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From 16 to 27 January 2023, with students present in Povo (Trento), PLUS a 3-hour follow up workshop online (date to be scheduled).
Location
Department of Physics, Povo 0, Via Sommarive 14, uphill, 15 minutes bus from the town centre.
Contents
The comprehension of living systems, from the smallest biomolecules to entire organisms or groups of organisms, relies more and more on an interplay between experiments and computational modeling. In silico representations of proteins, lipid membranes, chromosomes, cells, or tissues provides an indispensable tool to simulate the behavior of biological matter and study its properties at the finest length and time scale, at a level of accuracy which is currently (and maybe fundamentally) out of reach for experimental probes.
However, the variety of systems and processes, as well as the huge range of size and time scales spanning several orders of magnitude from angstroms and picoseconds to hours and centimeters), requires a comparably broad spectrum of different experimental techniques, visual representations, theoretical models, and computational approaches, each specifically tailored for a particular problem or size range. This intrinsically multi-scale problem thus demands researchers to have access to several methods, algorithms, and software programs.
The aim of this school is to provide the flavor of the typical problems one faces in the physical investigation of biological systems, as well as an overview of the most common and effective instruments employed to this end.
Students will be exposed to lectures focusing on specific aspects of biophysics, held by researchers actively working on them in top international institutions; subsequently, they will receive training in the usage of the software programs implementing algorithms and methods for the investigation of biological matter, from single atoms to proteins, small DNA strands, entire chromosomes, cellular membranes.
Scientists working at the frontier of these focus topics will lecture on the broad picture of the field as well as on the fundamental aspects of the specific methodologies employed in their research.
Lecturers include: Patricia Faisca (University of Lisbon, PT, to be confirmed), Sarah Harris (University of Leeds, UK, to be confirmed), Ralf Everaers (ENS Lyon, France), Daniele Dell’Orco (Università di Verona), Angelo Rosa (SISSA, IT).
Workload and credits
All lectures, seminars, laboratories, group activities and workshops will be taught in English.
There will be 7 hours per day of organized in person activities, including visits and excursions, and a post-Winter School online follow-up workshop lasting 3 hours.
At the end of the whole programme, external participants will receive an official UniTrento transcript of records certifying 6 ECTS.
UniTrento participants will receive an Attendance Certificate and can enquire at the students' support desk if the extracurricular activity can be recognized in terms of credits or thesis points or extra credits, according to the rules of their study course.
Participant background
Admission is reserved for up to 25 senior undergraduate and graduate international students (upper-level Bachelor's and all Master's students) with the following background:
Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, or interdisciplinary courses including at least one of the former among the primary disciplines.
A good level of English is needed (minimum level B2), as well as, a certificate of laboratory security course completion.
If you do not have the certificate from a laboratory security course, please inform us and we will enroll you in the UniTrento online course before arrival.
Application process
Students coming from partner universities must first be pre-selected and nominated by partner universities. UniTrento will carry out a final screening of the applications.
External students from non-partner universities are selected by UniTrento only.
All students are required to upload their CV, ToR (Transcript of Records) and a motivation letter when applying online.
A maximum of 2 UniTrento students can apply subject to available places.
All students are required to upload their CV, ToR (Transcript of Records), identity document and a motivation letter when applying online.
The Winter School will be activated with a minimum number of 10 international participants.
Deadlines
The online application tool will be available in the section “Useful links†starting from 1 October.
Nominations by partner Universities: by 15 October 2022.
Finalization of the online application for all students (including the upload of the CV, ToR, ID and the motivation letter): by 31 October 2022.
UniTrento students’ applications: starting from 1 November if places are available.
Final confirmation of admission: between 4 and 7 November 2022
Payment of the fees: by 15 November 2022.
Participation costs
Students from UniTrento partner universities: 400 Euros
External students (from non-partner universities): 1.000 Euros
A maximum of 2 ECIU students are free of charge (selected among other ECIU students, on the basis of merit, academic profile and motivation letter). All other admitted ECIU students pay the university partner fee.
A maximum of 2 UniTrento students can apply starting from 1 November, if there are still available places. The participation cost is 100 Euros.
Payment details will be sent to admitted participants.
The participation cost includes: lunch and dinners in the university canteen from Monday to Friday and a socio-cultural program consisting of: a guided visit of the town, a welcome drink and a farewell buffet, a one-day excursion and a half-day excursion, visit to a museum or other attraction.
Excluded are: accommodation, breakfasts and weekend meals, insurance, visa and travel costs.
No scholarships awarded.
Cancellation: Participation fees will be reimbursed 100% in case of cancellation due to serious illness or a positive COVID swab test within the 48 hours prior to departure for Italy. No fees will be reimbursed if cancellation is for any other reason.
Accommodation
All participants are responsible for planning and paying for their own lodging in Trento.
Details and possible housing solutions providing the Trentino Guest Card are available in the Downloads section.
COVID related measures
Please carefully inform yourself concerning any COVID related measures implemented at the national and international level via the websites in the Useful Links section.
Sudden travel restrictions, such as required quarantine, may be implemented without prior warning.
The organization of the quarantine period, if any, is completely up to the students.
Academic Coordinators
Contacts
International Relations Division
international [at] unitn.it
Tel + 39 0461 283224