Degree Course: Biologia sperimentale e bioinformatica
A.Y. 2022/2023 
Conoscenza e capacità di comprensione
Il percorso formativo conferirà al laureato in Biologia Sperimentale e Bioinformatica conoscenze approfondite e competenze culturali integrate tra la bioinformatica e vari settori centrali della biologia, come quello biomolecolare, biochimico, genetico ed ecologico-evoluzionistico.
Tutti gli insegnamenti faranno acquisire allo studente il rigore del metodo scientifico sperimentale e le capacità di ragionamento logico-deduttivo.
Saranno acquisite conoscenze approfondite nella gestione di dati high-throughput, nell’analisi e caratterizzazione delle macromolecole biologiche, di genomi-trascrittomi-proteomi-interattomi, e in aree più specialistiche della biologia, con riferimento a meccanismi molecolari per la comprensione del funzionamento degli organismi viventi e a tecnologie emergenti per l’interpretazione di fenomeni biologici.
Queste conoscenze e capacità consentono agli studenti di elaborare e applicare idee originali, anche in un contesto di ricerca.
Le conoscenze saranno acquisite dagli studenti durante le lezioni in aula, con attività pratiche in laboratorio e in campo.
Approfondimenti a carattere seminariale su temi specifici, con esperti esterni o proposti dagli studenti stessi a partire dall'analisi della letteratura internazionale tecnico-scientifica, amplieranno il quadro di conoscenze sviluppato dalla classe in un ambiente collaborativo e dinamico.
Le attività di laboratorio, serviranno a far conoscere gli strumenti utilizzati per l'analisi dei sistemi biologici al fine di una loro corretta gestione e valorizzazione.
La verifica del raggiungimento dei risultati di apprendimento sarà effettuata attraverso varie modalità tra cui, in genere, esami orali e scritti, prove in itinere, relazioni sulle attività di laboratorio e discussioni di articoli scientifici.
L'insieme delle attività didattiche teorico-pratiche fornisce allo studente la possibilità di accrescere le proprie conoscenze e di sviluppare la propria capacità di comprensione.Capacità di applicare conoscenza e comprensione
Sulla base delle conoscenze acquisite durante il percorso di studio, i laureati magistrali sapranno tradurre sul piano pratico e applicativo le conoscenze teoriche avendo acquisito capacità critiche e metodologiche per la risoluzione di specifici problemi biologici (problem solving attitude).
La capacità di applicare conoscenza e comprensione è raggiunta dagli studenti grazie alle esercitazioni di laboratorio e alle attività pratiche collegate.
Questi obiettivi possono essere conseguiti mediante lo svolgimento di esercitazioni individuali in cui ogni studente è in grado di verificare le conoscenze acquisite, comprendendone l'applicazione tramite protocolli di laboratorio, sotto la supervisione del docente e di esercitatori che vengono affiancati al docente nel caso di numerosità elevata.
Le verifiche delle attività di laboratorio possono essere attuate oralmente o mediante la valutazione di relazioni scritte sui protocolli sperimentali ed i risultati ottenuti dal singolo studente.
La capacità di applicare le conoscenze acquisite con la frequentazione delle attività didattiche disciplinari sarà verificata anche durante la preparazione della tesi di laurea.Autonomia di giudizio
Il laureato magistrale in Biologia Sperimentale e Bioinformatica acquisirà autonomia nella: (i) programmazione e conduzione di esperimenti, compresa la progettazione dei tempi e modalità di valutazione dei risultati per razionalizzarli in un modello interpretativo; (ii) formulazione di problemi scientifici e capacità di proporre idee e soluzioni; (iii) capacità di reperire e vagliare fonti di informazioni bibliografiche.
L'acquisizione di autonomia di giudizio sarà stimolata in tutte le unità didattiche attraverso la valutazione, interpretazione e rielaborazione di dati di letteratura, o tramite la proposizione di attività seminariali organizzate dal Dipartimento o dall'Ateneo.
La verifica di questo apprendimento sarà operata in occasione delle prove in itinere, degli esami al termine delle attività formative e della prova finale.
Abilità comunicative
Il laureato in Biologia Sperimentale e Bioinformatica avrà acquisito adeguate competenze e strumenti per la comunicazione, anche con sistemi multimediali, del pensiero scientifico; inoltre, durante lo svolgimento della tesi di laurea magistrale gli studenti acquisiscono la capacità di elaborare e presentare progetti di ricerca, nonché di illustrarne i risultati.
Il laureato magistrale possiede le seguenti abilità:
- capacità di effettuare autonomamente osservazioni ed esperimenti anche attraverso un approfondito ed intenso uso delle risorse bioinformatiche;
- trasmissione e divulgazione ad alto livello dei risultati delle proprie ricerche;
- interazione comunicativa in un contesto lavorativo, acquisita prevalentemente attraverso l'attività di tirocinio;
- propensione al lavoro di gruppo e alla condivisione dei risultati.
Queste abilità verranno conseguite attraverso: (i) la stimolazione da parte dei docenti ad un dialogo durante le lezioni frontali; (ii) utilizzo di seminari specialistici con docenti ed esperti italiani e/o stranieri; (iii) strumenti offerti dal web.
Le abilità comunicative saranno verificate in occasione delle prove di verifica in itinere, degli esami al termine delle attività formative e della prova finale.
Capacità di apprendimento
I laureati magistrali in Biologia Sperimentale e Bioinformatica avranno acquisito capacità di studio e di apprendimento auto-diretto ed autonomo, non solo in riferimento alle conoscenze tradizionali, ma anche con strumenti tecnologici avanzati.
Infatti, essi avranno l'opportunità di consultare applicazioni web e banche dati specialistiche, di apprendere tecnologie innovative e di acquisire strumenti conoscitivi avanzati per l'aggiornamento continuo delle conoscenze.
