Training activity for academic year 2024-2025 (XL Cycle);

Chemical and Environmental Sciences

Elementi di sicurezza per la gestione dei processi chimici

Teacher: Carlo Lucarelli

Objectives

The course aims to provide the student with the essential elements for risk analysis and the management of chemical processes. The topics covered will provide the student with the key skills to analyse the possible risk sources of a chemical process and evaluate the probability of its occurrence. Furthermore, the concept of risk mitigation and risk prevention for process design and management will be introduced.

Programme

Description of chemical processes and process units. Introduction to process controls.
The chemical risk: general aspects. Rules for the correct management of a process
The concept of risk analysis: Hazard study (HAZOP) and estimation of probability of occurrence (Fault tree)
Calculation of frequencies of occurrence.
Consequence Assessment.
Risk Types, Risk Integration and Risk Attribution.
Case studies: examples of relevant accidents in the chemical industry.

Learning material

Material provided by the teacher

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CARBON DIOXIDE AS A SOURCE OF C1 FOR CONVERSION INTO HIGHLY VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS

Teacher: Stefano Brenna

Objectives: The course will provide an overview of the main synthetic procedures for reusing carbon dioxide as a source of C1 units. At the end of the course, the student will have a broad and comprehensive view on the chemical reactions and technological processes that lead to the conversion of CO2 into products of industrial and applicative interest.

Program: The first part of the course will aim at outlining the issues related to excessive CO2 emissions; then the possible conversions of carbon dioxide into derivatives of academic and industrial interest (carbonates, urea, carbamates, methanol) will be examined. In the last part, different catalytic methods (homogeneous catalysis, heterogeneous catalysis, photocatalysis, electrocatalysis) and materials (MOFs, zeolites, nanoparticles) used for CO2 reuse will be presented.

Learning material: material provided by the lecturer.

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MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION ACTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Teacher: Francesco MALFASI

Objectives: Provide theoretical and applied knowledge (also through case studies) concerning mitigation and adaptation to climate change, with particular focus on the biological (vegetation) component of the terrestrial ecosystems. All these aspects will be treated under a regulatory, scientific and technical points of view, at different spatial details.

Programme: Definitions and identification of the application areas of the main topics of adaptation and mitigation to climate change. Strategies and regulations at supranational, national and/or local levels. Decision-making procedures to evaluate, select, apply and monitor good practices for the mitigation and adaptation to climate change related to the plant component, in natural, semi-natural and anthropic environments. Analysis of case studies.

The course lasts 12 hours.

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MOLECULAR ECOLOGY

Teacher: Serena Zaccara

AIMS:

The goal in this course is to learn and understand principles of ecology and environmental sciences through the application of molecular tools. The main Expected learning outcomes are:

i) analysis of the complexity within interspecific and intraspecific relationships applying the General Theory of Systems

ii) analysis of community ecology defining the structural and functional relationships

introducing evolutionary adaptative models

iii) principles and methods of conservation genetics, introducing population connectivity

and its evolutionary implications applied to aquatic and terrestrial species and

ecosystems.

CONTENTS:

the course will be divided into three parts, for which 4 hours will be dedicated each one.

i) Complexity in ecosystem and The General Systems Theory

lectures will be dedicated to molecular approaches that allow to infer interspecific and intraspecific variability, able to summarize the complexity of ecosystems

ii) Ecology and adaptative evolution

Lectures will deal the dynamics and mechanisms that regulate communities and population, especially paying attention on genetic fingerprint promoted by distinct ecological traits.

iii) Conservation genetics

Lectures will emphasize the key role of conservation genetics in the development of conservation and management strategies of biodiversity.

Each lecture will present case studies useful to deep into the topics, introducing the last molecular techniques dedicated to.

TEXT: slides produced by teacher and scientific papers

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IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE CRYOSPHERE

Teacher: Mauro Guglielmin

Contribution of the course to the overall degree programme goals

The course will expose students to fundamental aspects linking together global climate processes and cryosphere. The course has been organized in such a way that the first module will provide key aspects regarding the analyses of the main cryospheric elements such as snow, glaciers, sea ice and permafrost while the second module will deal with impacts of permafrost degradation and the glaciers shrinkage and melting.

Pre-requirements

There are not major requirements for this course. The course itself is meant to provide basic tools for students to deal with permafrost-related topics

Contents

1.1 Cryosphere definitions and methods of analyses; snow, ice sheets, ice shelves, glaciers, sea ice and permafrost (3 hours);

1.2 Relationships between climate change (CC) and the cryosphere (3 hours)

1.3 Impacts of CC on snow and glaciers s.l.(3 hours)

1.4 Impacts of CC on permafrost (3 hours)

Referral texts

In the class we will be discussing textbook chapters and seminal papers

Teaching methods

The lecturer will be given by the lecturer and will be implemented also with the discussion on some seminal papers with the students

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FIRE SIMULATION IN CONFINED ENVIRONMENT

Teacher: Bruno Dal Lago

AIM OF THE COURSE

The aim of the course is to provide the students with the following skills: (a) definition and organisation of Fire Engineering, (b) phenomenology of fires in confined environment, (c) modelling of the fire load, (d) analysis of fire simulation strategies and nominal method, (e) methods alternative to nominal: parametric, zone, computational thermal-fluid-dynamics.

LEARNING OUCOMES

• Cognitive skills

- acquire the fundamentals information needed to address the simulation of a fire

- acquire the structure of Fire Safety Engineering

- being able to autonomously select and apply a model of fire either nominal, parametric or zone

- being able to critically address and set a complex fire simulation based on thermal-fluid-dynamics

• Learning abilities

- ability to read, understand and criticize a scientific text about fire simulation

• Practical and subject specific skills

- ability to propose a problem-solving approach

- ability to use a freeware software for the simulation of fires with zone model

• Communication skills

- ability to identify, extract and synthesize relevant information

- demonstrate effective communication skills by practicing, reading, writing and speaking clearly

- demonstrate the ability to communicate with industry experts.

Slides of lectures delivered by the lecturer.

Specific scientific/technical papers suggested by the lecturer.

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CONFINEMENT IN POROUS MATERIALS

Teacher: Gloria Tabacchi

Objectives

This Course aims to give an overview of host-guest materials constituted by nanometer-size guest species and nanoporous host matrices, whose potential applications hold concrete promises in materials science. Supramolecular organization is a central idea in chemistry and a driving force in technology. It refers to the formation of correlated domains of molecules or nanospecies exhibiting collective properties or new functionalities. A key objective of this Course is to provide a knowledge-base on the confinement of guest species in host matrices characterized by regular porous networks. Confinement in nanometer-size spaces is particularly effective to the obtainment of supramolecular organization of guest species, because such cavities can be exploited as nanosized receptors for matter to create confined, supramolecular structures of low-dimensionality. Another goal of this Course is to show that, when confined in those matrices, guest species not only are subjected to the geometrical constraints of the cavities, but are also prone to be remotely and individually controlled by an external input (e.g. electromagnetic radiation).

Program

Focus will be driven on the molecular-level features of the confined assemblies, whose knowledge is pivotal for progress in applications. The relevance of natural and artificial porous matrices to probe fundamental aspects of host-guest interactions and confinement in nanosized spaces will be analyzed. The main categories of host matrices suitable for the supramolecular organization of guest species will be presented. Relevant procedures for the fabrication and characterization of host-guest materials will be outlined. Among viable strategies for the realization of host-guest materials of potential technological interest, particular attention will be devoted to the use of high pressures.

Texts

The material (current literature on the subject) will be provided by the lecturer.

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NON-INVASIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF MATERIALS

Teacher: Laura RAMPAZZI

Objectives: The course provides basic knowledge of the main non-invasive techniques to explore their use in the environmental and forensic fields and in the analysis and diagnostics of works of art.

Programme: Introduction to non-invasive analytical methods. Description of main spectroscopic, X-ray, photographic, multispectral non-invasive techniques. Determination of materials and study of surface decay. Presentation and discussion of case studies.

Teaching materials: Scientific articles and reviews on the subject provided by the teacher.

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METHODS AND MODELS FOR THE EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT TO CHEMICALS

Teacher: Andrea Spinazzé

Objectives: The course aims to illustrate the main theoretical and practical issues related to the use of estimation models and other experimental methods used for the assessment of occupational and environmental exposure to chemicals, with particular reference to case studies related to emerging risk factors and the latest updates in the exhibition sciences.

Programme:

General aspects relating to the chemical risk assessment.

