Graduates in Medical Bioinformatics are IT professionals specialised in processing (representation, processing, analysis, visualisation, archiving and communication) of large amounts of data (structured, semi-structured and unstructured data), thus acting as Data Scientists in order to deploy and use advanced IT techniques and tools in the fields of biology, medicine and health. Our graduates contribute to broaden scientific knowledge by conducting research and experiments in the fields of information sciences and telematics applied to medicine and biology.
Graduates – who will be able to apply and make available this knowledge for clinical, health, biomedical and bioinformatics scientific research activities – may find employment opportunities in a range of work contexts, as follows: computer manufacturing companies and software houses specialised in the production of software and hardware for bioinformatics or medical-clinical applications; hospitals and health agencies/organisations; pharmaceutical companies; research institutions - public and private - and genomic and health services; as self-employed professionals and in public departments.
Graduate’s role in a working environment: graduates in Medical Bioinformatics will be able to enter management and supervisory positions in the design, development, management and maintenance of information systems in medicine, biology and health systems, with particular regard to:
- design of complex biomedical software oriented to scientific and technological innovation for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes;
- design of complex computer systems for the management of clinical and bioinformatics databases;
- design of systems for the processing of medical and biological data in clinical decision support systems;
- management of health information systems with heterogeneous and complex architectures;
- design of systems and visual interfaces for bioinformatics.
Graduate’s skills: while performing their tasks, graduates in Medical Bioinformatics will be able to address computer problems in the biomedical field from a managerial point of view, to coordinate teams and to define innovative approaches. The expected skills are therefore relevant to the following areas:
- theoretical, methodological, experimental and applicative skills in the fundamental areas of information technology, particularly regarding bioinformatics activities of biomedical laboratories, clinical and organisational activities in healthcare;
- ability to address and analyse complex problems in the biological, medical and healthcare fields and coordinate the development of computer systems for their solution;
- knowledge of investigation methodologies and ability to apply them in concrete situations, leading teams in projects that require expertise in medical computing and bioinformatics;
- appropriate biomedical knowledge to integrate their IT skills.
Career prospects: graduates may find employment opportunities in a range of work contexts, as follows: computer manufacturing companies and software houses specialised in the production of software and hardware for bioinformatics or medical-clinical applications; hospitals and health agencies/organisations; pharmaceutical companies; research institutions - public and private - and genomic and health services; as self-employed professionals and in public departments.
Specifically, graduates will be expected to be able to:
- carry out development tasks in the field of scientific and technological innovation for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes;
- design, organise, manage and maintain complex medical information systems for the management of clinical or bioinformatics databases, for the processing of medical and bioinformatics data in clinical decision support systems, both in health information systems and in hospital centres;
- provide organisational, clinical and scientific support for both inter and intra-hospital activities, both in bioinformatics research labs and in information technology companies operating in the medical sector;
- provide teaching activities in schools of different types and levels, upon completion of the relevant teacher training courses.
Graduates in Medical Bioinformatics are typically open-minded about where to find their best job opportunities, in Italy or abroad. Given the Italian and international contexts, the skills acquired in a master's degree of this kind will enable graduates to apply for positions in IT companies operating in the medical sector, as well as hospitals and research laboratories, in bioinformatics and medicine to support clinical and scientific activities of single units or departments.