Queste capacità saranno realizzate sia nella creazione di programmi di insegnamenti in cui tali obiettivi vengono affrontati e sviluppati, ma anche durante lo svolgimento della prova finale.
Le capacità di apprendimento saranno verificate in occasione delle prove in itinere, degli esami al termine delle attività formative e della prova finale.
Requisiti di ammissione
Per essere ammessi al Corso di Laurea magistrale in Biologia Sperimentale e Bioinformatica occorre essere in possesso di diploma di laurea di primo livello nella classe L-13 o altro titolo acquisito all'estero e riconosciuto idoneo in base alla normativa vigente.
Per i laureati di altre classi, è richiesto il conseguimento di:
- almeno 12 CFU nei settori scientifico-disciplinari (SSD) di MAT e FIS
- almeno 12 CFU nei settori scientifico-disciplinari (SSD) di CHIM/01-03, CHIM/06
- un minimo di 36 CFU complessivi in almeno 6 dei seguenti settori scientifico-disciplinari (SSD): BIO/02, BIO/06, BIO/07, BIO/09, BIO/10, BIO/11, BIO/13, BIO/18; potranno essere considerati anche CFU acquisiti in discipline di settori appartenenti ad altre aree scientifiche, ma con contenuti equivalenti a quelli degli insegnamenti di base nei settori sopra elencati.
L'ammissione è altresì subordinata all'accertamento dell'adeguata preparazione personale che verrà effettuato mediante un colloquio di valutazione svolto dalla Commissione Didattica del CdS.
Il calendario dei colloqui viene pubblicato annualmente sul sito web di Dipartimento.
Prova finale
La prova finale prevede un periodo di attività di ricerca da svolgersi presso i laboratori afferenti al Corso di Laurea magistrale o in altre strutture interne o esterne al Dipartimento di Scienze Ecologiche e Biologiche.
Durante il lavoro sperimentale, lo studente acquisirà conoscenze sulle metodologie sperimentali e sul metodo di indagine scientifico, nonché di analisi ed elaborazione dei dati.
Per la tipologia del percorso formativo e della figura professionale formata, l'originalità della tesi deve essere intesa come risultato di una attività sperimentale.
Nel corso del lavoro di preparazione, lo studente dovrà anche svolgere lavoro di ricerca bibliografica sull'argomento, nei testi scientifici e su riviste specializzate.
L'elaborato originale finale verrà predisposto sotto la guida di un docente Relatore e verrà discusso di fronte ad una Commissione di Laurea con le modalità previste dal Regolamento Didattico del CdS.Orientamento in ingresso
Le attività di orientamento e tutorato sono svolte, previo opportuno coordinamento con il Presidente del CdS, da docenti delegati, da studenti dei corsi di laurea magistrale e del dottorato di ricerca (secondo il DL del 9 maggio 2003, n.
105) e/o da figure qualificate opportunamente selezionate.
Durante le attività di orientamento in ingresso rivolte agli studenti delle Scuole di Istruzione Secondaria Superiore, ci si propone di far conoscere anche i CdL magistrali incardinati presso il Dipartimento di modo da rendere chiara fin da subito la filiera didattica nelle scienze della vita agli studenti che si trovano in prossimità della scelta del corso di laurea post-diploma.
In allegato è riportata in dettaglio l'attività di orientamento svolta relativamente ai CdL del DEB nel periodo compreso fra Maggio 2020 e Marzo 2021.
Inoltre, per gli studenti del primo anno-immatricolati al CdL in Biologia Cellulare e Molecolare, è organizzata una giornata di presentazione dei singoli corsi di insegnamento e delle attività di ricerca che si svolgono a latere degli stessi.
I docenti, quindi, oltre ad illustrare gli argomenti che verranno trattati all'interno del proprio insegnamento, presentano le loro linee di ricerca di punta e le collaborazioni di ricerca in essere, sia esterne che interne all'Ateneo, fornendo una panoramica di possibili sbocchi futuri.
Questa giornata di presentazione ha anche lo scopo di orientare i discenti nella scelta dei possibili laboratori dove svolgere il periodo di lavoro sperimentale necessario alla preparazione della tesi di Laurea.
Il Corso di Studio in breve
Obiettivo principale del Corso di Laurea Magistrale in Biologia Sperimentale e Bioinformatica (BiSBio) è quello di preparare figure professionali di alto profilo culturale e metodologico, capaci di affrontare con approcci bioinformatici e sperimentali temi complessi propri di vari settori centrali della biologia, come quello biomolecolare, biochimico, genetico ed ecologico-evoluzionistico.
Il Corso di Laurea è organizzato in 2 anni che danno luogo a 120 CFU (Crediti Formativi Universitari) finali necessari per il conseguimento della laurea.
CONOSCENZE E COMPETENZE
Saranno acquisite conoscenze approfondite nella gestione di dati high-throughput per l’analisi e caratterizzazione delle macromolecole biologiche, di genomi-trascrittomi-proteomi-interattomi, e in aree più specialistiche della biologia, con riferimento a meccanismi molecolari per la comprensione del funzionamento degli organismi viventi e a tecnologie emergenti per l’interpretazione di fenomeni biologici.
SBOCCHI PROFESSIONALI
I laureati in Biologia Sperimentale e Bioinformatica potranno svolgere: (i) attività di ricerca applicata in campo biologico, biochimico, bioinformatico e genetico-biomolecolare in istituti di ricerca pubblici o privati e nelle Università; (ii) attività professionali e di progetto in ambiti correlati con le discipline biologiche nei settori dell'industria, della sanità o presso enti di servizi informatici e genomici, industrie informatiche operanti negli ambiti della produzione di software per applicazioni bioinformatiche o medico-cliniche; (iii) attività che prevedono l'applicazione delle conoscenze biologiche alla diagnostica chimico-clinica, a diagnosi in campo ecologico-ambientale e al miglioramento della qualità della vita e della salute in laboratori di ricerca e sviluppo.