Estimation of occupational exposure to chemical agents using estimation models: methodological and practical aspects; reliability and representativeness of the exposure estimates.

Approaches and methodologies for assessing the risks of combined exposure to multiple chemicals.

Emerging risk factors: use of a probabilistic approach for risk assessment (the case of occupational exposure to engineered nanomaterials).

Exposure of the general population to airborne pollutants, for epidemiological studies and the health impact assessment: exposure estimation (dispersion models; Land-use regression model), use of miniaturized sensors for monitoring selected populations and approach, ”citizen-science”.

Teaching materials: W.R. Ott, A.C. Steinemann, L.A. Wallace: “Exposure Analysis” – CRC Taylor and Francis (ISBN– 13: 978-1-56670-663-6). Slides (pdf).

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ACTIVE TECTONICS AND EARTHQUAKE GEOLOGY: SAVING LIVES AND INVESTMENTS FOR A SUSTAINABLE WORLD

Teacher: Franck A. Audemard M.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

• Revise the different possible sources of earthquakes and their association with geologic faults. Discuss the theory of earthquake generation, as well as the relation between size of earthquakes and fault ruptures;

• Transfer knowledge on how the seismic history of a region is obtained by integrating instrumental, historical and pre-historical seismicity;

• Examine and identify earthquake-related landforms and the impact of earthquakes on nature;

• Evaluate how seismic hazard studies are carried out;

• Illustrate how paleoseismological investigations are performed and what objects can be analyzed in such a way.

• Determine the importance of geological studies into a seismic hazard assessment (SHA).

SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Determine and improve the degree of knowledge of the course audience in relation to plate tectonics and its major association to Earth surface processes;

2. Understand that destructive earthquakes are related to geologic faults, which accommodate strain in the crust driven by plate tectonics;

3. Learn how to identify Quaternary faults via specific landforms and landscapes and how the environment can be affected by earthquakes;

4. Understand how to build a seismic history in a region from different sources of data gathering and the importance of the geological studies for any seismic hazard assessment (SHA);

5. Learn that a safer constructed environment preserves human life and that earthquakes naturally may severely impact landscape and the environment.Erogato in Lingua Inglese nel caso siano presenti di studenti stranieri

Computer science and the mathematics of computation

Annualy the PhD board propose new training activites that will be supported by Università degli Studi dell’Insubria. The course description are in Italian but the course will be in English.

I anno

Etica dell'IA, IA spiegabile e ruolo del processo decisionale umano
Il corso si propone di definire ed esplorare le questioni etiche inerenti all'uso dell'intelligenza
artificiale (IA), di fornire modelli di explanability di IA e di combinarli con modelli e definizioni di processi decisionali. Il corso si occupa di una serie di questioni e argomenti attuali attraverso l'applicazione di importanti teorie morali. Questo corso si propone di definire ed esplorare le questioni etiche inerenti all'uso dell'intelligenza artificiale (IA), di fornire modelli di explanability di IA e di combinarli con modelli e definizioni di processi decisionali. Gli argomenti trattati includono, ad esempio, la nozione di responsabilità, le questioni etiche nella progettazione e nella gestione dell'IA, gli aspetti etici dei rischi tecnici, la distribuzione della responsabilità nell'ingegneria, nel design e nell'architettura e il rapporto tra sostenibilità, etica e tecnologia.

PDE su grafi metrici: teoria spettrale degli operatori differenziali, propagazione delle onde e
applicazioni.

Il corso fornisce un'introduzione alla teoria delle equazioni differenziali parziali (PDE) su grafi
metrici ed è suddiviso in quattro parti. La prima parte introduce le definizioni di base e la nozione di operatore differenziale selfadjoint su un grafo metrico. Include una descrizione delle varie realizzazioni di operatori selfadjoint del Laplaciano e una rassegna dei principali risultati dellateoria spettrale. La seconda parte si concentra sull'analisi della dinamica lineare delle onde su grafi metrici, con particolare attenzione all'equazione lineare di Schrödinger. La terza parte del corso si concentra sull'equazione di Schrödinger non lineare, in particolare sull'analisi delle soluzioni stazionarie e della loro stabilità. Infine, l'ultima parte del corso esamina alcuni risultati sul problema della giustificazione dei modelli di grafi metrici come approssimazioni per la dinamica delle narrow tube network.

PDE su grafi metrici: teoria spettrale degli operatori differenziali, propagazione delle onde e
applicazioni
Il corso fornisce un'introduzione alla teoria delle equazioni differenziali parziali (PDE) su grafi
metrici ed è suddiviso in quattro parti. La prima parte introduce le definizioni di base e la nozione di operatore differenziale selfadjoint su un grafo metrico. Include una descrizione delle varie realizzazioni di operatori selfadjoint del Laplaciano e una rassegna dei principali risultati dellateoria spettrale. La seconda parte si concentra sull'analisi della dinamica lineare delle onde su grafi metrici, con particolare attenzione all'equazione lineare di Schrödinger. La terza parte del corso si concentra sull'equazione di Schrödinger non lineare, in particolare sull'analisi delle soluzioni stazionarie e della loro stabilità. Infine, l'ultima parte del corso esamina alcuni risultati sul problema della giustificazione dei modelli di grafi metrici come approssimazioni per la dinamica delle narrow tube network.

II anno

Flipping strategy for large structured linear systems: spectral analysis, algorithmic aspects, and
applications
Consider a Toeplitz matrix T_n that is a matrix whose coefficient are constant along the diagonals and assume that T_n is real and nonsymmetric. Even assuming that the coefficients stem as
Fourier coefficients of a given smooth function f, the spectral features of T_n=T_n(f) are very
complicate. The latter property makes notable solvers (as GMRES) for the related non-symmetric linear systems very difficult to analyze. One decade ago Pestana and Whathen [1] proposed solving a real non-symmetric Toeplitz linear system T_n(f)x = b by (preconditioned) MINRES applied to the symmetrized linear system H_n(f)x = Y_n b, H_n(f)=Y_n T_n(f) has some advantages over solving the original system through either direct methods or iterative methods for non-symmetric Toeplitz matrices, Y_n being the flipping matrix (or anti-diagonal matrix). The course focuses on the theoretical and algorithmic aspects of the flipping strategy, by testing it on
notewhorty applications such as approximated evolutionary differential equations and deblurring problems in imaging.

An introduction to knowledge graphs and ontologies
This course proposes an introduction to knowledge graphs, which have recently garnered a
significant amount of attention from both academia and industry. Knowledge graphs can assume different data models for organizing world’s knowledge and integrating information extracted from multiple data sources. Graphs have also started to gain a pivotal role in representing information extracted from AI systems at different levels. The goal of this course is to provide an overview on different knowledge graph data models, focusing then on ontologies as complex knowledge graphs combining a taxonomy and data. The course combines a theoretical background with a hands-on approach, aimed at offering students the possibility to acquire the basics of RDF and knowledge graphs engineering.

Experimental and Translational Medicine

Sperimentazione animale e modelli alternativi:aspetti legislativi,sperimentali ebioetici (primo anno)

Modulo A1) Organoidi e culture cellulari3D, rilevanza nell'ambito delconcetto di "replacement"2) Organoidi, culture cellulari 3De applicazione in ambito di ricercapreclinica3) Organoidi e rispetto di aspetti dibioetica4) Sviluppo di metodiche in vitro eloro validazione in ambitoregolatorioModulo B1) La attuale regolamentazioneitaliana in ambito disperimentazione animale nellaricerca biomedica2) Modelli preclinici di tipoanimale e alternative di utilizzo dimodelli sperimentali “in vitro”3) Modelli animali su specie diinvertebrati4) Aspetti bioetici dellasperimentazione animale nellaricerca biomedica di base eapplicativa

The NGStechnique: theory, applications and future perspectives (secondo anno)

This minicouse will be organizedin four lessons on the followingarguments: a) the NGS techniqueand the relative possibleapplications; b) third and fouthgeneration sequencing; c)functional aspects of geneexpression and regulation; d)NGD Data analysis workflow andfunctional enrichment.

