NANOSCIENCES AND NANOTECHNOLOGIES

Nanoscience is an emerging field, which researches the nature and the use of systems by using components of nanometre size. It comprises an assortment of scientific areas with potential applications in almost all branches of industry. The basic goal ...

Programme Description

Nanoscience is an emerging field, which researches the nature and the use of systems by using components of nanometre size. It comprises an assortment of scientific areas with potential applications in almost all branches of industry. The basic goal of nanoscience is to understand the structure and dynamics of materials at the atomic and molecular level on which their macroscopic properties are based. By understanding how to micromanipulate atoms and molecules it is possible to create new molecules, devices and machines with completely unique properties and applications. As examples, we can cite projects for building atomic size computer components on silicon chips, constructing new molecules that can sense particular viruses and bacteria, magnets at the level of molecules, micromotors, and molecules that can use sunlight to control environmental pollutants.

Credit Framework (ECTS)

Total number of ECTS for the third-cycle study programme 180 ECTS
Required Courses 60 ECTS
Elective Courses 20 ECTS
Individual Research Work 70 ECTS
Doctoral Dissertation 30 ECTS

Curriculum

1st YEAR (60 ECTS)

Required Courses (20 ECTS)
Advanced Topics in Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies (10 ECTS)*

Seminar I (10 KT)

*Instead of this course students from the Biosciences research area select one of the following courses: Proteolysis; Protein and Cell Engineering; Protein Toxins - Characterisations and Applications in Cellular Biology; From Crystals to 3D Structure of Macromolecules; Programmed Cell Death.

Elective Courses (20 ECTS)
The courses are listed below.

Out of all the courses the student can select max. one general course:
- Economics and Society (5 ECTS)
- Industrial Seminar (5 ECTS)
- Science Communication (5 ECTS)
- Contemporary Mathematical and Statistical Methods in Natural Sciences and Engineering (5 ECTS)
- Preparation of Patent Application (5 ECTS)

Individual Research Work 1 (20 ECTS)

2nd YEAR (60 ECTS)

Required Courses (30 KT)

Seminar II (30 KT)

Individual Research Work 2 (30 KT)

3rd YEAR (60 ECTS)

Required Courses (10 KT)

Seminar III (10 KT)

Individual Research Work 3 (20 KT)

Doctoral Dissertation (30 KT)

