National Phd in Systems Medicine

logo ateneo
Academic year 2025/2026
Department of Oncology and Hematology-Oncology
Università degli Studi di Milano
EQF level: 8
41° cicle
Field of study: health and pharmacy natural sciences, mathematics, physics and statistics
Place of teaching
milano (MI), italy
Languages in which the course is held
Italian
Cost
Not specified
Scholarships
79 
Deadline (Expired)
16 September 2025

Course contents

The recent progresses made in the fields of genetics and genomic sciences have triggered a big
change, which is leading classical medicine to transform itself into the so-called Precision
Medicine, based on the acquisition and integration of enormous quantities of quantitative
molecular data and their exploitation for a personalised definition of the disease and of its
targeted therapy. Precision Medicine has changed the way in which the cellular and molecular
mechanisms of the disease are investigated. It uses technological platforms to produce a large
amount of information, which allows to highlight and quantify the heterogeneous nature of
diseases and the phenotypic variability associated with individuals. Precision Medicine will totally
change the approach to treatment not only for therapy, but also for diagnosis and prevention.
Therefore, the transition to Precision Medicine requires professionals with new skills and multidisciplinary training.
The PhD in Systems Medicine aims to provide doctors and scientists with interdisciplinary
theoretical and technological training in biomedical sciences to be applied to the problems of
precision medicine, with the aim of training professionals capable of dealing with technological
strategies and highly complex therapeutics with a multidisciplinary approach.
The official language of the PhD in Systems Medicine is English.
Page of the course on the University's website

Teaching

Place of teaching
milano (MI), italy
Attendance methods
Compulsory attendance
Languages in which the course is held
Italian