Introduction to Systems Biiology (primo e secondo anno)

The course is a primer to workwith large datasets (big data orwide data) that suffer fromdimensionality and sparsity. Afterdescribing common strategies forfeature selection and extraction,students will learn how to obtainfunctional information fromextracted features. Moreover,foundations of graph theory andnetwork science will be describedand discussed.Lesson 1 (4 h): Introduction toSystems biology. Emergentproperties and nonlinear complex systems. Dimensionality reductionin datasets (NGS, proteomics).Univariate filters. Multivariateanalysis (PCA, PLS, PLS-DA).Cross-validation. The receiveroperating characteristic. Recursivefeature elimination. Practicalactivities.Lesson 2 (4 h):Over-representation analysis. TheFisher exact test. Correction formultiple testing (Bonferroni vs.Benjamini-Hochberg).Gene/protein databases. Ontologyand pathway databases. Otherdatabases for functionalenrichment. Gene-set enrichmentanalysis. Practical activities.Lesson 3 (4 h): Principles of graphtheory. Network statistics.Topological analysis. Randomnetworks vs. real networks.Clustering strategies. TheCytoscape environment. Practicalactivities.

Techniques for Neuroscience

1. “Imaging techniques”Dott Cesare Covino, ALEMBIC(Advanced Light and ElectronMicroscopy Bioimaging Center),San Raffaele.2. “Techniques to study neuronalplasticity”Prof Tommaso Pizzorusso, ScuolaNormale Superiore of Pisa.3. Stereotaxic proceduresProf.ssa Angelisa Frasca,Università di Milano4. “Genome editing for diseases ofthe CNS”Prof.ssa Alessandra Recchia,University of Modena5. “Generation and study of iPSCand organoids as models forgenetic diseases of the nervoussystem”Prof.ssa Anna Corradi, Universityof Genova.

Applicazioni in ambito oncologico della tecnologia NGS a scopo diagnostico, prognostico e terapeutico: - il modello del carcinoma colorettale – il modello del carcinoma endometriale (terzo anno)

Il minicorso ha lo scopo didelineare l'impiego sempre piùdiffuso della tecnologia NGS nellapratica clinica oncologica e dimostrare come le classificazionitumorali richiedano l'integrazionedi conoscenze approfondite deimeccanismi tumorigenici per ilriconoscimento di entitàbiologiche distinte e per la correttaimpostazione degli approcciterapeutici.

Cancer stem cells: understanding tumour hierarchy and heterogeneity for cancer treatment. – Lesson 1: From Stem cells to Cancer Stem Cells. – Lesson 2: Cancer Stem Cell’s Niche. The relation with the microenvironment. – Lesson 3: Targeting Cancer Stem Cells. Innovative approaches for targeting CSCs.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) areself-renewing cells that areidentifiable in most liquid andsolid cancers and contribute totumor onset, expansion, resistance,recurrence and metastasisfollowing therapeuticalapproaches. CSCs are identified by theexpression of cell surface markers,which depends on the type oftumor. The transition betweenCSCs with cancer cells occurs intumors and is under the control ofreciprocal signals between CSCsand the tumor microenvironment(TME), including the CSC niche.Different degrees of evidenceindicate that cancer stem cells area relevant cause of failure ofconventional chemo/radiotherapy,due to their resistance to suchtherapeutic approaches. Therefore,targeted therapy to eliminate CSCsis essential.

Experimental imaging in translational research (terzo anno)

The seminary is focused on theusefulness of experimentalimaging for preclinical andclinical researchers in traslationalmedicine.The use of advanced andinnovative imaging technologiesallows to observe, monitor,analyze with high resolution everychange in small animals (mice,rats) ?induced by drugs,molecules, anti-bodies beforehistology.Experimental imaging based onUltrasound, Color Doppler,Photoacoustic, CEUS, MagneticResonance, ComputedTomography, micro-PET, OpticalImaging can accurately providequalitative and quantitativeinformation in differentcardiovascular, oncological andinflammatory diseases.Number of experiments andsacrified animals can besignificanly reduced, whileresearch level significantly raisedusing experimental imaging.

Elementi di elettrofisiologia cardiaca (terzo anno)

Attività elettrica delle cellulemiocardiche, genesi del potenzialed'azione e genesidell'elettrocardiogramma disuperficie; principi diaritmogenesi cardiaca;registrazione dei potenzialielettrici endocavitari; valutazioneelettrofisiologica invasiva; aritmiecardiache ed impatto sullafunzione cardiaca?

“InnovationCamp” for Insubria PhD students - A deepdive intoinnovation andexecution (primo e secondo anno)

Objective:According to EU Council,entrepreneurship is one of theeight Key Competences forLifelong learning. InnovationCamp for PhD Students is a coursededicated to the dissemination ofentrepreneurship and innovationconcepts among PhD students andto the development of the relatedhard and soft skills. It begins fromthe milestones of the lean startupapproach up to the development of an innovative idea. At the end ofthe course an open badge will beissued to all participants whoattended both the open day and atleast 75% of the remainingproposed activities.COURSE TOPICSOpen day: Research potential,entrepreneurship, and technologytransfer (4 h)° Research social and economicimpact° Technology transfer toolsprovided from the AtheneumIntroduction to startup world (4 h)° The start-up world: fundamentaltools° Market analysisLegal aspects (4 h)° IP protection strategies° Legal issues of startupsThe Lean Startup with hands-on (4h)° The Lean Startup approach° Value Proposition and BusinessModel CanvasFunding and supporting the idea(4 h)° The capital raising process° EU opportunities for startups° Focus on alternative finance andon the role of business angelsCommunication of the idea (4 h)° Pitch structure° Soft skills for pitchingTeam working & mentoringactivities (4 h)° The importance of the team° How to work efficiently in ateam° Mentoring activitiesPitch refinement session (4 h)Final presentation of businessideas (4 h).

Altre attività didattiche

Valorizzazione e disseminazione dei risultati, della proprietà intellettuale e dell’accesso aperto ai dati e ai prodotti della ricerca

Transversal skills -Objective:Despite the undisputable value of specialized skills, the transversal ones represent a main key to professional success, according tosome scientific studies. Transversal or soft skills pertain to cognitive, creative, managerial, relational and communication areas. Not only they represent the “most wanted” competences indicated by the corporate sector, but they are also essential life skills.Acquiring these skills provides students with the basic knowledge, abilities and qualities required to translate competences intosuitable behavior for organizational purposes and for their professional evolution and success.COURSE TOPICSThe course will provide students transversal skills. The course is organized in three modules, provided in different years:Module A: Information Literacy; Digital Literacy, Doctoral thesis and copyright; Open access; Collecting and processinginformationModule B: Presentation skills; Problem solving; Results dissertationModule C: Economy; Project Management; Patents & trade marks; European research programs.

