The normal duration of study in the Postgraduate program leading to the award of the Postgraduate Diploma is set at a minimum of two (2) semesters and the summer period (intensive program), (75 ECTS), in accordance with the provisions of Law L. 4957/2022, which also includes the time for the preparation and submission for assessment of the Postgraduate Diploma Thesis (MDE). The MDE is prepared during the summer period and corresponds to thirty (30) ECTS, of which fifteen (15) correspond to the mandatory course of the 2nd semester “Methodology of Postgraduate Diploma Thesis” and the other fifteen (15) ECTS to the preparation and presentation of the MDE during the summer period.

The objectives of the PMS “Applied Bioinformatics – Biological Data Analysis” are as follows:

● the specialization and scientific training of graduates of University Institutions of Biological Sciences, Health Sciences, Natural Sciences and Polytechnic Schools with knowledge and skills aimed at the methodical study of scientific and technological issues of Applied Bioinformatics and Data Analysis,

● the lifelong education, the provision and updating of knowledge of new subjects of the science of Bioinformatics and Data Analysis, especially with regard to data resulting from cutting-edge technologies of Molecular Biology such as next-generation sequencing (NGS),

● the preparation of students who would like to continue their academic development at the doctoral level as well as to pursue careers in private and public research institutions, aiming at effectively addressing scientific and technological problems, increasing productivity and adequately covering the growing needs of the country and the European Union and

● the promotion of the computational side of Biological Sciences through the acquisition of programming knowledge and data analysis skills and their widest possible application in technology, production, industry, and administration.

Upon completion of the Master of Science (MSc) “Applied Bioinformatics – Biological Data Analysis”, graduates will be able to:

● know the basic concepts and principles of the scientific fields of Bioinformatics and Data Analysis and understand their connection with biological subjects such as Molecular Biology, Genetics and Genomics, Proteomics and Biochemistry,

● describe and apply the scientific method of observation, experimentation, hypothesis formulation and hypothesis testing and have basic knowledge of the methodology of the basic workflows of Applied Bioinformatics and Biological Data Analysis,

● know applications of Applied Bioinformatics and Biological Data Analysis in the fields of health, agrobiology and the environment and understand the potential of the field to contribute to the needs caused by modern global environmental problems such as climate crisis, biodiversity degradation, epidemic outbreaks and the food crisis in the context of sustainable development,

● organize biological data analysis workflows, perform analyses accurately, safely and consistently and resolve any problems that arise using critical and analytical thinking,

● collect, process, evaluate and interpret biological data using appropriate methods,

● formulate research questions in the field of Applied Bioinformatics and Biological Data Analysis and design the research steps required to answer them using an appropriate approach,

● have skills in documented written and oral presentation of scientific data and ideas,

● extract data and information from the global scientific literature and electronic data repositories, evaluate and process them appropriately with critical thinking,

● recognize ethical issues arising from the applications of collection and processing biological data and propose solutions with social sensitivity, respect for fellow human beings without discrimination and prejudice.