Ph.D. Course Structure - Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Ambiente e Alimenti - Università degli Studi del Molise

The training and research project of the doctorate degree in Agricultural Technologies and Biotechnologies is worth 180 ECTS credits, which are divided into theoretical training credits (30%) and research activity credits (70%) carried out through the research project. The research project of each doctoral student is planned with the tutor and co-tutor (if appointed), in line with the doctoral program and presented to the Board of Scholars by the end of the first year of the doctorate. Doctoral students are equally engaged in training activities which focus on highly specific topics related to agricultural sciences and common to the three curricula and transversal training activities in common with other PhD students attending the University of Molise. The educational and training project of the Research Doctorate degree includes a combination of different modes of learning: lectures, conferences, seminars, workshops, summer schools, master-classes, internships. The doctoral students’ participation in the doctoral training activities will be evaluated through the credit system (ECTS/ECTS), similarly to undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Scheduled teaching activity

Course	Hours/ECTS	Description	Curriculum	Lecturer
Corso di statistica teorico pratico ed utilizzo software per elaborazione dati	20 hours (6 ECTS)	The course has the following objectives: (1) improve the ability to plan research; (2) provide the basis for the informed choice of analysis methods; (3) apply the main statistical analysis methods; (4) provide the basis for the critical evaluation of the scientific literature; (5) provide the basis for writing a scientific publication; (6) provide the basis for the use of the main statistical software; (7) discuss the reading of software outputs and their interpretation for the interpretation of the results. The course will cover: descriptive statistics and introduction to probability theory. T-test. Analysis of variance (one-way, GLM, contrast, repeated measures), non-parametric tests, regression and correlation. Geostatistics applications for spatial data analysis. Practical exercises of different case studies with SPSS Statistical Software.	All	Luca Romagnoli; Giuseppe Maiorano; Filippo De Curtis; Andrea Sciarretta; Siria Tavaniello.
Advanced Extraction and Chromatographic Methods in Analytical Chemistry	6 hours (1,5 ECTS)	This course would like to show the high-tech methods in extraction processes and in chromatographic analysis. Starting from the acquired knowledge during the Master degree the Ph.D. student will be addressed to high tech methods in separation sciences and in chromatography. Such methods are very important, give very accurate and precise results but they are very expensive and not so common in routine laboratories. In any case, they must be part of a graduate student's background. Extraction methods: traditional and high-tech methods; Supercritical fluids; Nanoparticles/nanotubes. Chromatographic techniques; LC-MSn; HRGC-MSn; Orbitrap;Multi-dimensional gaschromatography (GCxGC).	All	Pasquale Avino
Interpretazione di dati genomici per lo studio della Biodiversità	8 hours (2 ECTS)	Objectives: Acquisition of basic concepts relating to the use of genomics for agro-zootechnical, forestry and environmental applications. Contents: concept of biodiversity and its importance in the various levels of biological organization, molecular techniques for the study of biodiversity. Selection of genetic markers. Next generation sequencing methodologies and related applications (WGS, ddRAD and SNP chip). Examples of the use of genomic data for the study of biodiversity and related case studies.	All	Gabriele Senczuk
Bioactive compounds in food and quality assessment	6 hours (1,5 ECTS)	Expected outcomes are to give students the knowledge of the main bioactive compounds in food playing a primary role in the regulation and the prevention of oxidative mechanisms and of several degenerative diseases. In detail the course will provide the last available results for a more in depth evaluation of the factors that influence their real content in animal and vegetable foods. Students will be trained about the main activities for the quality assessment in the food chain according to the compulsory laws and Regulations and the voluntary standards. Main bioactive compounds in foods (vitamins, phytochemicals). Reliable analytical methods for the extraction, analysis and quantification of antioxidant and vitamin compounds from food matrices. Content of bioactive compounds in the main animal and vegetable products and their by-products. Effect of technological processes on the content of bioactive compounds and on their estimation intake in terms of bio accessibility and bioavailability. RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for vitamins and expected dietary intake of bioactive compounds for a nutritional effect.Food quality and the QualityManagement System. The main compulsory Regulations and voluntary standards in the food system. Product and process certification.	All	Alessandra Fratianni
Application of genomics and bioinformatics for studying molecular plant-microbe interactions	8 hours (2 ECTS)	The students will get familiar with the use of existing biological database and perform basic bioinformatics tasks. (1) Navigating through the main databases for biotechnological application NCBI, SGD, fungiDB, Ensembl (2) Principle of bioinformatics Understanding the bases for the application of bioinformatics software in Linux Command lines for BLAST analyses Samtools Mapping against a reference genome RNAseq analysis (with and without reference genomes) Galaxy. Lessons and practical exercises in the classroom. The exercitations will be communicated in advance to the students who are required to bring a personal laptop and install certain software.	All	Giuseppe Ianiri
Advances in food rheology and applications	8 hours (2 ECTS)	Theoretical concepts and applications of rheology in food field; influence of food microstructure on food rheology; evaluation of stability and mechanical properties of fluid and semi-solid food systems (oils, emulsions, honey, sauces like mayonnaise and ketchup, dough, etc…); recent studies on gelling processes and new applications in food systems. The aim of the course is to provide the theoretical and practical skills related to the principles of rheology and technical applications for studying food microstructure and rheological behavior. At the end of the course, students will possess the tools to independently design a tailored rheological study based on the different food matrices.	All	Francesca Cuomo
Agriculture 4.0	8 hours (2 ECTS)	The specific objectives of the course are to define the principles, concepts and benefits of Agriculture 4.0 (A4.0). It will be analysed the instruments of remote and proximal sensing, sensors, the management of big and smart data management, the use of image analysis techniques both from fast cameras and thermal imaging cameras and the applications of Precision Agriculture (PA) in the different cultural systems. It will be examined in depth the topics related to autonomous driving and georeferencing, remote control platforms and spatial processing methodologies, which form the basis for planning targeted and localized interventions, making the production process sustainable both in economic and environmental terms. Knowledge, expertise and/or skills that students must have acquired at the end of the course: (i) acquisition of the main theoretical tools for the approach to the PA themes; (ii) knowledge of the main data acquisition and processing methods and tools in the PA; (iii) Principles, concepts and benefits of PA and A4.0; (iv) Definition and historical evolution of precision agriculture; (v) The development and diffusion of precision agriculture: data and analysis; (vi) Remote sensing in Precision Agriculture and Remote sensing systems; (vii) Physical and technological principles of remote sensing; (viii) Remote sensing in the optical and infrared domain; (ix) Data processing, data quality, errors, calibrations; (x) Remote controlled platforms and robotic platforms for crop monitoring and management; (xii) Satellite; (xiii) Unmanned aerial vehicle; (xiv) Types of systems and sensors that can be used in agriculture; (xv) Sensors and methods for proximal survey of crop properties; (xvi) Vegetation indices Agriculture 4.0 insights of issues; (xv) Crop monitoring techniques; (xvi) Statistical data processing; (xv) Crop management techniques.	All	Stefano Marino