Seminari

Mathematical methods for the natural sciencesObiettivi: Fornire elementi di base per l'analisi matematica e numerica delle proprietà di sistemi d'interesse per le scienzechimiche, fisiche, e naturali.Programma: Equazioni differenziali ordinarie, con applicazione alla cinetica chimica ed al trasferimento di energia; equazioni allederivate parziali, con applicazione alla teoria del trasporto di materia; metodi di approssimazione funzionale, con applicazioni amodelli di sistemi fisici classici e quantistici; metodi di integrazione numerica per integrali definiti mono-dimensionali, equazionidifferenziali ordinarie e loro sistemi; integrazione Monte Carlo con applicazione alla diffusione ed ai modelli di molecolepolimeriche; soluzione delle equazioni del moto e loro applicazione a sistemi di rilevanza chimica.
Giornata Annuale Giovanna Tosi - Recenti acquisizioni in Oncologia e malattie infettive.La giornata di studio e confronto tra esperti di livello nazionale e internazionale affronta tematiche relative alle cause, incidenza,diagnosi e cura delle patologie neoplastiche con particolare riferimento a quei tumori indotti da agenti patogeni nonchè agli aspettidelle difese immunologiche che l'organismo mette in atto contro i tumori.
Giornata annuale sul cervello nell'ambito della "Brain Week".Saranno presentati dati recenti sul legame tra infezioni/infiammazioni e disturbi del neurosviluppo, disturbi neuropsichiatrici eneurologici. Si parlerà del complesso insieme di fattori ambientali, genetici, epigenetici, immunologici, microbiologici, biochimici,educativi e sociali che possono influenzare l'insorgenza e l'evoluzione dei disordini dello spettro autistico e saranno discussepossibili strategie per affrontarli.
Asma bronchiale e broncopneumopatia cronica ostruttiva.Saranno discusse tematiche relative: a) alle fasi dello sviluppo e al trattamento clinico di broncopatia cronica ostruttiva (BPCO) edi asma, b) allo studio dell'infiammazione bronchiale mediante metodica non invasive (espettorato indotto) in pazienti con BPCO;c) all'identificazione del fenotipo eosinofilico maggiormente sensibile alla terapia corticosteroidea e alla diversa gestione deipazienti asmatici, che include anche la valutazione della cellularità bronchiale mediante test dell'espettorato indotto.
Bioinformatics - Prof. Gianluca MollaObjective:Provide student with practical knowledge of the main bioinformatic processes used in protein investigation. All lessons will beheld at the computer, in an informatics class. Most of procedures shown will be performed by the students themselves under thesupervision of the teacher. Results will be discussed in a critical manner.COURSE TOPICSThe course will cover the main topics of the bioinformatics approach to the study of the structure/properties of the proteins. Indetails:1. The format of structural data and structural databases (PDB files, RCSB, PDBeChem, ...) and how to search and retrievestructural information2. Basis of visualization of 3D structures and software for macromolecule visualization (PyMol, VMD, ...)3. Prediction of structural properties of proteins (secondary structure, transmembrane regions, signal peptides, ...)8. Discover the evolutionary history of a protein: build a phylogenetic tree, detect the most conserved positions and predict thesequence of ancestral proteins4. Construction of models of the 3D structure of a protein (ab initio modelling, homology modelling)5. Build models of variants in vitro - foldX - ProSAR6. Prediction of binding of small ligands (e.g., drugs) to proteins by Automated Molecular Docking7. Prediction of quaternary structure haddock, Z-DOCK8. Simulation of protein flexibility in solution: The Molecular Dynamics approach
Biostatistics - Prof. Giorgio BinelliObjective:All fields of modern biology cannot be successfully approached without a knowledge of their statistical and biometrical aspects. Itis thus necessary to provide the student with interlaced biological and statistical knowledge. The goal of this course is to make thestudents familiar with the statistical theory and terminology, so to understand the power and pitfalls of statistical analysis, withspecial emphasis on the planning of the experiments and the analysis of experimental data in the field of Life Sciences.COURSE TOPICSBasics of statistical analysis- Why use Statistics. Populations and samples. Basics of probability. Random variables.- Frequency distributions; what is a statistical test: power and protection of a test, Type I and Type II errors.The most common statistical tests- Quantitative and qualitative variables - which test?- Some uses of the z variable.- The ?2 test. Goodness-of-fit test and comparisons between proportions.- The General Linear Model (GLM)- Some uses of Student's tOther statistical tests- The model of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).- One-Way ANOVA: the completely randomised and the randomised block designs. Two-way ANOVA.- Linear regression and correlation models, parameters estimate in linear, multiple and curvilinear regression.

Perfezionamento linguistico

Corso di Lingua inglese di livello B2.Il corso mira al miglioramento e consolidamento delle 4 abilità fondamentali della lingua inglese (listening, reading, speaking,writing) e fornisce strategie utili ad affrontare l'esame di Certificazione (B2 FIRST - Cambridge Assessment English, Livello B2del Quadro Comune Europeo di Riferimento per la Conoscenza delle Lingue, QCERhttps://www.britishcouncil.it/esami/perche-conseguire-certificazioni-lin...).Al termine del corso gli studenti dovranno essere in grado di:- Comprendere le idee principali di testi complessi- Interagire con un grado di spontaneità tale da rendere possibile un'interazione con un madrelingua inglese.- Produrre testi chiari e dettagliati su vari argomenti e spiegare il proprio punto di vista su un argomento di attualità.Le lezioni vengono erogate in lingua inglese, con analisi delle nuove strutture grammaticali (morfosintattiche) e lessicali, seguiteda esercizi per facilitare l'apprendimento e l'acquisizione.Gli studenti sostengono un test finale che misura il livello di competenza raggiunto e che tiene conto, come metro di riferimento,della scala di valutazione usata per il livello B2 dell'esame Cambridge English ESOL.Le lezioni di lingua inglese sono integrate da un percorso di apprendimento misto della lingua inglese tramite la piattaformasoftware multimediale MacMillan English Campus (MEC), che prevede esercizi di listening e reading comprehension, pronuncia egrammatica ritagliati sul livello dei singoli dottorandi e utili all'acquisizione graduale di competenze necessarie a raggiungere illivello B2 richiesto.Gli studenti sono seguiti e monitorati da un tutor esperto in lingua inglese e referente pe la piattaforma. Gli apprendenti dovrannodimostrare di avere svolto tutto il percorso di esercizi assegnato almeno con un 70% di successo (che corrisponde a 7/10 oppure a 21/30).

Law and Humanities

Law and art
I, II and III years: The relationships between law and art and the ways in which the law can protect and enhance the artistic heritage have been the subject of reflection for a long time: the lessons will deal with the most innovative issues affecting the law of art, with Italian and foreign guests. Among the topics that will be addressed: the foundations of cultural heritage between historical stabilization and regulatory changes, artist archives and the issue of authentications, international legislation for the protection of cultural heritage and problems related to exports. The initiative is organized in collaboration with the Research Center on the History of Contemporary Art (Crisac)

Law and literature
I, II and III years: the law and literature movement developed in the United States during the twentieth century with the aim of highlighting the close links between law and literature. On the one hand, it was a question of studying the representation of jurists, processes and legal institutes through the filter of literature (law in literature). (law as literature). The movement, which had prominent figures such as John Wigmore, Benjamin Nathan Cardozo and more recently James Boyd White and Richard Weinberg, soon spread to Europe. The lectures aim to highlight the existing dialogue between writers and jurists in this regard. The program is also aimed at publishing the contributions in the recent series inaugurated at Il Mulino by Prof. Gaspari and Prof.ssa Pozzo.

Law and language
I, II and III year: the study of the links between language and law has been addressed, over time, from different points of view by jurists, historians, sociologists, philosophers and linguists, who have highlighted how law, peer of the language, it is a cultural phenomenon that must be analyzed taking into account time and context.
This is a very ancient theme, but one that has come to the fore in recent decades with renewed interest in the face of the establishment of stable phenomena of supranational aggregation, the thickening of international trade, as well as the important migrations of peoples on a global basis. which made it necessary to compare different cultures, as well as between the different languages in which they are expressed. The multicultural society requires a continuous dialogue between different cultures, different languages and different legal systems for which our university must prepare the professionals of tomorrow. The lessons offer an opportunity for jurists and linguists to meet. The results of the research will find a place for their publication in the series The languages of law, published by Giuffré.

Women's rights in multicultural society
I, II and III years: in accordance with the UNESCO chair, established at Insubria in 2019, a series of lessons will be held dedicated to women's rights in different social and cultural realities. Particular attention will be devoted to the theme of implicit prejudices and the use of the image of women in advertising. Part of the lessons will be held by the visiting professor foreseen within the program of the UNESCO Chair. At the same time, the initiatives included in the UNESCO creative city of Como will be part of this cycle of activities, for which a specific program on the social sustainability of the textile supply chain is being developed with particular regard to female work.

Environmental protection between law, economics and risk communication
I, II and III year: the cycle of lectures is aimed at providing PhD students with an introduction to the themes of civil liability for damage to the environment, to the discipline of climate change in a comparative key, to sustainability from a legal and economic point of view. the lessons are designed in an interdisciplinary way and make use of the help of external experts

Summer school
I, II and III year: the Summer school provides an interdisciplinary program aimed mainly at studying the topics of environmental law with French, Dutch, Polish and Belgian professors, who bring their experience in relation to the development of environmental law European and international

Law and science
I, II and III year: the dialogue between law and science that has always been revealed in the course of history, nowadays has innumerable implications that the cycle of lessons will try to address with the help of experts from other sectors of the know. In particular, the issues of the blockchain and the metaverse will be addressed, as well as those of scientific proof in the context of the civil process, as well as the use of technologies in the protection and protection of works of art.

Methods and models for economic decisions

CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES (min. 144 hours)

Advanced Mathematical Methods for Economic Decisions

Years: 1

Hours: 18

Faculty: Mastrogiacomo, Tarsia

Description: This course provides an introduction to the mathematical frameworks and tools such as linear algebra, dynamical systems, and deterministic control processes, which are essential to understand many economic and financial phenomena. It combines theoretical knowledge with applications, providing a solid mathematical background relevant to various contexts.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

- Gain foundational knowledge of linear algebra and dynamical systems theory.

- Explore the basics of deterministic control processes.

- Develop skills to model and solve problems in economics and finance.

Course Delivery:

The course is delivered through traditional lectures, which support direct interaction and active engagement between students and instructors. This format is ideal for fostering a comprehensive understanding of complex mathematical concepts applied in economic and financial contexts.