Admission requirements

Type of degree required
2nd Level Degree
Field of study
education, information and communication technologies (icts), architecture and construction, engineering and engineering trades, agriculture, forestry and veterinary, health and pharmacy, sports sciences and physical education, arts and design, humanities and literature, foreign languages, politics, social sciences and communications, psychology, economics, law, natural sciences, mathematics, physics and statistics
Foreign language skills
To meet the language proficiency requirement, doctoral students must submit an English
certificate from one of the certifying bodies recognised by the University
(https://www.unimi.it/en/study/language-proficiency/placement-tests-and-englishcourses/accepted-language-certificates), at B2 level or above, by the end of the first
programme year.
Degree programme classes
LM-1, 1/S - Cultural anthropology and ethnology, LM-2, 2/S - Archeology, LM-3, 3/S - Landscape Architecture, LM-4, LM-4 C.U., 4/S - Architecture and construction engineering, LM-5, 5/S - Library studies, LM-6, 6/S - Biology, LM-7, 7/S - Agricultural biotechnologies, LM-8, 8/S - Industrial Biotechnologies, LM-9, 9/S - Pharmaceutical, veterinary and medical biotechnologies, LM-10, 10/S - Conservation of architectural heritage and environment, 11/S - Conservation of scientific and industrial heritage, LM-11, 12/S - Science for conservation of cultural heritage, LM-19, 13/S - Computer science and publishing systems, LM-13, LM-13ante22, 14/S - Pharmacy and industrial pharmacy, LM-15, 15/S - Philology and classical literature, LM-16, 19/S - Finance, LM-17, 20/S - Physics, LM-80, 21/S - Geography, LM-18, 23/S - Computer Science, LM-43, 24/S - Computer Science for humanities, LM-20, 25/S - Aerospace and aeronautical engineering, LM-21, 26/S - Biomedical Engineering, LM-22, 27/S - Engineering/ Chemical, LM-23, 28/S - Civil engineering, LM-25, 29/S - Automotion engineering, LM-27, 30/S - Telecommunications engineering, LM-28, 31/S - Electrical engineering, LM-29, 32/S - Electronic engineering, LM-30, 33/S - Energy and nuclear engineering, LM-31, 34/S - Engineering and Industrial Management, LM-32, 35/S - Computer Engineering, LM-33, 36/S - Mechanical Engineering, LM-34, 37/S - Naval engineering, LM-35, 38/S - Environmental engineering, LM-36, 41/S - African and Asian languages and literatures, LM-37, 42/S - Modern European and American languages and literatures, LM-38, 43/S - Modern languages for international communication and cooperation, LM-39, 44/S - Linguistics, LM-40, 45/S - Mathematics, LM-41, 46/S - Medicine and surgery, LM-42, 47/S - Veterinary Medicine, LM-44, 50/S - Mathematics and physics: modelling for engineering, LM-45, 51/S - Musicology and musical heritage, LM-46, 52/S - Dentistry and orthodontics, LM-47, 53/S - Sport management, LM-48, 54/S - Regional, urban and environmental planning, LM-49, 55/S - Tourism Development and Management, LM-50, 56/S - Planning and management of education and training services, LM-87, 57/S - Social policies and social services, LM-51, 58/S - Psychology, LM-52, 60/S - International relations, LM-53, LM-53ante21, 61/S - Materials engineering, LM-54, 62/S - Chemistry, LM-55, 63/S - Cognitive Sciences, LM-56, 64/S - Economics, LM-57, 65/S - Adult and Continuing Education, LM-58, 66/S - Universe Sciences, LM-60, 68/S - Nature Sciences, LM-61, 69/S - Nutrition and health sciences, LM-62, 70/S - Political Science, LM-63, 71/S - Public sector administration, LM-64, 72/S - Religion Studies, LM-65, 73/S - Performing arts and multimedia production, LM-73, 74/S - Agroenvironmental sciences and technologies , LM-68, 75/S - Sport science and technology, LM-67, 76/S - Sport science for prevention and rehabilitation, LM-69, 77/S - Agriculture, LM-70, 78/S - Food industry, LM-86, 79/S - Animal husbandry, LM-72, 80/S - Aviation and maritime navigation, LM-71, 81/S - Industrial chemistry and related technologies, LM-75, 82/S - Environmental and land sciences and technology, LM-76, 83/S - Economics for environment and culture, LM-77, 84/S - Management studies, LM-79, 85/S - Geophysics, LM-74, 86/S - Geology, LM-85, 87/S - Education sciences, LM-81, 88/S - Cooperation and development studies, LM-83, 91/S - Statistical, Demographic and Actuarial Sciences , LM-89, 95/S - History of art, LM-90, 99/S - European Studies, LM-91, 100/S - Technologies and methods for the information society, LM-92, 101/S - Theories of communication, LM-12, 103/S - Design, LM/DS, DS/S - Defence and security, LM/SNT1, SNT_SPEC/1 - Nursing and midwifery, LM/SNT2, SNT_SPEC/2 - Health professions for rehabilitation , LM/SNT3, SNT_SPEC/3 - Health professions for technical assistance, LM/SNT4, SNT_SPEC/4 - Health professions for preventive care, LM-78, 17/S, 18/S, 96/S - Philosophy, LM-14, 16/S, 40/S - Modern Philology , LM-82, 48/S, 90/S, 92/S - Statistics, LM-59, 59/S, 67/S - Advertising and business communication, LM-88, 49/S, 89/S - Sociology and social research, LM-84, 93/S, 94/S, 97/S, 98/S - History, LM-94, 104/S, 39/S - Translation for special purposes and interpreting, LMG/01, 102/S, 22/S - Law, LM-24 - Building engineering, LM-26 - Safety engineering, LM-66 - Computer security, LM-93 - Theories and methodologies of e-learning and media education, LM/SC - Applied Criminology for Safety and Investigation, LMR/02 - Conservation and restoration of architectural heritage, LM-95 - Maths and Sciences in the Middle School - A059, LM-96 - Tecnology - A033, LM-85bis - Primary Schooling Sciences, LM/GASTR - Economic and social sciences of gastronomy, LM/SC-GIUR - Legal Sciences - Law, LM-SC.MAT - Materials science, LM-Data - Data Science

Admission

Deadline
16 September 2025
Available places
79
Admission
Admission selection
The exam schedule and calendar indicating the date and time of the exams for each candidate will be published on the website https://www.semm.it/saranno. This publication will serve as notification for all purposes. The admission exam will be conducted in English and will consist of: The admission exam will be conducted in English and will consist of: - a multiple-choice test to be taken on a suitable digital platform, aimed at assessing all candidates' knowledge of the course topics and their logical reasoning skills . - an online interview focusing on the following points: presentation by the candidate of their master's thesis or other research project in which the candidate may have been involved during their career; discussion of a scientific paper relevant to the areas of research of the doctorate, chosen from those proposed by the committee; motivations, expectations and career prospects. To take the tests, candidates must present one of the following identification documents: a) Identity card; b) Passport; c) Driving licence (Italian). The Examination Board will award each candidate a score based on: 1. previous educational background: up to a maximum of 10 points; 2. written exam: up to a maximum of 30 points; 3. oral exam: up to a maximum of 60 points. Candidates will be informed of the assessment of their qualifications before the exams take place. The overall merit ranking will be based on the sum of the scores obtained by the candidates in the assessment of their qualifications and in the exam, in accordance with the criteria indicated above. The exam is considered passed only if the candidate obtains a score of no less than 70/100. The admission exam will be followed by an informative interview via teleconference with the doctoral programme faculty. The purpose of this interview is to present the candidates with the facilities where the doctoral programme will be carried out and the research topics, and it has no bearing on the outcome of the admission exam. The admission exam will be followed by an informative interview via teleconference with the doctoral programme faculty.
Cost
Not specified
Scholarships
79
Scholarships:

5 scholarships funded by the University of Milan

3 scholarships funded by the University of Naples Federico II

51 scholarships funded by the European School of Molecular Medicine, including 3
for the research project:
• The Restrictor complex and the control of extragenic transcription‘ (acronym ’RESET"), PI:
Gioacchino Natoli, European Institute of Oncology, CUP: J53C24004190001, project code: FIS2023-00691, funded by the Ministry of University and Research under the Italian Science Fund
2022-2023 (FIS 2 Call for Proposals);

2 scholarships funded by Humanitas University, including:
• 1 scholarship for the project: Dissection of regional immunity to develop novel immunotherapies
against cancer - AIRC IG Foundation 2023 no. 29492;
• 1 scholarship for the project: "Clinical Ethics in Oncology: Mapping Dilemmas, Conflicts, and
Decision-Making Pathways"

1 scholarship funded by the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences as part of the Italian Science Fund FIS2 call for proposals
issued by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) on the project
“Switchable Senolytic Therapy: Promoting Cell Death To Live Through Chronic Infections” (Project code FIS-2023-00860, CUP G53C24001380001), for the research programme: ‘Harnessing Targeted Protein Degradation to Eliminate Senescent Cells in Infection’

1 scholarship funded by the University of Bari

1 funded by the Department of Health Sciences as part of the Italian Science Fund FIS2 call for proposals
issued by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) on the project "Regulatory
Mechanisms of Polycomb-mediated Transcriptional Repression in the Control of Cell Identity" (Project code
FIS-2023-01552, CUP G53C24001320001), for the research programme: "Regulatory Mechanisms
of Polycomb-mediated Transcriptional Repression in the Control of Cell Identity"

4 scholarships funded by the University of Trento, of which:
• 2 scholarships funded by 40105102 (CUP E63C24002150007) AIRC IG 2024 Zippo Project Code: 30745
• 1 scholarship from the EU HE ERC MICROTOUCH fund [101045015] – CUP E63C22001400006 1 scholarship funded by the University of Turin

10 scholarships funded by the AIRC Foundation for Cancer Research ETS and the
Cariplo Foundation (AIMED AT GRADUATES IN
MEDICINE AND SURGERY (LM-41) SPECIALISING IN THE MEDICAL FIELD WITH AN INTEREST IN CANCER RESEARCH
(PHYSICIAN SCIENTIST).

Employment opportunities

The most natural career path for those with a PhD in Systems Medicine remains research, both in academia and at research and treatment centres, which require new professionals specialised in different disciplines and capable of communicating effectively with each other. In this context, the structure of our PhD programme, which is highly interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary and based on intensive training, both specialised and cross-disciplinary, has been able to anticipate and respond to the demand for these new professionals.

The most natural career path for those with a PhD in Systems Medicine remains research, both in academia and at research and treatment centres, which require new professionals specialised in different disciplines and capable of communicating effectively with each other. In this context, the structure of our PhD programme, which is highly interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary and based on intensive training, both specialised and cross-disciplinary, has been able to anticipate and respond to the demand for these new professionals.
The data currently available on the career prospects of PhD graduates in Systems Medicine suggest that SEMM's educational activities are achieving high levels of quality. Over the last three years, a total of 58 students have graduated, 70% of whom found a new position within a year of obtaining their PhD.
We have career information for 96% of our PhD graduates and, in short, we can say that: 68% of PhD graduates have remained in scientific research, and the remaining 32% have opted for other careers, such as science communication, technology transfer, regulatory affairs, editor or scientific officer.
Considering the 93 students who graduated between 2008 and 2017, and who therefore had sufficient time to develop their careers, 18 of them (19%) obtained an academic or research management position at research institutes, universities or pharmaceutical/biotechnology companies.

AlmaLaurea surveys

*Verifica se sono disponibili dati puntuali su questo percorso di studio.
Potrai comunque consultare dati relativi a percorsi di studio affini o all'ambito disciplinare cui il corso afferisce.

*Dati sul corso di studi
Notes
Doctoral programme of national interest activated in agreement with:
- la Fondazione "Scuola Superiore Europea di Medicina Molecolare" (SEMM)
- l'Università degli Studi "Federico II" di Napoli
- l'Università degli Studi di Bari
- l'Università degli Studi di Torino
- l'Università degli Studi di Trento
- l'Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
- Università Humanitas di Milano
Other editions of the same course
Academic year edition 2024/2025Academic year edition 2022/2023Academic year edition 2021/2022
Chiudi