Activities for interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary training

Course	Description
English	Advanced English language course: conversation and understanding; scientific English writing. This activity is carried out in common with other PhD courses (4 ECTS).
Informatics	The course aims at providing the cultural and technical tools that enable the PhD students to understand and deal with the evolution of IT. In particular, the PhD student will acquire the basic skills to identify adequate strategies for solving problems, as well as to analyze and interpret data, by using specific informatics applications and databases. This activity is carried out in common with other doctoral courses (3 ECTS).
Management of research, research systems and funding systems.	This activity provides integrative knowledge to form professionals capable of managing the different levels of research-related activities and promoting change and innovation. (i) Courses held by experts on Management of Research Projects relating to European calls and main types of national calls (3 ECTS); (ii) Course in statistics and use of data processing software (5 ECTS); (iii) Basic course "R" (5 ECTS); (iv) Seminars on the activation of Start up and Spin off.
Valorization of research results and intellectual property	(i) Course held by experts on soft skills: relational, methodological and personal skills, with particular attention to activities related to scientific research (3 ECTS). (ii) Course on communication, research evaluation and intellectual property (2 ECTS). (iii) Teaching courses in English for doctoral training (12 ECTS). (iv) Cycles of seminars, conducted by internal and external specialists at the University (3 ECTS). (v) Participation in conferences (4 ECTS).