PhD Programme in Health Sciences
Curriculum: “Epidemiology and Vaccine Prevention”
The PhD programme in Health Sciences, curriculum Epidemiology and Vaccine Prevention, aims primarily to provide both well‑established and innovative knowledge across the many fields in which active immunization is applied. The programme emphasizes an optimal use of prevention methodology, articulated through its foundational pillars: the acquisition of knowledge, the planning and organizational phases, and finally the evaluation of preventive interventions.
By the end of the programme, PhD candidates must have acquired the ability to independently discuss and apply the fundamental principles of scientific research in the various areas of vaccinology, which are summarized below:
- Epidemiological and laboratory surveillance of communicable diseases of public health interest;
- Short‑, medium‑, and long‑term clinical, economic, and social impact of vaccine‑preventable diseases;
- Clinical trials of vaccines and development of new tools for evaluating vaccine immunogenicity and efficacy;
- Development and assessment of innovative vaccination strategies for vulnerable populations;
- Promotion of vaccine culture in different population groups through awareness programmes, including the development of e‑health projects;
- Health Technology Assessment (HTA) applied to vaccine prevention;
- Ability to adopt the most appropriate statistical methods;
- Interpretation and discussion of the results of scientific studies within the specific research domains of the curriculum;
- Consideration of the ethical aspects of research.