Courses

Course Professor ECTS
Advanced Metallic Materials (NANO3) izr. prof. dr. Monika Jenko 12 ECTS
Advanced Topics in Protein Synthesis (NANO3) prof. dr. Nenad Ban 6 ECTS
Aging of Materials (NANO3) prof. dr. Krishnaswamy Ravi-Chandar 6 ECTS
Analysis and Prediction of 3D Protein Structure (NANO3) prof. dr. Andrej Šali 6 ECTS
Bioceramic Materials (NANO3) prof. dr. Tomaž Kosmač 6 ECTS
Bioimaging prof. dr. Cornelis Johannes Forrendinis Van Noorden 6 ECTS
Biomolecular Simulations (NANO3) prof. dr. Janez Mavri 6 ECTS
Characterisation of Structure (NANO3) prof. dr. Iztok Arčon 6 ECTS
Characterization of Metallic Materials (NANO3) izr. prof. dr. Monika Jenko 9 ECTS
Classical and Quantum Chaos (NANO3) prof. dr. Marko Robnik 6 ECTS
Commercialization of Technology prof. dr. Angus Ian Kingon 6 ECTS
Computer Methods in Nanosciences (NANO3) prof. dr. Bosiljka Tadić 6 ECTS
Concept of Sustainable Development prof. dr. Ivo Šlaus 3 ECTS
Contemporary mathematical and statistical methods in natural sciences and engineering prof. dr. Matjaž Omladič 6 ECTS
Corporate Law and Dispute Settlement prof. dr. Lojze Ude 3 ECTS
Dielectric and Caloric Properties of Nanomaterials (NANO3) prof. dr. Vid Bobnar 6 ECTS
Drug Design Based on Molecular and QSAR Modelling prof. dr. Marjana Novič 6 ECTS
EPR Spectroscopy of Nanomaterials (NANO3) prof. dr. Janez Štrancar 6 ECTS
Economics for Researchers prof. dr. Sašo Polanec 3 ECTS
Electrical, Optical and Magnetic Properties of Nanomaterials (NANO3) prof. dr. Christoph Gadermaier 6 ECTS
Electrochemical Processes and Corrosion Protection (NANO3) prof. dr. Ingrid Milošev 6 ECTS
Evolutionary Genomics (NANO3) prof. dr. Dušan Kordiš 6 ECTS
From Crystals to 3D Structure of Macromolecules (NANO3) prof. dr. Dušan Turk 12 ECTS
Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering of Metals (NANO3) izr. prof. dr. Vojteh Leskovšek 9 ECTS
In Vitro Manipulation of Stem Cells (NANO3) prof. dr. Tamara Lah Turnšek 3 ECTS
Individual Research Work 1 Prof. dr. Predstojnik / Head of Programme 20 ECTS
Individual Research Work 2 Prof. dr. Predstojnik / Head of Programme 50 ECTS
Individual Research Work 3 Prof. dr. Predstojnik / Head of Programme 50 ECTS
Industrial Expert Knowledge and Project Work prof. dr. Gorazd Kandus 3 ECTS
Innovation Management prof. dr. Peter Stanovnik 3 ECTS
Liquid Crystals (NANO3) prof. dr. Samo Kralj 6 ECTS
Magnetic Relaxation and Resonance of Nanomaterials (NANO3) izr. prof. dr. Tomaž Apih 6 ECTS
Materials Chemistry (NANO3) doc. dr. Boštjan Jančar 12 ECTS
Mechanics of Composite Materials (NANO3) prof. dr. Arkady S. Voloshin 6 ECTS
Mechanics of Solid Nanomaterials (NANO3) prof. dr. Otto S. Brueller 6 ECTS
Mechanics of Tissues (NANO3) prof. dr. Krishnaswamy Ravi-Chandar 6 ECTS
Mechanism and Biological Implications of Protein Aggregation (NANO3) prof. dr. Eva Žerovnik 12 ECTS
Microscopical and Microanalytical Methods (NANO3) prof. dr. Miran Čeh 12 ECTS
Microscopy of Nanomaterials (NANO3) prof. dr. Maja Remškar 6 ECTS
Nanobiophysics (NANO3) prof. dr. Janez Štrancar 6 ECTS
Nanomechanics and Time Dependent Materials (NANO3) prof. dr. Wolfgang G. Knauss 6 ECTS
Nanoparticles, colloidal and surface chemistry prof. dr. Darja Lisjak 6 ECTS
Nanosafety (NANO3) prof. dr. Maja Remškar 6 ECTS
Non-Newtonian Liquids (NANO3) prof. dr. Ken Walters 6 ECTS
Physics of Materials (NANO3) prof. dr. Zdravko Kutnjak 12 ECTS
Physics of Nanomaterials (NANO3) prof. dr. Dragan Mihailović 12 ECTS
Preparation of Patent Application prof. dr. Miran Mozetič 3 ECTS
Processing and Nanomagnetism (NANO3) prof. dr. Spomenka Kobe 12 ECTS
Programmed Cell Death (NANO3) prof. ddr. Boris Turk 12 ECTS
Protein Structure, Dynamics and Folding by NMR (NANO3) prof. dr. Jonathan P. Waltho 6 ECTS
Protein Toxins -Characterisations and Applications in Cellular Biology (NANO3) prof. dr. Igor Križaj 12 ECTS
Protein and Cell Engineering (NANO3) prof. dr. Jože Pungerčar 12 ECTS
Proteolysis (NANO3) akad. prof. dr. Vito Turk 12 ECTS
Proteomics (NANO3) izr. prof. dr. Marko Fonović 6 ECTS
Protoeolytic Enzymes and Their Inhibitors in Diagnosis and Therapy of Cancer (NANO3) prof. dr. Tamara Lah Turnšek 6 ECTS
Quantitation of Nucleic Acids (NANO3) prof. dr. Kristina Gruden 3 ECTS
Rheology (NANO3) prof. dr. Ken Walters 6 ECTS
Role and Relevance of Animal Models in Understanding Tumor Progression (NANO3) prof. dr. Olga Vasiljeva 6 ECTS
Selected Topics in Biophysics (NANO3) prof. dr. Gojmir Lahajnar 6 ECTS
Selected Topics in Immunobiology (NANO3) izr. prof. dr. Nataša Kopitar Jerala 6 ECTS
Self Organization of Matter (NANO3) prof. dr. Bosiljka Tadić 6 ECTS
Seminar I (NANO3) prof. dr. Zvonko Trontelj 10 ECTS
Seminar II (NANO3) prof. dr. Zvonko Trontelj 10 ECTS
Seminar III (NANO3) prof. dr. Zvonko Trontelj 10 ECTS
Shaping Technologies of Nanopowders (NANO3) prof. dr. Tomaž Kosmač 6 ECTS
Soft Matter (NANO3) prof. dr. Samo Kralj 6 ECTS
Stability, Folding and Aggregation of Proteins (NANO3) prof. dr. Eva Žerovnik 12 ECTS
Surfaces and Interfaces (NANO3) izr. prof. dr. Albert Prodan 6 ECTS
Synthesis of Nanomaterials (NANO3) prof. dr. Barbara Malič 12 ECTS
Theory of Nanomaterials (NANO3) prof. dr. Viktor Kabanov 12 ECTS
Theory of Viscoelasticity (NANO3) prof. dr. Wolfgang G. Knauss 6 ECTS
Vacuum Science and Technology (NANO3) prof. dr. Janez Kovač 6 ECTS
Writing Research Projects akad. prof. dr. Vito Turk 3 ECTS
Writing Scientific Documents prof. dr. Roger H. Pain 3 ECTS
X-ray Structure Analysis doc. dr. Evgeny Goreshnik 6 ECTS

