3 CFU from attending seminars (mandatory 3 seminars/year, 1 CFU each), organized within the PhD program or by other PhDs to foster interdisciplinarity.
To acquire CFU, PhD students must attend at least 75% of the scheduled hours for each activity.
Additionally, participation in at least one national or international conference with a presentation of research results is strongly encouraged during the three-year period.
Expected career and professional opportunities:
The PhD program provides advanced training in pharmacology and toxicology. Its interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary nature, together with its research focus, opens up career opportunities in the Italian healthcare sector (Local Health Authorities, hospitals, pharmacovigilance centers), the pharmaceutical industry, research centers, universities, and governmental institutions both in Italy and abroad.
The intensive training offered by the program has enabled our PhD graduates to successfully enter the workforce, primarily in the fields of basic and applied scientific research, clinical pharmacology, preventive medicine, epidemiology, and risk management.
PhD graduates in Pharmacological Sciences are expected to take on the following roles:
- Postdoctoral Researchers at Italian and international universities;
- Pharmacovigilance experts within the Veneto Region and other regions;
- Research fellows at various universities;
- Managers in companies engaged in drug research and development;
- University lecturers.
Contacts
Coordinator: Prof. Michele Morari – e-mail: michele.morari@unipd.it
Administrative Contact Person: Daniela Strafella – e-mail: phd.scienzefarmacologiche@unipd.it
Administrative Office: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
The PhD program belongs to Macroarea 3: Biology, Agriculture, and Veterinary Medicine.
List of Institutions Where Research Activities Are Carried Out:
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco
- Dipartimento di Medicina
- VIMM (Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine) – Padova
- CRO (Centro di Ricerca Oncologica) - Aviano (PN)
- Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova
Teaching board