Final Assessment:

For the final assessment, students are required to develop a project that applies the learned material to solve a practical problem in economics or finance. The project culminates in a final presentation and a written report, demonstrating the practical application of the skills acquired throughout the course.

Bibliography:

1.Barro, Robert J., and Xavier Sala-i-Martin. Economic Growth. 2nd ed. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2004.

2. Mikosch, T. (1998). Elementary stochastic calculus with finance in view. World scientific.

3. Simon, C. P., & Blume, L. (1994). Mathematics for economists (Vol. 7). New York: Norton.

Optimization with applications to finance and economics

Years: 1

Hours: 16

Faculty: Hitaj

Description: Objective of the course:

Students will be able to use the main mathematical instruments to study and solve optimization problems in economics and finance.

Optimization theory:

1- Functions of several variables

2- Unconstrained optimization

3- Constrained optimization with equality constraint

4- Constrained optimization with inequality constraint

5- MatLab: optimization toolbox

Applications to finance and economics

1- Maximization of the Utility function

2- Portfolio allocation: maximizing the utility function of an investor and building the efficient

frontier with only risky asset.

3- Analyzing the impact of introducing lower and upper bounds on the decision variables in

building the efficient frontier.

4- Analyzing how the efficient frontier changes when introducing a risk-free asset.

Model parameter estimation

1- Different estimation methods of the input parameters in a portfolio selection problem.

2- Can we use market indices as market portfolios? Analyzing some results

3- Black-Litterman model (introducing active views)

Stock Market index

1- Building market indexes.

2- Portfolio selection using a CARA utility function and second order Taylor approximation.

3- Buy-and Hold rolling window strategy

4- Efficient frontier under uncertainty

5- The impact of introducing higher moments on portfolio selection

Back-testing procedure

1- Back-testing procedure in case of portfolio selection.

2- In-sample and out-of-sample analysis

3- Sensitivity analysis on the impact of the risk aversion parameter on portfolio diversification.

4- Drawback of the rolling-window strategy

Presentation of the case studies by the students

Bibliography:

1) C. P. SIMON - L. E. BLUME Mathematics for Economists W W Norton & Co Inc, Londra, 1994 » Pagine/Capitoli: Chapters 14,16,17,18,22

2) Markowitz, H. (1952). Portfolio selection. The Journal of Finance, 7(1), 77–91.

3) Elton, E., and M. Gruber. “Estimating the Dependence Structure of Share Prices - Implications for

Portfolio Selection.”

Applied econometrics: causality and policy evaluation

Years: 1

Hours: 22

Faculty: Vezzulli, Porro, Castelnovo, Sonedda

Description: Topics Covered:

1. Causal Inference: Definition, estimation, validity

-The Neyman–Rubin causal model: definition, assumptions and relations with other approaches;

-Regression, IV and Causality: identification and estimation problems;

-Brief introduction to R and STATA.

2. Estimating Causal Effects Using Experimental Data

-Randomized Controlled Experiments and Conditional Randomization;

-Heterogeneity in Treatment Effects and Imperfect Compliance;

-Relationship between ATE, ATT and LATE;

-Spill-overs/Externalities, External Validity and other problems with Randomized Experiments.

-Practical session: examples/take home with R and/or STATA.

3. Quasi-Natural Experiments and Observational Studies

-Quasi- or Natural Experiments;

-IV Approaches and Problems with Weak Instruments;

-Regression Discontinuity Designs: Sharp and Fuzzy RDDs.

-Practical session: examples/take home with R and/or STATA.

4. Selection on observables and matching

-Model dependence and matching;

-Assumptions: SUTVA, Conditional independence, Common support;

-Exact and approximate matching:

a) Propensity Score Matching (PSM);

b) Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM);

-Practical session: examples/take home with R.

5. Difference-in-Differences estimator and other methods

-Difference-in-Differences estimator: assumptions and validity;

-Multiple groups and multiple periods;

-Practical session: examples/take home with R and/or STATA.

Introduction to Macro Agent Based models

Years: 1

Hours: 12

Faculty: Caverzasi

Description: Topics covered:

1.Limits of standard Macro Models

•Delli Gatti, Domenico & Desiderio, Saul & Gaffeo, Edoardo & Cirillo, Pasquale & Gallegati, Mauro. (2011). Macroeconomics from the Bottom-up. 10.1007/978-88-470-1971-3. (Ch.1)

2.Complexity in Economics and ACE

•Tesfatsion, Leigh, (2006), Agent-Based Computational Economics: A Constructive Approach to Economic Theory, Staff General Research Papers Archive, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.

3.Macro Agent-Based Model

•Delli Gatti,Domenico & Fagiolo,Giorgio & Gallegati,Mauro & Richiardi,Matteo & Russo,Alberto (ed.), 2018. "Agent-Based Models in Economics," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781108400046, February. (Chs.1 and 2)

4.AB macro models in R a trivial example

•Caiani, Alessandro & Russo, Alberto & Palestrini, Antonio & Gallegati, Mauro. (2016). Economics with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents: A Practical Guide to Agent-Based Modeling. 10.1007/978-3-319-44058-3. (ch.2)

5.An intro to social accounting and the flow of funds

•Eugenio Caverzasi & Antoine Godin, 2015."Post-Keynesian stock-flow-consistent modelling: a survey," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 39(1), pages 157-187.

•Wynne Godley & Marc Lavoie, 2007."Monetary Economics," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-62654-6. (Ch.2)

6.Intro to Stock-Flow consistent modelling

•Michalis Nikiforos & Gennaro Zezza, 2017."Stock Flow Consistent Macroeconomic Models: A Survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 1204-1239, December.

7.SFC macro models in R a trivial example

•Wynne Godley & Marc Lavoie, 2007."Monetary Economics," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-62654-6. (Ch.3)

Decision making in historical-economic perspective

Years: 1

Hours: 12

Faculty: Brambilla

Description: History–and economic and business history are no exception–can be considered as the result of countless decisions taken by as many different actors, often intertwined with one another. The course aims at showing that all those decisions are taken in a context, a context characterised by uncertainty and by limits to the choices actors can make. And that, in this sense, path dependence and uncertainty may affect the main determinants of economic growth–innovation & technological development, entrepreneurship, and institutional change. The course analyses such issues by presenting some relevant cases in modern economic and business history.

Format

The course lasts 12 hours, divided into two parts:

1.Lectures, 8 hours

2.Students’ presentations, 4 hours

The first part consists of 4 classes of two hours each, during which the instructor introduces and gives the framework of the topic, focussing on some specific issues and examples. Students are expected to prepare the suggested readings and to lively participate to in class discussion

1.General introduction and path dependence

2.Path dependence affecting technological change and innovation

3.Institutional innovation choices and path dependence

4.State owned enterprises, a case study; by a visiting professor

The second part consists of one meeting during which students present a case study and discuss it with the class.

Applied econometrics: Health Economics

Years: 1

Hours: 18

Faculty: Robone, Orso, Riganti

Description: The course provides students with an understanding of the most relevant micro-econometric techniques available to applied researchers, with a particular focus on the use of individual level data in health economics. The purpose of the course is to help students in selecting techniques suited both to their data and to their economic model and illustrate the skills required to put these techniques into practice.

The emphasis of the course is on applied work and on the illustration of the use of relevant computer software (STATA) applied to large-scale survey datasets. The course is computer based and is built around empirical case studies rather than general theory and the emphasis is on learning by example. Relevant methods are presented alongside the Stata code and empirical results are discusses in class. Practical applications of the methods are illustrated using data on health from, among others, the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) and the WHO World Health Survey (WHS).

By the end of the course, participants should be able to:

• formulate empirical problems involving micro-data

• select appropriate econometric methods

• understand methods of estimation and be able to implement them, using appropriate software • construct usable datasets and know the limitations of the data

• interpret the results of the analysis

Course content

The course will cover the following topics:

• survey design;

• binary choice models and models for categorical data;

•anchoring vignettes and hierarchical models;

•count data regression;

•models and methods for panel data

•field experiments in health (with and without compatible incentives)

The economics of altruistic decisions and charitable giving

Years: 1

Hours: 10

Faculty: Galmarini

Description: The lectures are divided into three parts.

Part I gives a brief introduction to the theory of charitable giving, focusing on the motivations and the incentives of donors.