Il laureato potrà accedere a corsi di studio di terzo livello, quali dottorato di ricerca o scuole di specializzazione, previo superamento degli esami per l'ammissione.
Con la laurea magistrale in Biologia Sperimentale e Bioinformatica si acquisiscono competenze analitiche e di ricerca proprie della professione del Biologo, alla quale si accede dopo superamento dell'esame di stato e iscrizione all'Ordine Nazionale dei Biologi.
Lo studente espliciterà le proprie scelte al momento della presentazione,
tramite il sistema informativo di ateneo, del piano di completamento o del piano di studio individuale,
secondo quanto stabilito dal regolamento didattico del corso di studio.
Percorso STANDARD
FIRST YEAR
First semester
Course
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Credits
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Scientific Disciplinary Sector Code
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Contact Hours
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Exercise Hours
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Laboratory Hours
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Personal Study Hours
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Type of Activity
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Language
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119641 -
PROGRAMMING
(objectives)
The course aims to provide basic concepts of programming in Python and R languages, as well as an introduction to the Linux environment, in which these languages can be used to develop programs for the analysis and management of huge amounts of biological data. The ability to work in a Linux environment and to develop programs in Python and R is considered, in the scientific community, an indispensable set of knowledge for: • supporting study and research in the field of biomedical sciences; • dealing with and manage the analysis of huge amounts of biological data from current "High throughput" experimental platforms; • acquiring the tools for modeling biological big data. • acquiring HPC (High-Performance-Computing) computing skills for the analysis of biological problems that cannot be solved on standard computing resources.
EXPECTED LEARNING RESULTS:
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. At the end of the training activity, the student will be able to apply their knowledge to design and develop pipelines for the analysis of biological big data in Python or R running in a linux computing environment both on a single server node and on a multi-node cluster (HPC) .
ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. The knowledge acquired by the students will be useful to be able to analyze and manipulate biological big data in order to understand and model the molecular mechanisms contained in the data.
AUTONOMY OF JUDGMENT. Students must be able to critically interpret the results obtained through the development and execution of the programs discussed in class, as well as choose the most suitable programming language to pursue a specific goal.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS. Students must have the ability to transmit the knowledge acquired in a clear and understandable way, for example by associating each developed program with a pseudo-code, and must demonstrate the ability to present programs to external users through detailed documentation.
LEARNING ABILITY. Students must be able to describe the fundamental topics of Programming, in oral form. This ability will be developed through active involvement through oral discussions in the classroom and exercises carried out in the computer room on specific topics related to the course.
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6
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INF/01
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32
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16
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-
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-
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Related or supplementary learning activities
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ITA |
17461 -
PROTEOMICS AND METABOLOMIES
(objectives)
The course provides the theoretical bases of proteomics, interatomics and matabolomics as relevant scientific disciplines able to provide useful structural and dynamic information about the proteoma and metaboloma. The course will introduce students to the principles and the experimental approaches, and the learning objectives will be achieved by presenting students with the state of innovation in the specific field with a substantial presence in the laboratories. Particular attention will be given to the study of mass spectrometry techniques for the identification of proteins, metabolites and alterations of protein expression, thus enabling them to shed light on the biological complexity of a tissue in order to differentiate / identify a pathological state from the physiological one. LEARNING OUTCOMES 1) Knowledge and understanding. The student will develop the knowledge of the principles of proteomics and metabolomics. Indispensable for experimental analysis and interpretation of results in biochemical and molecular biological disciplines. 2) Applying knowledge and understanding. The student will also be introduced to the knowledge of the major classes of small biological molecules and metabolites and will learn the basic metabolic pathways through which these molecules are degraded and synthesized. He will be familiar with the main separation methods (2Dgel, HPLC), will use high performance instrumentation (such as MALDI TOF / TOF, ESI-TRAP, ORBITRAP MS) for the identification of proteins and metabolites and will deal with bioinformatic tools for data visualization and interpretation. 3) Making judgments. Students will be able to independently carry out observations and experiments in the field of Proteomics or metabolomics. They will also have critical thinking and evaluation skills to rationalize them in an interpretative model. 4) Communicative skills. Students will be able to work in groups and communicate clearly their knowledge or the results of their research. 5) Learning skills. Students will need to learn autonomously by using advanced texts in Italian and English. English texts will be provided during the year. Students will also be able to perform bibliographic research even at advanced level, selecting relevant topics of proteomics and metabolomics.
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6
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BIO/11
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32
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-
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16
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-
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Core compulsory activities
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ITA |
119643 -
CELL BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOMOLECULAR TECHNIQUES
(objectives)
The course of CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY (MODULE A) AND BIOMOLECULAR TECHNIQUES (MODULE B) intends to provide students with (i) theoretical knowledge in the field of cellular biochemistry, deepening the mechanisms that regulate the cell cycle in eukaryotes, (ii) theoretical and practical knowledge in protein engineering, and iii) theoretical and practical knowledge of the major molecular biology and biochemical techniques applied to the study of genes, genomes, proteins and proteomes. Experimental approaches will be discussed, making use also of bioinformatics, to address complex biological questions in biochemistry and molecular biology. In detail, for MODULE A: The course intends to go into two themes of considerable scientific interest: 1) deepening the biochemical and molecular mechanisms of cell cycle control in eukaryotes with particular emphasis on the experimental approaches used for its elucidation; 2) protein engineering elements that allow the design in silico recombinant proteins by using bioinformatics tools and finally the expression and purification of recombinant proteins using both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. This last part of the course includes practical laboratory related to the cloning of a eukaryotic gene and its expression in bacteria. For MODULE B: Specifically, it is intended to provide students with specific skills for the manipulation and analysis of nucleic acids and proteins (mutagenesis and genome editing techniques, differential proteomic), for the analysis of gene expression levels (qPCR, microarrays, differential transcriptomic) and gene expression regulation (study of epigenetic modifications and protein-DNA interactions), for the study of transduction signal pathways by protein-protein interaction analysis. The advances in the field of the sequencing of whole genomes and the application of biomolecular techniques in diagnostic field will be also discussed. Bioinformatics tools will be used for in silico prediction of interaction between biomolecules, or as complementary for the use of the discussed techniques (for input or output analysis). Finally, laboratory practical experiences will be organized to acquire techniques for studying nucleic acids and proteins.
b) EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES 1) Knowledge and understanding At the end of the course the students will: MODULE A: To have in-depth knowledge of the biochemical and molecular basics of cell cycle control in eukaryotes. They will also learn the main techniques for the in silico design and expression of recombinant proteins in heterologous systems. In general, they will have developed the ability to understand the pivotal experimental approaches for acquiring knowledge. MODULE B: To know the basic techniques used in the field of fundamental and applied research. They will have an in-depth knowledge of molecular and advanced techniques and the related bioinformatics tools to support them; they will know the importance of statistical validation of the results of an experiment and of the controls that make an experiment scientifically reliable. 2) Applying knowledge and understanding At the end of the course the students will: MODULE A: Be encouraged to use the knowledge acquired for their application to specific problems, such as the design of new, more potent and / or more selective proteins for their use in various fields of interest (biomedical, agri-food, etc.). They will be able to put into practice the acquired knowledge to perform the planned experiments during the practical experience. MODULE B: Be able to use the acquired knowledge to evaluate and interpret the results of an experiment, identify its strengths and weaknesses and optimize it by evaluating the possible impact of variations in key experimental parameters; orient themselves among the main qualitative and quantitative methods to select the most suitable ones for studying the biological problem of interest; perform the experiments carried out during the practical part of the course. 3) Making judgements MODULE A and MODULE B: Students will be able to interpret and discuss the scientific papers presented during the course and be able to design and express new proteins with different characteristics. Students will have to acquire the ability to understand and critically discuss the experimental results obtained in the laboratory and use them as a starting point for planning subsequent experiments. 4) Comunication skills MODULE A: During the lessons students will be stimulated to discuss and compare different point of views in order to develop their communicative abilities that will be verified during the preliminary and final examinations at the end of training activities. MODULE B: Students should have the ability to convey the acquired knowledge in a clear and comprehensible manner, even to people who are not in the field, and must demonstrate the ability to present information also with schemes and formulas. 5) Learning skills MODULE A and MODULE B: Students will have to be able to describe scientific topics related to the course. This skill will be developed through the active involvement of students during class discussions and practical experiences during the hours dedicated to the experimental laboratory.
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-
CELL BIOCHEMISTRY
(objectives)
The course of CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY (MODULE A) AND BIOMOLECULAR TECHNIQUES (MODULE B) aims to provide students with (i) theoretical knowledge in the field of cellular biochemistry, deepening the mechanisms regulating the cell cycle in eukaryotes, (ii) theoretical and practical knowledge in protein engineering, and iii) theoretical and practical knowledge of the major molecular biology and biochemical techniques applied to the study of genes, genomes, proteins and proteomes. Experimental approaches will be discussed, making use also of bioinformatics, to address complex biological questions in biochemistry and molecular biology. In detail, for MODULE A: The course aims to deepen knowledge of two topics of considerable scientific interest: 1) deepening the biochemical and molecular mechanisms of cell cycle control in eukaryotes with particular emphasis on the experimental approaches used for its elucidation; 2) protein engineering elements that allow the design of recombinant proteins by using bioinformatics tools and also the expression and purification of recombinant proteins using both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. This last part of the course includes a practical laboratory related to the cloning of a eukaryotic gene and its expression in bacteria.
b) EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES
1) Knowledge and understanding At the end of the course the students will: MODULE A: To have in-depth knowledge of the biochemical and molecular basics of cell cycle control in eukaryotes. They will also learn the main techniques for the in silico design and expression of recombinant proteins in heterologous systems. In general, they will have developed the ability to understand the pivotal experimental approaches for acquiring knowledge.
2) Applying knowledge and understanding At the end of the course the students will: MODULE A: Be encouraged to use the knowledge acquired for their application to specific problems, such as the design of new, more potent and/or more selective proteins for their use in various fields of interest (biomedical, agri-food, etc.). They will be able to put into practice the acquired knowledge to perform the planned experiments during the practical experience.
3) Making judgments MODULE A: Students will be able to interpret and discuss the scientific papers presented during the course and be able to design and express new proteins with different characteristics. Students will have to acquire the ability to understand and critically discuss the experimental results obtained in the laboratory and use them as a starting point for planning subsequent experiments.
4) Communication skills MODULE A: During the lessons, students will be stimulated to discuss and compare different points of view in order to develop their communicative abilities which will be verified during the preliminary and final examinations at the end of training activities.
5) Learning skills MODULE A: Students should be able to describe scientific topics related to the course. This skill will be developed through the active involvement of students during class discussions and practical experiences during the hours dedicated to the experimental laboratory.