BACIS OBJECTIVES

The basic objective of this programme is to qualify the candidate for:

A)  General competences

  • ability for individual research work on the field of nanosciences and nanotechnologies,
  • ability to research, select and organize information, as well as synthesize solution and anticipate their consequences,
  • mastering of research methods, procedures and processes, development of critical and self-critical assessment,
  • ability to use knowledge in practice,
  • autonomy in professional work, as well as responsible and creative performance of activities,
  • development of communication abilities and skills, particularly for communication in international environment,
  • ethical reflection and commitment to professional ethics and regulations,
  • cooperativeness, work on joint assignments and problems within a group and in international environment.

B)  Subject-specific competences

  • knowing the basic laboratory and spectroscopic techniques in nanoscience and nanotechnology,
  • understanding the systems at atomic and molecular scale,
  • ability to combine various skills and knowledge to identify and analyze nanotechnological issues,
  • ability to analyze ethical aspects of practices, institutions and valuations  associated with nanotechnology,
  • continuing research & development work in the field of nanotechnology,
  • knowing the concepts of nanotechnology,
  • obtaining the basic natural-science and technical knowledge in the field of nanotechnology in the form of combining the existing solution.

RESEARCH AREAS

The Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Programme is a cross-disciplinary postgraduate study programme comprising the following research areas:

  • Nanomaterials and nanochemistry,
  • Nanophysics (including the physics of ultrathin layers, physics of nanotubes, physics of lateral nanostructures, physics of quantum dots, and methods for the analysis of nanostructures and the nanomanipulation of atoms and molecules),
  • Biosciences,
  • Advanced metalic materials,
  • Nanomechanics (including the mechanics of time dependent materials).

All the courses include the provision of basic skills for successful communication with experts in the areas of economic and civil law, corporate microeconomics and project management, and the basics of sustainable development.

Special emphasis will be placed on research into:

  • Nanocomposites and hybrid materials,
  • "Smart" ceramic materials and thin films,
  • Submicron fibres,
  • Nanochemistry involving the synthesis of new molecules through the manipulation of individual atoms,
  • Structural and molecular biology as prerequisites for utilizing knowledge of the human genome, understanding biological functions of particular proteins and the processes involving them,
  • Biomaterials, particularly new types of agents and direct delivery of agents to the target sites,
  • Molecular motors,
  • "Smart" ferroelectrics and piezoelectrics,
  • Organic and inorganic nanotubes, nanowires and quantum dots,
  • "Smart" gels,
  • Materials potentially usable for miniaturizing electronic components and elements for quantum computers,
  • Materials usable for “spintronics” where spins are used instead of electrons to perform logic and other operations, and where a new degree of miniaturization is expected,
  • New research techniques and methods to study the structure and dynamics of nanomaterials.

Similarly, there is a possibility for developing new areas in chemistry and pharmacy where new compounds are synthesized at the molecular level. The programme thus integrates a number of natural science and technical disciplines. Special emphasis is placed on the project-based research work of students, mentors and professors as an integral part of the study programme. Target knowledge and skills, which will be obtained by students in the areas of civil and commercial law, microeconomics, patent and intellectual property law, and the methods of raising "venture" capital, should enable the students, upon the completion of their studies, to better communicate with experts in these areas in order to develop and commercialize the results of nanotechnological research.