Part II reviews the literature on laboratory experiments aimed at testing the predictions of the theoretical models illustrated in Part I. Part III presents some topics on the ongoing empirical research, based on laboratory and field experiments, examining how donors respond to various fundraising strategies adopted by charitable organizations. A throughout coverage of the issues can be found in the surveys by Andreoni (2006), Andreoni and Payne (2013), Vesterlund (2015).

Part II and III of the lectures illustrate and discuss a selection of research papers. For the final exam, each student is asked to make an oral presentation of one or two research papers at her/his choice. on charitable giving.

Advanced Econometrics for Decision Making

Years: 1

Hours: 12

Faculty: Seri

Description: The aim of this course is to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of maximum likelihood estimation, linear regression, discrete choice models, and testing methodologies. The course intends to develop students’ ability to build, test, and interpret statistical models.

Brief course syllabus:

Mathematical and programming preliminaries

Maximum likelihood estimation:

-Parameters, estimators and estimates

-Criteria for estimators

-Maximum likelihood estimation: matrices, likelihood function, maximum likelihood estimators, convergences, consistency and asymptotic normality, efficiency

-Maximum likelihood inference: significance and hypothesis testing, confidence intervals

Linear regression in a nutshell

-A gentle and formal introduction

-The MLE: hypothesis, the asymptotic properties of the MLE, finite sample properties of the MLE

-Model building and testing: the general philosophy of model building, significance tests, diagnostic tests

-Three examples

Discrete choice models

-Non regression models

-Reduced-form models: general topics, the probit model, the logit model

-Structural models: biological interpretation, psychological interpretation, economic interpretation – stochastic utility and latent regression

-An example

Testing: problems and pitfalls

-Single test: preliminaries, significance testing, hypothesis testing, NHST, confidence intervals, information criteria

-Multiple tests: multiple tests at once, sequential tests, meta-analysis

References

Readings and further references will be provided together with the course materials.

Transport decision making and sustainability

Years: 1

Hours: 12

Faculty: Maggi

Description: Aim and contents of the course

Transport has a key role for the socio-economic wellness of any society, but it is also one of the most important sources of pollution, other negative externalities, and greenhouse gas emissions, affecting the climate changes.

The course provides students with an understanding of the most relevant and recent topics reflecting latest research debate about transport sustainability and related models for the analysis, by applying an interdisciplinary approach, in the framework of Sustainable Development Approach (United Nations’ Agenda 2030 SDGs). The focus is on the impacts of the individual and organization decisions about mobility, on the transport sector transition and on public policies for sustainability.

Topics and lecturers:

-Transport externalities and sustainable transport policies (3h)- Elena Maggi, University of Insubria

-Sustainable Mobility Contribution of New Business Models and Technologies in the Transport Sector (3h)- Graham Parkhurst, University of West England Bristol-UK

-Active and sustainable mobility in later life (2h) – Daniele Crotti, University of Insubria

-Travel trends and behaviour for a sustainable future (6h), Kiron Chatterjee, University of West England Bristol-UK

Networks: Theory and Applications

Years: 1

Hours: 12

Faculty: Vanni

Description: The course aims to introduce some notions of modern complex networks as an analysis

tool and interpretation of many real-world phenomena.

SYLLABUS:

• What is a network:

- Interconnected systems and complex phenomena

- Examples: Social and Economic Networks

•Basic Definitions:

- Multigraphs and digraphs

- Connectivity & Walkability on a graph

•Graph Structures: trees and bipartite graphs

•Mathematical representations of network graphs

•Measures and metrics on networks:¿Distribution of metrics and measures in large networks

- Correlations in Networks

•Models of Network Formation:

- Random-Networks & Preferential attachment

- Hidden-variable model & Configuration model

- Temporal Networks and stochastic evolution

- Shocks and Cascades

•Characterizations of Complex Networks and emergent properties

•Empirical evidences and applied models:

- Human Mobility and Transport Networks

- World Trade Flow

- Inter-bank and Financial Networks

- Environmental Input-Output Production Models

References:

•Estrada E., Knight PA. A first course in network theory. Oxford University Press,USA; 2015.

•Barabasi A., Network Science, Cambridge University Press, 2016,

•Latora V., Nicosia V, Russo G. Complex networks: principles, methods and

applications. Cambridge University Press; 2017,

•Newman M,Networks, Oxford University Press, 2018

•Dorogovtsev SN, Mendes JF.The Nature of Complex Networks. Oxford University

Press; 2022

Assessment:

A final brief report an selected topics will be required to be written at the end of the course

OTHER COURSE

STATA Laboratory for financial and economic analyses

Years: 1

Hours: 10

Faculty: Tanda

Description: STATA Laboratory for financial and economic analyses

The seminars aim at providing the students with the knowledge of the basic tools in Stata for data description and modelling for financial and economic analyses. In particular, the first two seminars (1 and 2) are dedicated to the basic commands and features of Stata and linear regression, while the seminars 3 and 4 are devoted to panel regression and hints of alternative estimation techniques for different types of data, such as count data.

Topics covered

• Introduction to Stata o Interface

o commands

o files (dta, do and log files)

o variable creation and data upload

o macro

o descriptive statistics, estimation and postestimation commands o graphs

• Linear regression and IV regression

o commands of linear regression, estimation and postestimation

results interpretation

o IV regression in Stata

o endogenous treatment effects

• Panel regression

o panel settings

o panel regression

o random effects and fixed effects, Hausman test o dynamic panel data (hints)

• Count data

o Poisson and Negbin

o graphs

o interpretation of results

Introduction to MATLAB

Years: 1

Hours: 8

Faculty: Moretto

Description: the aim of this brief course is to provide a basic knowledge of one of the most known and used numeric computing environment: Matlab. Università dell’Insubria provides all its students and faculty members a Matlab campus license.

Topics covered

•Numbers, vectors, matrices, and variables management

•A review of basic topics in linear algebra

•Function in Matlab

•Matlab’s M-files

•(Very) simple algorithms in Matlab

•Unconstrained and constrained optimization in Matlab

•(A very brief) introduction to simulation techniques

Other lectures and seminars held by visiting professors external to the faculty.

Years: 1, 2, 3

Hours: 16

TRANSVERSAL ACTIVITIES (min. 24 hours)

“Innovation Camp” for Insubria PhD students - A deep dive into innovation and execution

Years: 1 or 2

Hours: 36

Faculty: Fasano, Pisoni, Vezzulli, Farao, Capelli, Bellucci

Description: Objective: According to EU Council, entrepreneurship is one of the eight Key Competences for Lifelong learning. Innovation Camp for PhD Students is a course dedicated to the dissemination of entrepreneurship and innovation concepts among PhD students and to the development of the related hard and soft skills. It begins from the milestones of the lean startup approach up to the development of an innovative idea. At the end of the course an open badge will be issued to all participants who attended both the open day and at least 75% of the remaining proposed activities.

COURSE TOPICS

Open day: Research potential, entrepreneurship, and technology transfer (4 h)

Introduction to startup world (4 h)

Legal aspects (4 h)

The Lean Startup with hands-on (4 h)

Funding and supporting the idea (4 h)

Communication of the idea (4 h)

Team working & mentoring activities (4 h)

Pitch refinement session (4 h)

Final presentation of business ideas (4 h)

Safety in the laboratory

Years: 1

Hours: 14

Faculty: Lucarelli, Fanetti, TBD

Description: Legal aspects. Working with videoterminals. Working with chemicals. Working with lasers and radioactive sources. Biohazard.

Artificial intelligence

Years: any

Hours: 8

Faculty: Ref. Fasano

Description: Foundations of AI. The AI act. Applications (Biology, Surgery, Medicine, Economics, Humanities, Astrophysics, Materials science)

Research integrity

Years: any

Hours: 12

Faculty: Ref. Cosentino

Description: The course aims to promote knowledge of the principles and standards defined in the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (https://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/European-Code-of-Conduct-Revised-Edition-2023.pdf), providing essential tools for their application in various contexts where scientific research is conducted. It takes into account the roles of the different figures involved in various capacities, their tasks and responsibilities, as well as the pressures each may face from time to time.

The code applies to all scientific and humanities disciplines and promotes the importance of honesty and collaboration in the research process. The research community has the responsibility to formulate principles, ensure the quality and integrity of research, and actively respond to situations where forms of scientific misconduct occur. The code aims to strengthen this responsibility and provide tools to prevent and – if necessary – recognize and manage violations of research integrity.