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6
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BIO/10
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40
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-
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8
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-
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Core compulsory activities
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ITA |
-
BIOMOLECULAR TECHNIQUES
(objectives)
The course of CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY (MODULE A) AND BIOMOLECULAR TECHNIQUES (MODULE B) intends to provide students with (i) theoretical knowledge in the field of cellular biochemistry, deepening the mechanisms that regulate the cell cycle in eukaryotes, (ii) theoretical and practical knowledge in protein engineering, and iii) theoretical and practical knowledge of the major molecular biology and biochemical techniques applied to the study of genes, genomes, proteins and proteomes. Experimental approaches will be discussed, making use also of bioinformatics, to address complex biological questions in biochemistry and molecular biology. In detail, for MODULE B: Specifically, it is intended to provide students with specific skills for the manipulation and analysis of nucleic acids and proteins (mutagenesis and genome editing techniques, differential proteomic), for the analysis of gene expression levels (qPCR, microarrays, differential transcriptomic) and gene expression regulation (study of epigenetic modifications and protein-DNA interactions), for the study of transduction signal pathways by protein-protein interaction analysis. The advances in the field of the sequencing of whole genomes and the application of biomolecular techniques in diagnostic field will be also discussed. Bioinformatics tools will be used for in silico prediction of interaction between biomolecules, or as complementary for the use of the discussed techniques (for input or output analysis). Finally, laboratory practical experiences will be organized to acquire techniques for studying nucleic acids and proteins.
b) EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES: 1) Knowledge and understanding MODULE B:To know the basic techniques used in the field of fundamental and applied research. They will have an in-depth knowledge of molecular and advanced techniques and the related bioinformatics tools to support them; they will know the importance of statistical validation of the results of an experiment and of the controls that make an experiment scientifically reliable. 2) Applying knowledge and understanding MODULE B:At the end of the course the students will be able to use the acquired knowledge to evaluate and interpret the results of an experiment, identify its strengths and weaknesses and optimize it by evaluating the possible impact of variations in key experimental parameters; orient themselves among the main qualitative and quantitative methods to select the most suitable ones for studying the biological problem of interest; perform the experiments carried out during the practical part of the course. 3) Making judgements MODULE B: Students will be able to interpret and discuss the scientific papers presented during the course and be able to design and express new proteins with different characteristics. Students will have to acquire the ability to understand and critically discuss the experimental results obtained in the laboratory and use them as a starting point for planning subsequent experiments. 4) Comunication skills MODULE B: Students should have the ability to convey the acquired knowledge in a clear and comprehensible manner, even to people who are not in the field, and must demonstrate the ability to present information also with schemes and formulas. 5) Learning skills MODULE B: Students will have to be able to describe scientific topics related to the course. This skill will be developed through the active involvement of students during class discussions and practical experiences during the hours dedicated to the experimental laboratory.
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6
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BIO/10
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32
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-
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16
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-
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Core compulsory activities
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ITA |
119000 -
ENGLISH B2
(objectives)
The English language course aims to familiarize students with the techniques of writing in the English languagewhich differs from writing in Italian. Thsi course also allows students to produce documents and/or short essays which are relevant for their course of study. The course therefore focuses on two of the four language skills - writing and reading - without forgetting listening and speaking. To achieve these objectives, classes are exclusively taught in English. It is for this reason that the grammatical basis of the language and its phonological aspects are not neglected but analyzed whenever the need arises. The final goal is the achievement of level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), adopted by the Council of Europe by means of which the student: * Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his / her field of specialization. * Can interact with a certain fluency and spontaneity that make natural interaction with native speakers possible without effort for the interlocutor. * Can produce clear and detailed text on a wide range of topics and explain a point of view on a topic providing the pros and cons of the various options. These objectives are achieved by developing and consolidating the four language skills but above all applying the linguistic knowledge that is gradually being acquired. Particular attention is paid to the text and context; text analyzes are carried out to identify the specific and pertinent vocabulary, the register to be used and the method of outlining and writing an essay. Texts of various topics are submitted to students but the main focus is on on scientific topics, crucial to their course of study; also audio will be distributed to develop the ability of oral comprehension; moreover, at each lesson, students must prepare and present some topics of interest in Power Point version.
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6
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48
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-
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-
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-
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Other activities
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ITA |
Second semester
Course
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Credits
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Scientific Disciplinary Sector Code
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Contact Hours
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Exercise Hours
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Laboratory Hours
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Personal Study Hours
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Type of Activity
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Language
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119644 -
BIOINFORMATICS I
(objectives)
The course aims to train students in various sectors of Bioinformatics, with particular attention to the knowledge of innovative tools used to support research in the biological field. In detail, the training objectives concern: 1) Basic knowledge of biological databases 2) Query of biological databases in a programmatic way (examples of programmatic query of the various NCBI databases, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/guide/all/, through the use of API- application programming interface). 3) Pairwise alignment algorithms of nucleotide and amino acid sequences; 4) Substitution matrices; 5) Heuristic algorithms for local alignment of sequences against sequence databases. 6) Multiple sequence alignment algorithms 7) Methods for the construction of phylogenetic trees 8) Database search methods through multiple sequence alignments 9) 9) Algorithms for the prediction of RNA structure 10) Algorithms for the prediction of secondary structure of proteins 11) Methods for the comparison between protein structures 12) Classical algorithms for the prediction of protein folding 13) Algorithms based on machine learning for the prediction of protein folding
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. Students must show that they have learned bioinformatics topics included in the course, namely: acquisition of the basic principles of bioinformatics; how biological databases are designed, managed and populated; how sequence similarity searches and alignments of single or multiple sequences are performed; how evolutionary analysis of sequence data is performed through multiple alignments and construction of phylogenetic trees; how secondary and tertiary protein structure predictions are made.
ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. Students should have an understanding of the computational approaches discussed in class and be able to apply them to specific biological problems.
AUTONOMY OF JUDGMENT. Students must be able to critically interpret the results obtained through the bioinformatics tools discussed in class, as well as choose the most suitable ones to reach a specific goal.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS. Students must have the ability to transmit the knowledge acquired in a clear and understandable way, even to non-competent people, and must demonstrate the ability to present the acquired information.
