Educational offer - University of Padova

Syllabus

Prerequisites:	Basic knowledge and concepts of molecular biology. Interest / curiosity for the business and startup world.
Target skills and knowledge:	This course explores the microbiome as a vast, new and exciting field in life science that offers enormous opportunities to innovate, both in research and in business. In this context, students will learn the essentials on the state of the art of the microbiome in research and in business and the essential on how to do start-up, that is how to manage a research or an entrepreneurial idea to transform it from a simple thought to a product or service. Modern tools and approaches to design your own microbiome-based product or service will be presented, discussed and put into practice, including business models and lean canvas, business planning, gantt planning, lean startup, project financing (public funding and crowdfunding) , approach to gender innovation. In more detail: 1) general knowledge on the state of the art in the study of the microbiome 2) knowledge of technologies to study the microbiome 3) explore the scientific literature as a basis for the development of the idea 4) explore communication tools, time management, pitching, story telling, mind mapping for the presentation of a project 5) development of business plans starting from an idea on the microbiome
Examination methods:	Laboratory report and evaluation by classmates and teacher of both the report and the evaluation. Group discussion on a management topic chosen and developed through a ppt presentation and evaluation by classmates and the teacher. Development of a business plan with oral presentation and evaluation by classmates and teacher Final test on the topics covered.
Assessment criteria:	Participation and commitment in the classroom, assessed on the basis of attendance. Level of critical thinking of the student, judged on the basis of the results of peer reviews. Group work skills, assessed according to the various projects to be carried out in groups. Communication skills, verified based on oral presentations of projects. Acquired knowledge, assessed on the basis of the final test and class work.
Course unit contents:	Overview of the microbiome. Innovative techniques for the study of the microbiome: next generation sequencing (NGS), barcoding gene analysis and bioinformatics and biostatistics. Management tools. Methods for developing a project idea and business plan.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods:	The startup ideas in pharmaceutical biotechnologies course includes the following parts: 1. Theoretical lessons and case studies (26 hours) 2. Presentations by students on specific subjects with peer assessment (8 hours) 3. Laboratory exercises (12 hours to be held within the first 3 weeks of the course) 4. Development of the business plan (18 hours) The course includes numerous afternoons for both laboratory and team-work activities. Attendance will be recorded.
Additional notes about suggested reading:	The course material is provided by the teacher.
Textbooks (and optional supplementary readings)	Ed Yong, I contain multitudes. --: --, --. David Mongomery and Anne Bikle, The hidden half of nature. --: --, --. Pinson, Linda, Anatomy of a business plana step by step guide to building a business and securing your Company's future. Chicago: Dearborn, --. Ries, Eric, <<The >>lean startuphow today's entrepreneurs use continuous innovation to create radically successful businessEric Ries. New York: Currency, 2011. Osterwalder, Alexander; Pigneur Yves, Business model generationa handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengerswritten by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur. Hoboken: N.J., Wiley, --. Ash Maurya, Running Lean. --: --, --.