Doctoral Programme calendar
PhD in Chemical Sciences – Cycle XLI
a.y. 2025–2026
Specialistic Courses
Courses held from mid January – end February 2026
A Bioinorganic Approach to Neurodegenerative Diseases (EUNICE shared course*)
Prof. G. Grasso
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Brief overview of neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and prion diseases. Catabolism of aggregation-prone proteins (Aβ, α-synuclein, prion protein), protein-metal ion binding, oxidative stress, metalloproteases, and experimental techniques to study metal-protein interactions.
Chemical Characterization of Advanced Materials
Prof. V. Spampinato
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Advanced physico-chemical characterization techniques for microelectronics, nanotechnology, and bio-interfaces. Mass spectrometry, microscopy, X-ray spectroscopy, and multimodal strategies.
Drug Design and Discovery
Prof. S. Intagliata
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Modern drug discovery: target selection, hit identification, lead optimization, SAR, pharmacokinetics, and hands-on exercises with literature discussion.
Environmental Impact Assessment through LCA
Prof. V. Siracusa
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
LCA methodology (ISO 14040/14044) applied to chemical substances. Quantitative environmental assessment, global warming potential, toxicity, energy demand, and sustainable chemistry design.
Exploiting Self-assembly in Aqueous Solution (EUNICE shared course*)
Prof. A. D’Urso
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Supramolecular chemistry principles, self-assembly phenomena, applications in biotechnology, stereochemistry, and chiral devices design.
From Structure to Function
Prof. V. Muccilli
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Molecular insights into natural products for drug discovery, SAR studies, pharmacological applications, and structural optimization strategies.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Prof. C. La Rosa
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Classical MD theory, force fields, ensembles, explicit/implicit solvent, NAMD/VMD tutorials, thermodynamic functions, and steered MD applications.
Quantum Mechanical Methods in Computational Chemistry
Prof. G. Forte
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Hartree-Fock, DFT, basis sets, spectroscopy simulations, reaction mechanisms, and ONIOM applications.
Surface Mass Spectrometries
Prof. A. Licciardello
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
SIMS, SNMS, GD-MS, ion-matter and plasma-matter interactions, applications to inorganic/organic surfaces and thin films.
Courses held – mid June – end September 2026
Analytical Clinical Chemistry
Prof. R. D’Agata
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Analytical techniques in clinical diagnostics: specimen collection, biofluids, immunoassays, PCR, POCT, pre-analytical/analytical variability, sensitivity and specificity, diagnostic accuracy.
Artificial Intelligence and Molecular Modelling
Prof. S. Ronsisvalle
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Molecular modelling and AI for health applications: structure prediction, docking, MD simulations, bioactive compounds design, theoretical and practical sessions.
Bioinspired Nanomaterials and Functional Surfaces (EUNICE shared course*)
Prof. C. Satriano
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Design and development of nanomaterials and functional surfaces for healthcare and sustainable environmental technologies.
Biosensors and Diagnostic Devices
Prof. G. Spoto
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Main characteristics of biosensors, molecular recognition, transducers, lab-on-chip, PCR, ELISA, LSPR, microfluidics, droplet assays, and healthcare applications.
Catalytic and Photocatalytic Technologies for H₂ Production
Prof. S. Sciré
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Green hydrogen production: catalytic and photocatalytic processes, energy transition, H₂ storage, fuel applications, process comparison, materials, yields, and sustainability assessment.
Clay Minerals as Multifunctional Platforms
Prof. S. Riela
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Clay structure, modifications, chemical functionalization, intercalation, grafting, encapsulation, applications in nanomedicine, catalysis, sensing, and environment.
Dynamic Light Scattering
Prof. V. Oliveri
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Principles of DLS, theory, particle size analysis, protein/nanoparticle characterization, colloidal stability, aggregation, biomedical applications.
Electrochemical Sensors
Prof. A. Ferlazzo
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Electrochemical sensing principles, sensor design, point-of-care devices, electrode characterization, environmental and health monitoring.
Electronic Structures of Inorganic Systems
Prof. A. Gulino
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Symmetry, electronic configurations, quantum numbers, Tanabe-Sugano diagrams, optical spectra, photoelectron spectroscopy, Fermi level, and Hartree-Fock energies.
Hybrid Catalysis and Sustainable Materials
Prof. R. Fiorenza
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Hybrid catalytic processes for environmental and energy transition, photo/electro/thermocatalysis, plasma, sono- and microwave-assisted catalysis, materials selection, green preparation, circular economy.
Peptides and Peptidomimetics
Dr. G. Pappalardo
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Therapeutic peptides, peptidomimetics, synthesis advances, targeting protein interactions, theragnostic conjugates, preclinical and clinical applications.
Photochemistry
Prof. S. Sortino
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Photochemical and photophysical principles, multidisciplinary applications, optoelectronics, environment, biology, medicine.
The Chemistry of Food
Prof. V. Cunsolo
3 ECTS (12 hrs)
Chemical composition, reactivity, processing transformations, macro- and micro-nutrients, and analytical methods for foods of plant and animal origin.