LEARNING ABILITY. Students should be able to describe the various topics of Bioinformatics, in oral form. This ability will be developed through active involvement in oral discussions in the classroom and exercises carried out in the computer room on specific topics related to the course.
|
6
|
BIO/11
|
32
|
16
|
-
|
-
|
Core compulsory activities
|
ITA |
119645 -
APPLIED BIOLOGY
(objectives)
The teaching is aimed at providing students with a solid and integrated culture in experimental biology and in the various sectors of applied biology and the achievement of equally solid and complete skills in the use of analytical methodologies and advanced methods for the study and understanding of mechanisms molecular of biological processes and for their application in the industrial, health, ecological-evolutionary and biotechnological fields. LEARNING OUTCOMES • Knowledge and understanding: The student will have to demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical and methodological elements of experimental and applied biology, with particular regard to the molecular, biotechnological and biochemical aspects of biological processes, to the knowledge of the interactions between molecules, biomolecules and cells, in normal or altered conditions. • Applying knowledge and understanding: The student will have acquired theoretical and methodological skills that will allow him to apply the correct investigation strategies to solve specific problems in the field of experimental and applied biology. In particular, he / she must be able to interpret and process scientific data derived from the study of scientific articles and databases that use the methodological approaches of experimental and applied biology, also using bioinformatics tools. • Making judgments: Acquisition of independent judgment in reference to the evaluation and interpretation of experimental data reported in scientific articles. • Communication skills: Acquisition of expression skills with appropriate scientific terminology. Acquisition of adequate skills and tools for communication for what concerns the processing and the presentation of data. • Learning skills: Acquisition of adequate skills for the deepening of further skills and knowledge for what concerns the consultation of bibliographic material for continuous updating
|
6
|
BIO/13
|
32
|
-
|
16
|
-
|
Core compulsory activities
|
ITA |
119646 -
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY
(objectives)
The use of molecular and bioinformatic tools has significantly contributed to our understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes underlying the genesis of biodiversity and the fundamental principles of modern conservation biology. The course aims to provide the student with a thorough understanding of these tools and the main ecological and evolutionary issues that can be addressed through their application. The course will also investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the adaptation of organisms to environmental changes, both current and past, the molecular methods for monitoring the different hierarchical levels of biodiversity, and elements of molecular demography.
EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES
1) Knowledge and understanding. Students who complete this course will be able to solve ecological and evolutionary problems using molecular ecology tools. In general, they will develop the ability to understand the application of the tools of molecular ecology proper for understanding the main eco-evolutionary processes that shape diversity in natural populations.
2) Applying knowledge and understanding. Students who complete this course will be able to apply the knowledge obtained using experimental and bioinformatics tools typical of molecular ecology for solving problems in the ecological and evolutionary fields. In particular, this knowledge will be applied in conservation biology and in invasion biology.
3) Making judgements. Students who complete this course will be able to apply critical reading of scientific literature to formulate informative hypotheses of experimental data.
4) Communication skills. Students will be stimulated to discuss and compare opinions during the course to develop their communication skills. At the end of the course, students will have the ability to communicate the knowledge acquired clearly and understandably.
5) Learning skills. At the end of the course, students will be able to formulate solid scientific questions based on evidence and develop experimental paths by gradually integrating scientific literature and acquired technical knowledge.
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6
|
BIO/07
|
32
|
16
|
-
|
-
|
Core compulsory activities
|
ITA |
118994 -
CHEMISTRY OF NATURAL SUBSTANCES
(objectives)
The main educational objective of the Chemistry of Natural Organic Substances course consists in providing the student with general concepts, specific knowledge, and adequate examples to be able to classify natural organic substances on the basis of their chemical structure, to know their biosynthetic origin and the corresponding biological properties, analyzing the most important classes of organic compounds of natural origin produced in the course of secondary metabolism by the animal and plant cells. The training objective will also be achieved thanks to the description and use of examples relating to the application of computational chemistry and bioinformatic techniques in order to predict structure-activity relationships and identify the main pharmacophores present in the molecule. Thanks to this information, the student will be able to recognize the biosynthetic origin and the structural family to which a natural organic substance belongs, and to place it in a general context relating to its possible cellular functions and its possible applications in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical field. and cosmetic. Knowledge will also be provided to understand the main and most recent applications of natural organic substances in the bio-nanotechnology sector, with particular reference to the science of renewable and biodegradable materials, the production of bioplastics and bio-inks, and the design and development of biocatalysts. and biosensors for synthetic, clinical and environmental uses. The student will thus be in possession of critical tools to associate the presence of certain structural characteristics in the molecule with the mechanism of action exerted by the substance at the molecular level, highlighting the relationships between structure and activity, so as to be able to predict, in a critical sense, the possible biological activities associated with a specific molecular architecture.
LEARNING OUTCOMES • Knowledge and understanding: Knowledge of the structural reasons that allow the classification of a natural organic substance. Knowledge of the main biological activities associated with the different families of natural organic substances also in the light of computational and bioinformatic analyses. Knowledge of the biosynthesis pathways of secondary metabolites in animal and plant cells. Knowledge of the relationships between chemical structure and biological activity. Knowledge of the application of natural organic substances in biotechnology. • Applying knowledge and understanding: In addition to the knowledge acquired through the study of the chemistry of natural organic substances, students will be able to deepen the concepts acquired through the guided reading of scientific publications and the use of dedicated software for the classification of organic substances based on their chemical structure, thus linking the topics covered in the course to experimental research. • Making judgments: At the end of the course the student will have acquired the necessary training for a complete autonomy of judgment regarding the possibility of using a certain natural organic substance for the development of a service, a process, or a product in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmoceutical, cosmetic, materials science and bio-nanotechnology fields. • Communication skills: students will be continuously and constantly invited to actively participate in the lesson in order to deepen the subject and to collect proposals for possible solutions in the case of complex scenarios. In this activity, students will be asked to confront each other in order to support their ideas also by making use of bioinformatic tools, such as software dedicated to the 3D representation and nomenclature of chemical structures. The teaching tool is aimed at increasing communication skills and the ability to know how to work and discuss in a group, all aimed at consolidating the concepts acquired. • Learning skills: The learning skills of the students will be assessed during the course by discussing the contents of scientific publications that will allow them to follow the state of art, highlighting the ability of restitution and of problem solving of the student.