Academic writing and publishing

Years: any

Hours: 8

Faculty: Ref. Vezzulli

Description: By the end of the course, students should be able to: craft texts in different genres (e.g., summary, problem statement, annotations, etc.); produce an original academic research paper in your field of studies; practice analysis in written form through synthesis of academic papers; provide constructive feedback to peers on their written work, and address issues identified by the instructor and peers when revising one’s own written work.

Personal branding

Years: any

Hours: 12

Faculty: TLC

Description: At the end of the course, the participant will be able to effectively manage their presence on social media by creating high-quality content and will know how to communicate in an official capacity to best promote themselves on their personal and professional channels.

Public speaking

Years: any

Hours: 8

Faculty: TLC

Description: The course introduces important elements of successful presentations including effective listening, presentation organization, and logical structure; informative and persuasive speech; use of visual aids, research, and evidence; ethical considerations; and techniques for building confidence in public speaking.

Objectives: to increase confidence and poise when speaking to audiences or groups; to expand student’s abilities with computer mediated communication in order to better prepare them for future presentations online; to enrich students’ ability to master all components that make a speech successful: understanding timing, figuring out how much practice is needed, ensuring deliverables are clear, and being able to meet deadlines.

Project management

Years: any

Hours: 8

Faculty: TLC

Description: How to start, define and organize a project; how to develop a project plan, including scoping, sequencing tasks, and determining the critical path; how to assess, prioritize and manage project risk; how to execute projects and use the earned value approach to monitor and control progress

FREE CHOICE ACTIVITIES (MIN. 8 HOURS).

Ph.D. students have the right to attend educational activities free of choice in other Ph.D. courses, also in other Universities.

Life Sciences and Biotechnology

Teaching Activities

The DSVB has been designed and is proposed as a training tool for research activity through the acquisition of advanced theoretical and methodological skills in the field of biotechnological sciences (involving chemical, biochemical, genetic, bioinformatics, microbiological and medical disciplines), and by encouraging the integration of complementary skills and application transfer. The educational path addresses the frontier issues of Life Sciences by promoting the systemic, cellular, molecular and biotechnological approach in the study of complex problems through the use of model systems in the fields of biology, biomedicine and (bio)chemistry, but also offers transversal activities for the improvement of relational, communication and linguistic skills.

A training course is proposed that includes common teaching activities, in addition to those freely chosen by the PhD student, which therefore differs based on research interests and is functional to the acquisition of useful skills for the development and management of the PhD's own research project.

Common Characterising Activities (mandatory):

1st year:

Course: Biostatistics

Teacher: Giorgio Binelli

Length: 3 CFU (24 hours)

Objective: All fields of modern biology cannot be successfully approached without a knowledge of their statistical and biometrical aspects. It is thus necessary to provide the student with interlaced biological and statistical knowledge. The goal of this course is to make the students familiar with the statistical theory and terminology, so to understand the power and pitfalls of statistical analysis, with special emphasis on the planning of the experiments and the analysis of experimental data in the field of Life Sciences.

Course: Trends in Biomolecular Science

Teacher: shared among members of the PhD course

Length: 2.5 CFU (20 hours)

Objective: Biomolecular science is a research area that profits from a strong multidisciplinary expertise on genetics, microbiology, molecular and cell biology, structural biology, biochemistry, synthetic and systems biology, etc. This course is aimed to provide advanced and updated knowledge through a theoretical and practical training oriented to provide the required skills for supporting the students in their biotechnological research projects (in the different fields of application).

Course: Transversal skills

Module A: Information Literacy; Digital Literacy, Doctoral thesis and copyright; Open access; Collecting and processing information

Teacher: shared among members of the PhD course and external professionals

Length: 0.5 CFU (4 hours)

Objective: Despite the undisputable value of specialized skills, the transversal ones represent a main key to professional success, according to some scientific studies. Transversal or soft skills pertain to cognitive, creative, managerial, relational and communication areas. Not only they represent the “most wanted” competences indicated by the corporate sector, but they are also essential life skills. Acquiring these skills provides students with the basic knowledge, abilities and qualities required to translate competences into suitable behavior for organizational purposes and for their professional evolution and success.

2nd year:

Course: Bioinformatics

Teacher: Gianluca Molla

Length: 2.5 CFU (20 hours)

Objective: Provide student with practical knowledge of the main bioinformatic processes used in protein investigation. All lessons will be held at the computer, in an informatics class. Most of procedures shown will be performed by the students themselves under the supervision of the teacher. Results will be discussed in a critical manner.

*Scheduled every two years

Course: Transversal skills

Module B: Presentation skills; Problem solving; Results dissertation

Teacher: shared among members of the PhD course and external professionals

Length: 0.5 CFU (4 hours)

Course: Trends in Biomolecular Science

Teacher: shared among members of the PhD course

Length: 2.5 CFU (20 hours)

3rd year:

Course: Transversal skills

Module C: Economy; Project Management; Patents & trademarks; European research programs

Teacher: shared among members of the PhD course and external professionals

Length: 0.5 CFU (4 hours)

Transversal activities (mandatory and optional) to follow during the three years PhD course:

Course: INNOVATION CAMP FOR PHD STUDENTS

Teacher: Prof. Mauro Fasano, Prof.ssa Alessia Pisoni, Prof. Andrea Vezzulli

Course: INTRODUCTION TO SYSTEMS BIOLOGY - Transversal activity organized by the PhD Course in Experimental and Translational Medicine

Teacher: Prof. Mauro Fasano

Course: SAFETY IN THE LABORATORY

Teacher: Prof. Carlo Lucarelli, Prof. Stefano Fanetti, TBD

Course: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Teacher: Prof. Mauro Fasano

Course: RESEARCH INTEGRITY

Teacher: Prof. Marco Cosentino

Course: ACADEMIC WRITING AND PUBLISHING

Teacher: Prof. Andrea Vezzulli

Course: PERSONAL BRANDING

Teacher: TLC

Course: PUBLIC SPEAKING

Teacher: TLC

Course: PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Teacher: TLC

Description of Transversal Activities

Seminars (free-choice)

Seminars, courses and other didactic activities organized by the Doctoral School, by other PhD Program at the university of Insubria, or by other Universities (provided attendance and credits are certified), at the free choice of the PhD student, for a total of 0.5 CFU (4 hours) per each year of the PhD Program.

These activities are included in the DSVB training program to allow PhD students to build their own advanced training path, which reflects their scientific interests. They can therefore choose and plan to attend seminars during the three years of the PhD Program, in order to acquire targeted theoretical and practical knowledge on different topics, which they will then be able to apply to their specific field of research and which will allow them to adopt alternative and/or innovative solutions to the problems related to their project.

English language:

Course on multimedia software platform (MacMillan English Campus - MEC) – an activity proposed by the University of Insubria for PhD students.

English language course preparing PhD students for the B2 level certification.

Physics and Astrophysics

Feynman path integrals

I anno: this short lecture series provides a very brief introduction to the Feynman Path Integral approach to quantisation, which represents a completely original and alternative axiomatic basis for quantum theories. While developed within the framework of non-relativistic quantum mechanics, the method is of particular importance (for its clarity and simplicity) in second or field quantisation. However, it finds useful applications in many other areas, as diverse as statistical mechanics and even, for example, financial analysis. Being limited to eight hours of front-on lectures, little attention is paid to mathematical rigour. In other words, a description of the physical basis and significance will be provided, together with some of the interesting applications of the technique of relevance to physics.

Quantum technologies

I anno: the second quantum revolution is unfolding now, exploiting the enormous advancements in our ability to detect and manipulate single quantum objects and triggering the development of the different quantum technologies. The course, after a preliminary introduction to the principles of quantum information, is intended to give an introduction to the different quantum technologies for computing, simulation, communication, metrology, and machine learning, including quantum optics laboratory demonstration of quantum information protocols.

Non-equilibrium statistical physics: kineting roughening and active matter

II anno; classical statistical mechanics describes system at thermodynamic equilibrium. However, a wide range of natural systems, ranging from climate to virtually all living matter, are kept out of equilibrium by external driving and/or fluxes of energy which is constantly absorbed and dissipated through the system.
This course focuses on two prototypical classes of non-equilibrium systems: (i) kinetic roughening of driven interfaces and (ii) active matter.
Kinetic roughening is relevant to the description of many interfacial problems under non-equilibrium conditions (deposition at the solid-gas interface, flame front propagation, wetting, etc.), while active matter is a nonequilibrium paradigma capable of explaining the behavior of many biological systems, from bird flocks to bacteria colonies and cellular migration to cite a few examples.

