Learning objectives
This course aims to give the student the ability to:
- acquire the basic principles of biological sciences and methods;
- understand the correlation between structure and function at the different organizational levels;
- acquire a knowledge of genetic principles and develop the ability to evaluate genetic pedigrees in order to assess the genetic basis of human disorders;
- acquire knowledge and understanding of the chemical and structural properties of the major molecules of biological interest;
- acquire knowledge of the fundamentals of cellular energy metabolism;
- acquire knowledge of the fundamentals of enzymatic catalysis, its regulation, and major metabolic pathways.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
This course aims to give a general overview of biology, genetics, evolution of life, and cell metabolism fundamentals.
Full programme
BIOLOGY
Biology as a science: methods and concepts. The scientific method.
Biology of the cell: prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
Cell cycle and reproduction. Prokaryotic cell division. Sexual reproduction: meiosis and sexual cycles.
The basic principles of inheritance: DNA, RNA and gene expression (replication, transcription and translation).
Origin and evolution of life on Earth. Evolution of cells: prokaryotes, eukaryotes and viruses.
BIOCHEMISTRY
A) INTRODUCTION: fundamentals of organic chemistry.
B) STRUCTURAL BIOCHEMISTRY
Carbohydrates. Structure and classification of monosaccharides. The glycosidic bond, disaccharides. Homopolysaccharides: starch and glycogen. Amino acids: structural properties and classification. Peptides and proteins: the peptide bond and its characteristics. Protein structure: primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure. Conformation and function of proteins. Lipids: classification, structure and function of fatty acids, triglycerides and cholesterol. Biological membranes: the lipid bilayer and membrane proteins. Nucleotides and nucleic acids.
C) GENERAL AND METABOLIC BIOCHEMISTRY
Hemoglobin: structure and function. Molecular mechanism of O2 transport. Factors that change the affinity for O2.
Enzymatic catalysis. Active site, specificity. Nature of enzymes and their classification.
Free energy and spontaneity of reactions. The thermodynamics of biological reactions, ATP as an energy carrier.
Cellular metabolism. Oxidation and degradation reactions, biosynthesis reactions.
Mitochondrial bioenergetics. Coenzymes and biological oxidation-reductions. The respiratory chain: components and functions. Mechanism of oxidative phosphorylation.
The metabolism of carbohydrates. Glycolysis, energy balance and regulation. The fate of pyruvate in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The Krebs cycle. Gluconeogenesis. Glycogen metabolism. Hormonal control of glucose metabolism by adrenaline, glucagon and insulin. Lipid and protein metabolism in brief.
Bibliography
Biochimica Essenziale
Gabriele D'Andrea
Editore: EdiSES
Introduzione alla biochimica di Lehninger
Nelson-Cox
Editore: Zanichelli
Fondamenti di Biologia
SOLOMON et al.
Editore: EDISES
Teaching methods
The course will be held through lectures on-site.
The lectures will be in an interactive format and students will be encouraged to ask questions and insert comments.
Assessment methods and criteria
Multiple choice test, definitions, and open-ended questions.
The final grade is the average of Biochemistry and Biology grades.
Other information
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