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6
|
CHIM/06
|
48
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Related or supplementary learning activities
|
ITA |
SECOND YEAR
First semester
Course
|
Credits
|
Scientific Disciplinary Sector Code
|
Contact Hours
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Exercise Hours
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Laboratory Hours
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Personal Study Hours
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Type of Activity
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Language
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119647 -
MOLECULAR AND APPLIED GENETICS
(objectives)
The course is aimed at providing students with advanced knowledge for understanding the main molecular genetic strategies and techniques used for the study of the structure, function and evolution of genes and genomes. Laboratory exercises are planned, including the use of experimental methods and specific instruments for the analysis and manipulation of genomes and single genes. EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES 1) Knowledge and understanding. The student has to demonstrate knowledge of the methodological elements for the molecular genetic analysis of genomes and transcriptomes and for the subsequent understanding of physiological and pathological cellular 'pathways'. The student will possess an advanced knowledge of the mathematical and bioinformatics tools used in molecular genetic approaches. 2) Applying knowledge and understanding. The student will have acquired theoretical and methodological skills that will allow him to apply the correct investigation strategies to solve specific problems in the field of molecular genetics. In particular, he / she must be able to interpret and process the scientific data derived from the study of scientific articles and databases that use the methodological approaches of molecular genetics, also using bioinformatics tools. 3) Making judgments. Acquisition of independent judgment in reference to the evaluation and interpretation of experimental data reported in scientific articles 4) Communication skills. Acquisition of expression skills with appropriate scientific terminology. Acquisition of adequate skills and tools for communication for what concerns the processing and the presentation of data. 5) Learning skills. Acquisition of adequate skills for the deepening of further skills and knowledge for what concerns the consultation of bibliographic material for continuous updating.
|
8
|
BIO/18
|
40
|
24
|
-
|
-
|
Core compulsory activities
|
ITA |
119648 -
BIOINFORMATICS II
(objectives)
The course aims to train students in various advanced sectors of Bioinformatics, from the study of 'omics' data, produced by next generation sequencing platforms (Next Generation Sequencing - NGS) in the different areas of: genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics , metagenomics; computational techniques for virtual screening, docking and molecular simulations of biological macromolecules; introduction to systems biology for gene expression modeling.
In detail, the training objectives concern: 1) Basic knowledge on next generation sequencing platforms; 2) Raw data formats produced by NGS sequencers; 3) Pre-processing programs: quality control and trimming of short reads; 4) Algorithms for mapping reads on the reference genome; 5) Programs for the calling variant; 6) Algorithms for the assembly of genomes or transcriptomes; 7) Statistics and R libraries for the analysis of the differential expression of genes and transcripts; 8) Study of pipelines for epigenomics and metagenomics; 10) Database and algorithms for virtual screening; 11) Stochastic algorithms for molecular docking; 12) Algorithms for energy minimization, thermalization of the system macromolecular and classical molecular dynamics (all atoms); 13) Equations for the description of dynamic models of gene regulation.
EXPECTED LEARNING RESULTS:
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. Students will have to show that they have learned bioinformatics topics included in the course, namely: acquisition of NGS data analysis methods, ability to design and develop new pipelines for analysis of omics data, ability to model structural data of macromolecules, ability of configuration and molecular dynamics analysis of biological macromolecules, acquisition of introductory concepts of system biology with application to dynamic models of gene regulation.
ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. Students should have an understanding of the computational approaches discussed in class and be able to apply them to specific biological problems.
AUTONOMY OF JUDGMENT. Students must be able to critically interpret the results obtained through the bioinformatics tools discussed in class, as well as choose the most suitable ones to reach a specific goal.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS. Students must have the ability to transmit the knowledge acquired in a clear and understandable way, even to non-competent people, and must demonstrate the ability to present the information acquired.
LEARNING ABILITY. Students should be able to describe the various topics of Bioinformatics 2, in oral form. This ability will be developed through active involvement through oral discussions in the classroom and exercises carried out in the computer room on specific topics related to the course.
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6
|
BIO/11
|
32
|
16
|
-
|
-
|
Core compulsory activities
|
ITA |
Optional Group:
OPTIONAL GROUP - (show)
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6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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119649 -
EXPERIMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY
|
Also available in another semester or year
|
119654 -
APPLIED BIOPHYSICS AND NANOSCIENCES
(objectives)
The teaching of APPLIED BIOPHYSICS AND NANOSCIENCES aims to provide students with basic knowledge in the field of molecular biophysics and some advanced spectroscopic and nanotechnological techniques for applications in the biosensory field. 1) Knowledge and understanding Knowledge of the fundamental principles of molecular biophysics mainly aimed at molecular bio-recognition processes. Knowledge of the theoretical and experimental bases of some advanced spectroscopic and nanotechnological techniques for the study of the structural, dynamic and interaction properties of biological systems. Knowledge of the techniques of quantitative analysis of experimental data in relation to the experimental techniques introduced and of bioinformatics tools with particular attention to bio-recognition processes. 2) Applying knowledge and understanding At the end of the course, students must have acquired a series of knowledge and skills that they will be able to put into practice during the experimental exercises. Students will also be invited to analyze the experimental data obtained using the procedures and methods of analysis presented in the theoretical part. 3) Making judgments During the course, students will be encouraged to critically discuss the topics presented, also looking for links with previous knowledge. In addition, students will be invited to propose and plan possible developments of the experimental activity carried out and the related data analysis. 4) Communication skills During the lessons, students will be invited to express any doubts and to present their vision of the topics under discussion so as to develop their communication skills. In addition, during the experimental activity, students will be invited to work in groups so as to develop the ability to interact with others and work in a team. Finally, through a seminar that will be part of the exam, the ability to present a scientific article in a synthetic, rigorous and effective way will be verified. 5) Learning skills Students will be encouraged to acquire the ability to carry out the various steps that make up the experimental exercises in a conscious and critical way. In addition, they must be able to present the central topics of the course, also relating the various topics to each other. This ability will also be stimulated through the active involvement of students through oral discussions in the classroom and during the hours dedicated to practical exercises.
