The New Frontier of Precision Medicine - International Summer School - University of Pavia

The New Frontier of Precision Medicine International Summer School of the Department of Molecular Medicine of the University of Pavia aims to update medical students and medical doctors on new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches that are leading towards a precision medicine. The development of new gene-editing technologies has led to an unpredictable growth of therapeutic possibilities based on causative genetic lesions. These technologies are drastically changing the fate of rare pathological conditions as well as the management of oncological, degenerative and infectious diseases. The evolution of new precision medicine approaches has been so fast that it is difficult to pass on new knowledge in a comprehensive and systematic way during the traditional course of study. In order to fill this gap the summer school is organized with lectures by some national and international professors and researchers who are actively contributing to the development of research.

During the course some of the pathological conditions that could take advantage of these new methods will be illustrated. This approach will provide the new generation of physicians the key to precision medicine, demonstrating the necessity of framing the patient, combining the clinical approach with the identification of causative genomic alterations.

The Summer School will last two weeks and will include 72 hours of curricular activities delivering an official certificate of participation.

During the first week several speakers, coming from important Italian and European Institutes, will hold several lectures that will touch the main fields of application of Precision Medicine (oncology, haematology, neurology, immunology, metabolic diseases, bioethics) and provide participants a new interpretation for clinical activity, in contrast with traditional medicine.
Three exercises will be carried out in this first week on the use of databases, bioinformatics, clinical and bioethical cases.
In the second week participants, divided in small groups according to the sector that most passionate them, studying the literature, will deepen an argument thanks to different Workshops and will produce works to be discussed during the days. The topics will be either proposed by the teachers or chosen by the participants, the discussions will always be followed by a debate that will involve all participants and will be stimulated and guided by an Expert in the field. Through a series of theoretical and practical exercises, they will also have the opportunity to deepen the methodological approach to genetic analysis and functional research tests of the pathogenicity of the identified genetic variants. In this second week, they will develop a new approach to pathologies.

AUTONOMOUS PROJECT VERSION: for participants who can not take part in the two consecutive weeks, the second week can be replaced by the elaboration of a project with the help of a supervisor
/ tutor. The participant must indicate the topic that he/she wishes to deepen (based on the availability of the Speakers) once the registration is confirmed. He/she will be sent the necessary material to deepen the topic of interest and will be able to propose a research project, which will then be
discussed with the Tutor during the week of the course. The participant's task will be to complete a paper composed of a thematic bibliographic research on the chosen topic, culminating with the exposition of the project discussed.
The two 200 € SCHOLARSHIPS will go to reward the two most interesting works, promoting a period at an institution able to allow the continuation of the project presented.

Participants will have the opportunity to live in close contact with professors, hoping they can draw inspiration from the Summer School for the development of their future interests.
The workshop activities will allow to solidify the theoretical skills acquired during the first week.

The Summer School is designed to be interactive and effective, so the maximum number of participants admitted will be fourty.

Curricular and extracurricular activities will only be in English.

The application will be made by Email after filling the Application form, this must be sent to the Email address didattica.collegiofraccaro@gmail.com along with documentation certifying the enrolment in the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery or the Degree certificate, the documentation certifying the grades of each exam taken during university studies and a motivational letter.

The end date of application will be on July 5th 2018 (extended to July 15th 2018)