Non Newtonian aspects of general relativity

I anno: this is a 20 hours course, where some specific aspects of the general relativistic dynamics will be discussed, compared to the analogous mechanisms in Newtonian gravity, when allowed. The main arguments included in the course are:

Einstein equations and their comparison with Newtonian gravity: time dependence, non harmonicity tensorial character, non linearity;
Gravitational waves: generation and detection; weak and strong gravitational waves, effective one body formalism;
Dragging effects and weak and strong gravitomagnetism, with applications to the motion of massive bodies and galaxies.

However, modifications on the program can be considered on demand, in order to adapt the details of the lessons to the specific needs of the students.

Complements of theoretical physics

II anno: this is a 20 hours course, with the aim of presenting some advanced topics in theoretical physics, related with the physics of the standard model and/or general aspects of theoretical physics. The main arguments proposed by the course are:

Symmetries in quantum field theory: Lie groups, spontaneous symmetry breaking of global symmetries and local symmetries, symmetries in path integral formalism, anomalies;
Feynman integrals in classical and quantum theories. Methods of computation of the Feynman integrals and related twisted cohomology;
The geometry of the Standard Model of Particles and possible extensions to grand unification models.

According to the interests of the participating students, it is possible to consider a short introduction to all such arguments, or to develop more deeply one of them if needed.

Fluorescence Methods in molecular biophysics

I anno: biophysics is a subject intrinsically at the interface between hard sciences and life sciences, and constitutes an ideal bridge within these two fascinating universes. In this teaching module the biophysical approach will be outlined, evidencing its specificities and originality with respect to classical biological subjects. The basics of molecular biology will be sketched in “pills”. In so doing, the students will be led to mature a deep comprehension of the intimate relationship between biomolecules structures and their biological function. Subsequently, some considerations will be driven about the peculiar thermodynamics of metabolic reactions. Binding reactions will be modelled in details evidencing their crucial role in metabolic regulation. The main concepts underlying the electronic state transition spectroscopy of molecules in solution will be recalled. The advantages of fluorescence will be discussed and several advanced fluorescence techniques will be presented and applied to the elucidation of binding equilibriums. Particularly, we will focus on time-resolved and fluctuation analyses methods. Further, we will correlate the conformational dynamics of biomolecules with benchmark spectral features, introducing fluorescence resonance energy transfer, both applied on molecular ensembles and at the single molecule level, as a powerful tool to characterize biomolecular structures and interactions. All the above topics will be tackled by relying both on examples extracted from the research experience of the teacher and on critical examination of seminal papers from the historical literature. At the end of the course, the students will inherit a comprehensive panorama of time-correlated single photon counting, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer. Moreover, they will gain some insight on the molecular mechanisms governing life and on the physical laws on which they are based.

Fundamentals of machine learning

II anno: the course will cover the state-of-the art algorithms and knowledge about the

supervised learing techniques

In particular, those topics will be coveres:

Introduction to classifications problems and methods. Definition of Training Set, Test Set, Validation and metrics to assess the performances of classifiers;
Classification based on parametric model;
Classification based on non-parametric model . Decision Trees, Random Forests and linear classified will be presented with the necessary mathematical background and application in physics/astrophysics;
Classification with Support Vector Machine and Neural Networks;
Introduction to Deep Learning techniques and architectures of deep neural networks for.

Image classifications

In order to fully exploit the lessons and the concepts given in the course plan, an introduction to data preparation, features selections and transformation (e.g. principal component analyss) will also be part of the lectures.

Nota generale a tutti i corsi: gli studenti saranno tenuti a seguire almeno 60 ore di corso all'interno dell'offerta formativa, secondo un piano didattico approvato dal Collegio dei Docenti.

Numerical methods for astrophysics

II anno: the course "Numerical methods for astrophysics" is meant to introduce state-of-the-art numerical modelling techniques employed in astrophysics, and will cover 20 hours. In

detail, the following topics will be covered:

Newtonian dynamics and the N-body problem (grid-based vs particle-based methods);
Advanced techniques for computational hydrodynamics: adaptive mesh refinement vs moving-mesh vs mesh-free methods, advantages and limitations;
High performance computing: code development and optimization.

Time series analysis for astrophysicists

II anno: time series are ubiquitous in astrophysics. This course is aimed at providing PhD students the main capabilities to extract physical information with state-of-the-art statistical inferences from the available datasets. We will refer to real science cases developed in the astrophysical literature, yet the discussed methodologies could be of definite interest to anyone involved in quantitative analysis of data in a temporal (or spatial) sequence in any field of modern physics, economy, engineering and social sciences.

At the end of the course students will be able to:

Carry out analysis of any statistical problem in a full Bayesian framework;
Properly model time series to derive meaningful statistical inferences about stationarity;
Short and long-term memory behavior;
Deal with data irregular spaced and/or affected bu correlated noise;
Apply big-data techniques to carry out the analyses of typical large datasets obtained by modern astrophysical facilities.

More specifically the main topics of the course are:

Time (and spatial) variability in astrophysics
Time- domain analysis and auto-regressive processes
Irregular sampling, Lomb Scargle periodograms
Case studies: ANG variability
Advanced topics: non-parametric analysis
Matching filter
Case study: LIGO/Virgo gravitational wave signals
Big-data machine learning and intelligent systems for time- series analysis
Case studies: spatial variability /CMB, large scale structure)

Advanced topics in astrophysics

I anno:

1. Multiscale simulations: incorporating unresolved physical processes in advanced numerical simulations.
2. Search for periodicity in astrophysical time-series.
3. Structure and Physics of the Milky Way.
4. Atmospheric escape in exoplanets.
5. Machine Learning in Astrophysics.

Advanced astrophysical fluid dynamics

II anno:

- Rotating equilibria and thick discs: barotropic equilibria and Taylor-Proudman theorem, baroclinic equilibria, Solberg-Hoiland stability criterion
- Accretion discs: inviscid thin disc, viscous evolution of a thin disc and spreading of a thin ring, steady-state viscous thin discs, angular momentum transport, Shakura-Sunyaev alpha-disc “standard” model, emitted spectrum, the Eddington limit, angular momentum transport in discs
- Effects of rotation on waves, epicyclic frequency and Lindblad resonances, density waves in discs, Toomre instability, Papaloizou-Pringle instability

Low-noise measurements and feedback: a laboratory

I anno: Freshman statistics tells you that if you want data with lower noise, you can always average for longer. Sometimes this would take an unfeasible amount of time, other times you might realize that noise increases with the duration of the measurement - the infamous experimental drifts - and more averaging is detrimental.
In this hands-on course we will introduce how to characterize the time dependence of noise using the noise power spectral density, and how to identify the best averaging time before drifts kill the measurement through the Allan deviation. We will introduce two methods for increasing signal-to-noise ratio: lock-in detection, which works well when the property to be measured can be switched on and off periodically, and closed-loop feedback control, to stabilize the experimental apparatus and reduce drifts in the first place.
The course is well suited to experimentalists and theoreticians alike: we will see techniques at work in any mobile phone and modern kitchen oven, that can be implemented in many experimental setting but also used to understand how gravitational waves are detected.

Laser-Driven Radiation Sources: Science, Technology and Applications

II anno: This short course introduces students to the technological aspects and applications of laser-driven sources of radiation, one of the most active areas of research in laser physics today. The course begins with a brief introduction to ultrafast lasers, followed by an overview of the science, technology, impact, and applications of state-of-the-art secondary sources. These include parametric amplifiers (mid-infrared sources), optical rectification or photoconductive switching (THz sources), and non-perturbative light-matter interactions (high-order harmonic generation).

Fundamentals and Applications of Optical Metrology

II anno: This short course introduces students to the basic concepts of optical metrology and provides an overview of the current state-of-the-art for some of its most advanced and widespread applications. The course begins with an introduction to the theoretical aspects of optical metrology and the physical mechanisms underpinning its applications. It then analyzes examples of transformative metrological applications, such as interferometry (empowering the observation of phenomena like gravitational waves), spectroscopy (e.g., time-resolved spectroscopy with unparalleled sensitivity), and dual-comb spectroscopy (used e.g., astrophysical observations).

Advanced Concepts of Light-matter Interaction and Their Applications

I anno: This short course introduces students to the basic concepts of light-matter interactions and their applications. It begins with an introduction to laser physics and the different regimes of light-matter interaction driven by intense laser fields. The course then focuses on key applications of lasers, such as micromachining (cutting, drilling, and machining of transparent materials), medical applications (e.g., eye surgery), and applications to astrophysics (spectroscopy and interferometry).