Context
The need for a PhD program in Advanced Biotechnology is based not only on the scientific relevance of Biotechnology in Spain, which produced 3% of world production in Biosciences in 2010, ranking 4th in the EU-15 ranking, behind Germany, the United Kingdom and France, but also taking into account that the business relevance of Biotechnology in Spain over the period 2000-2010 has meant that the number of Biotechnology companies has grown by 359%, the turnover has increased by more than 600%, at an annual rate of 23% and the number of employees has experienced a rise close to 1500% at an annual rate of 37%. This scientific and business relevance has meant that the macroeconomic impact of Biotechnology in Spain measured by the direct, indirect and induced economy for 2009 was € 10,199 million, which accounted for almost 1% of total GDP, and was responsible, directly and indirectly, of more than 75,670 jobs.
The outlook of Biotechnology in Galicia is also promising. It should be noted that Galicia is the fourth Autonomous Community, after the Basque Country, Andalucía and Madrid, which spends more sums of money in Biotechnology in its territory, with a contribution for the period 2000-2010 of over € 59 million. Being in sixth place in terms of the communities that receive the largest amount of public funds from the Central Administration through its various programs in 2010. To this important effort of the public administrations in investment in Biotechnology in Galicia, we must add that the turnover of the Galician Biotechnology companies is the most important of all the Spanish Autonomous Communities, reaching values above € 300 million in 2009. In average terms, biotechnology production (turnover plus public expenditure) represents something more than 0.43% of the GDP in the whole of the national territory, being Galicia the one that presents a higher relative index since the total production surpasses 1% of the regional GDP.
It is also important to highlight, on the one hand, that the doctoral program fits within the strategic lines included in the strategic plan that the UDC is preparing for 2013-2020 (https://bit.ly/2XCZ3Qb). On the other hand, regarding the UVIGO, the relevance of the proposal concerning the strategic lines of the University is clear (...) also emphasises the linkage with the institution's development and transfer activities. In addition, the promoters of the doctoral program have been accrediting the realization of projects linked to the proposed thematic field, which offers a high versatility in technical and business applications. In this regard, the following agreements and contracts stand out:
- Optional advisory and consultancy board of the Community Reference Laboratory of Marine Biotoxins
- Chemical analysis and effects of biotoxins
- Development of strategies and analytics based on immunochemistry for the extraction of analyzes of alimentary, clinical and environmental interest.
- Chemical analysis and physiological effects of biotoxins and environmental and food contaminants.
- Remediation of contaminated enclaves by a combination of environmentally sustainable processes
- New biocatalysts with chitinolytic activity and evaluation of their potential applications
It is also demonstrable that the development of a basic research capacity in this field is a facilitator of R+D+i processes in our environment. We wish to emphasise that the special interest of its application in the sectors of health, environment and food and nutrition, particularly of marine origin, is very significant in the local environment of the University of Vigo, which can be benefited with this investigative capacity.
It is also necessary to emphasise, in the specific context of the Universities of Vigo and A Coruña, that since the 2010-2011 academic year has been launched an Interuniversity Master's Degree in Advanced Biotechnology, jointly taught by both universities and involving an elevated number of university professors and specialists outside the University. This Master's Degree presents a high demand among Licenciates and Graduates in Biology, Chemistry, Biotechnology, Pharmacy and Food Technology, both from Galician Universities and other Spanish and foreign Universities, as evidenced by the fact that all places have been filled offered in the last two editions. Without discarding possible students from other related master's degrees, the proposed Doctoral Program has as its main purpose to provide a research outlet for the students of the Master in Advanced Biology. Accordingly, the first year of implementation will be offered 10 places (5 in the UVIGO and 5 in the UDC), of which 50% will be dedicated full-time and 50% will be part-time.
In this context, the PhD program of Advanced Biotechnology aims to train research professionals in different areas of biotechnology research and to offer a competitive, homogeneous, well-structured and quality doctoral studies offer. The objective is the preparare the students to be able to initiate and complete a theoretical, methodological and research training in the multidisciplinary field of Biotechnology, which materializes in the preparation and public defense of a complex, original and innovative doctoral thesis.
The Interuniversity Academic Committee of the Doctorate Program (CAPD) will be responsible for the teaching coordination between the two participating Universities to achieve the proposed objective.
The students should complete a similar degree and a master's degree, so that their doctoral training will be based on specialized seminars, participation in scientific congresses and research stays abroad, as well as an intense research training aimed at the Doctoral Thesis. In addition to the research groups attached to the Doctoral Program, Doctoral Theses may be carried out in prestigious groups outside the UVIGO and the UDC or in the associated Research Centers, with prior authorization from the Academic Committee.
The aim is, therefore, to train highly qualified professionals prepared to meet the demand of the growing number of biotechnology companies in Galicia and Spain and who are capable of carrying out a quality research task, of international projection and leading in the future the groups of research and the R+D+i departments of public centers and private companies in Galicia and Spain.
Colaborations
Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)
The Institute of Biomedical Research of A Coruña is composed by the Research groups of the Hospital, the University and the Primary Care Area of A Coruña, with the purpose of creating a framework of stable collaboration, which integrates the basic and clinical research developed, enabling a more effective transfer to the society of the scientific advances obtained in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases.
INIBIC researchers participate as professors in the Master of Advanced Biotechnology, whose students will be able to carry out the PhD program in Biotechnology. As for its collaboration in the Doctoral Program, it will consist of both the teaching of seminars, thus enhancing the training of students in the field of biomedical / health biotechnology and in the direction of doctoral theses.
Agricultural Research Center (CIAM)
The Agricultural Research Center of Mabegondo depends on the General Directorate of Innovation and Agricultural and Forestry Industries of the Consellería de Medio Rural. It has the function of carrying out basic and applied research oriented in the preferred research lines of the agro-food resources and technology programs. CIAM has signed several collaboration agreements with food and nutrition companies, milk and meat cooperatives, seed production companies, and also with the University in order to develop technologies that can be used and marketed directly by the collaborating entities. Some of these agreements are financially supported by CDTI projects.
CIAM researchers also participate as professors in the Master of Advanced Biotechnology, whose students will be able to carry out the Doctoral program in Biotechnology. As for its collaboration in the Doctoral Program, it will also consist of seminars, thus enhancing the training of students in the field of agri-food and environmental biotechnology and in the direction of doctoral theses.
CSIC-Marine Research Institute (IIM)
The Marine Research Institute's mission is to develop an integrated and multidisciplinary research in marine sciences that allows progress in the global understanding of marine ecosystems and in the scientific and technological state of the related productive sectors. It is also their function to train research personnel, favoring their transfer to other entities (industry, administration, teaching). On the other hand, it contributes to the teaching of science and its dissemination to society as well as to transfer scientific knowledge and technology to the industrial sector. In the same way as the previous institutions, their collaboration in the Doctoral Program will consist in the delivery of seminars that can contribute to the training of students in the field of environmental, food and aquaculture biotechnology as well as in the direction of doctoral theses.
Access and Admission of Students
