General information The doctorate research activity

The doctorate research activity

For research activities, PhD students have free access to all the laboratories of the department and, upon prior request, to all the laboratories of the other departments associated to the University of Florence.

In order to carry out research activities, both in the field and in the laboratory, the student must have obtained the safety diploma issued by the university after having followed the special courses and passed the final exam.

Among the research facilities of the department the "Genexpress" platform, directed by Prof. Carlo Viti, is available and is located at the Sesto Fiorentino scientific complex. The platform is equipped with automated HTS lines as an essential support for the development of DNA and proteins microarray techniques, as well as DNA sequencing and the most advanced methodologies of analysis of the phenotype of microorganisms (PhenotypeMicroArray).

The laboratories and equipment of the following research centres are available for research activities:

• Interdepartmental Centre of Services for Biotechnology of Agrarian, Chemical and Industrial interest (CIBIACI) ;
• Interdepartmental Center of Boclimatology (CIBIC);
• Interdepartmental Center of Mass Spectrometry (CISM);
• Inter-university Research Centre on Wild fauna and environmental improvements for wildlife purposes (CIRSEMAF).

The Departement also collaborates with the following institutes of the National Research Council (CNR) located in the research Area of the of Sesto Fiorentino Scientific Complex:

• Institute of Plant Genetics (IBBR),
• Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IP SP),
• Institute of Biometeorology (IBIMET).

Collaborations are also in force with the Edmund Mach Foundation (FMach) of S. Michele Adige (Trento) and the Research Centre for Agrobiology and Pedology of Florence (CREA-ABP)

For in-field research activity the University of Florence experimental farm of Montepaldi Villa Montepaldi (San Casciano in Val di Pesa) which covers an area of more than 320 ha, is also available.

For in-field research activities the University of Florence experimental farm in Montepaldi, Villa Montepaldi, (San Casciano in Val di Pesa) which covers an area of more than 320 ha., is accessible. The Montepaldi experimental farm is actively involved in the International Society of Organic Farming Research (ISOFAR), Long Term Experiment (LTE) MOLTE under the supervision of the Gaio Cesare Pacini.

The Doctorate student has also access to the Botanical Museum and the Botanical Gardens, two facilities in which it will be possible to carry out taxonomic surveys and micropropagation experiments.

In light of the Doctorate international qualification, a research activity of at least three months at universities or research institutions outside the national territory is recommended.