This course aims to provide the basic knowledge on copyright, elements of open science and open access, introduction to open data, uploading theses into IRIS, and description of the policy of the University for Open Access.

Progetto UPO Openthesis

To be updated to the calendar, please refer to the SBA website (Sistema Bibliotecario di Ateneo) 

Biology and management of rodent and lagomorph laboratory animals

• Appropriate basic biology of rodents and lagomorphs

• Appropriate basic biology specific to rodent and lagomorph species

• Health care and management of rodents and lagomorphs

• Recognition of the pain suffering and distress

• Humanitarian methods of suppression

• Minimally invasive procedures without anesthesia

• National legislation and ethics

• How to write an Horizon 2020 or NIH Grant

• How to present data effectively in PowerPoint

This course is taught by a native speaker instructor specialized in medical-scientific university training with many years of experience as a researcher, principal investigator (PI), and professor of pharmacology, immunology, and molecular biology at Italian and American universities.

This course is aimed at second-year Ph.D. students with at least a B1 (intermediate) level of English who wish to improve their academic writing skills for publishing articles in peer-reviewed journals and submitting project proposals for national and international fellowships (MSCA, AIRC, Cariplo, etc.).

The course is divided into 2 modules:

i) How to write a research paper:

• Outlining, the language of research paper, academic language;

• Paragraphing: structure of paragraph, descriptive and process paragraph, opinion paragraph, comparison/contrast paragraph, problem/solution paragraph, introduction, and conclusion;

• Effective utilization of sentence connectors and conjunctions to improve readability;

• Writing an effective cover letter, title, keywords, abstract, introduction, results, figure legends, and discussion/conclusion;

• In-text citations, editing a paper, avoiding plagiarism;

• Finding a suitable peer-reviewed Journal;

• Submission process;

• Writing a convincing rebuttal: point-by-point reply to the reviewers’ comments.

ii) How to write a fellowship:

• Understanding the goals and requirements of the chosen fellowship (e.g., MSCA);

• Eligibility and proposal guidelines: overview of applicant and host criteria, and proposal structure;

• Research project development: formulating a compelling, innovative research proposal, including title, background, preliminary results, specific aims, research plan, pitfalls and alternatives, deliverables, milestones, and timeline;

• Training and career development: planning for skill development and career progression;

• Impact and dissemination: articulating research impact and communication strategies;

• Ethics and data management: addressing ethical issues and data handling;

• Host institution support: role and commitment of the host institution and supervisor;

• Significance, innovation, impact, and dissemination;

Evaluation and certificate of merit

This basic course includes the following end points:

• A final written test to assess grammatical and writing skills (with a maximum score of 110/110, pass = 72);

• Issuance of a certificate of merit (Certificate of Achievement) in Scientific English Writing, level C1.

The advanced course is instructed by the same Professor teaching the basic course.

This course is tailored for third-year Ph.D. students who have already obtained the Certificate of Achievement from the basic course and seek to refine their academic writing skills, specifically for grant application purposes. Additionally, it aims to enhance their proficiency in delivering research findings through PowerPoint presentations. Throughout the course, there will also be an in-depth exploration of various grammatical structures, including contrast, comparison, cause-effect relationships, probability/possibility, confirmation, reintroduction, particularization, and speculation.

The course will be divided into 2 modules:

i) How to write a Horizon Europe ERC (starting investigators) or NIH grant:

• Understanding the ERC objectives and requirements for starting investigators;

• Developing a compelling research idea that aligns with ERC criteria, emphasizing novelty, feasibility, and potential impact;

• Structuring the proposal to effectively communicate the research plan, including title, acronym, abstract, background, preliminary data, objectives, methodology, expected outcomes, risk mitigation, and timeline;

• Demonstrating the capability of the research team and the research environment to successfully conduct the proposed project;

• Addressing the impact, significance, innovation  of the proposal, as well as the environment, deliverables, and milestones.

ii) How to present data effectively in PowerPoint:

• Language: how to sound natural and calm (e.g., choice of words, pronunciation/enunciation)

• Signposting; intonation, emphasis, pausing, body language, eye contact, audience engagement, slide transition;

• Background, gap in knowledge, central hypothesis, and objectives;

• Describing tables and figures using contrastive and comparative structures:

• Clarifying, reinforcing, explaining ideas or concepts;

• Concluding remarks and future perspectives.

Evaluation and certificate of merit

The course evaluation comprises two critical elements:

• hands-on grant writing exercise centered on the Ph.D. student's thesis preliminary data;

• PowerPoint presentation showcasing their research outcomes.

The teacher will assess the successful completion of both assessments. Successful completion of both assessments will earn the student a Certificate of Achievement at the C1+ level.

The course is aimed at definition of rules for the development of patents, for the protection of intellectual property and related exploitation. During the course are also developed the principles of applications of technology transfer with particular reference to the organizational model of spin-off.