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6
|
FIS/07
|
24
|
-
|
24
|
-
|
Related or supplementary learning activities
|
ITA |
119650 -
GENERAL AND APPLIED MYCOLOGY
(objectives)
The aim of the course is to provide students with the information needed to understand the biology and diversity of the Fungal Kingdom, which remains one of the main gaps in a biologist's knowledge. Understanding the importance of these organisms in maintaining the balance of any ecosystem, the importance of their interaction with all the other compartments of the biota, the strategies of adaptation, the mechanisms of reproduction at the base of their conservation. Focus on the adaptive strategies to different environments, including extreme ones, and the remarkable metabolic abilities to understand the applicative potentialities of these organisms in biotechnological, medical and environmental fields. This knowledge is an indispensable requisite for understanding the role of Fungi in the balance of ecosystems, even in view of the risks associated to Global Change. EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES: 1) Knowledge and understanding. To have developed the knowledge of the biodiversity of these organisms and their morphological and physiological characteristics, resulting from adaptation to specific and different environmental conditions and their potential in biotechnological, medical and environmental applications. 2) Ability to apply knowledge and understanding. Knowing how to use the concepts learned in class and developed in the exercises to interpret any morpho-functional alterations due to changes in environmental parameters. Ability to elaborate molecular data ad build up the workflow for a phylogenetic analysis. 3) Autonomy of judgment. Ability to formulate hypotheses in response to possible problems. 4) Communication skills. The acquisition by the students of a scientifically correct terminology related to the topics will be stimulated. 5) Learning skills. Stimulate curiosity and knowledge on the world of Fungi.
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6
|
BIO/03
|
24
|
24
|
-
|
-
|
Related or supplementary learning activities
|
ITA |
119651 -
ADVANCED MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
|
Also available in another semester or year
|
|
118993 -
STAGE
|
4
|
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-
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-
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-
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-
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Other activities
|
ITA |
- -
ELECTIVE COURSE
|
12
|
|
96
|
-
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-
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-
|
Elective activities
|
ITA |
Second semester
Course
|
Credits
|
Scientific Disciplinary Sector Code
|
Contact Hours
|
Exercise Hours
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Laboratory Hours
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Personal Study Hours
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Type of Activity
|
Language
|
Optional Group:
OPTIONAL GROUP - (show)
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
119649 -
EXPERIMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY
(objectives)
The course aims to provide the basic knowledge on how the neurons works, interact each other and are organized in the neuronal tissue, providing a framework on the activity of the neuronal system in terms of genetic, biochemical and molecular aspects. 1) Knowledge and understanding: knowledge of neuron biology and its organization in neuronal tissue and in neuronal systems (Peripheral and Central nervous system). Knowledge of neuron generation and the integration of neurons into neuronal system formation. Basic molecular and bioinformatic knowledge of neuronal circuits for understanding the functioning of the neuronal system 2) Applying knowledge and understanding: the basic knowledge acquired through the study of cellular neurobiology will allow students to understand how the nervous system works. Furthermore, students will then apply the above knowledge to the study of neuronal tissue and systems under pathological conditions. 3) Making judgments: the course offers links with other disciplines of the degree program by providing integrated, current and dynamic knowledge, susceptible of specific insights such as: a) reading of scientific material found through keyword research and also provided and shared with learners see text item; b) possibility to work on the power point material provided by the teacher and available on the above link; c) possibility to participate in themed seminars organized by the teacher 4) Communication skills: during the lessons students are invited to propose their opinion and to study in groups to develop their communication skills. These skills are then verified during the ongoing exams and at the end of the training activities. 5) Learning skills: students must be able to describe scientific topics related to the function of the neuron in the tissue and neuronal systems to understand how the underlying nervous system works and acts. To consider the learning of the objectives as expected, the ability to know and to connect the various topics of the proposed program, to express them through the specific terms and to apply them to related themes will be taken into consideration. These abilities will be developed through the active involvement of students in the in-depth study of the course topics
|
6
|
BIO/06
|
48
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Related or supplementary learning activities
|
ITA |
119654 -
APPLIED BIOPHYSICS AND NANOSCIENCES
|
Also available in another semester or year
|
119650 -
GENERAL AND APPLIED MYCOLOGY
|
Also available in another semester or year
|
119651 -
ADVANCED MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(objectives)
The course aims to provide adequate knowledge for the understanding of the biochemical and molecular mechanisms responsible for extracellular signal transduction and possible connections between these events and nuclear dynamics. In addition, the mechanisms of regulation of gene expression in some model systems will be thoroughly analyzed, paying attention to possible evolutionary implications. Particular emphasis will be given to the post-transcriptional regulatory strategies in which non-coding RNAs are involved. Expected learning outcomes KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. To acquire in-depth knowledge of protein-protein interactions (the basis of intracellular communication), and between nucleic acids and proteins (the basis of gene expression control). Owning up-to-date information on the role of catalytic and regulatory RNAs. APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. Being able to correlate the three-dimensional structure of proteins and nucleic acids with their biological functions. To possess the ability to translate the latest knowledge of molecular biology into some application areas, such as the medical one. MAKING JUDGEMENTS. To achieve a fuller understanding of the molecular mechanisms at the basis of life, along with the ability to discuss their role. To acquire the autonomy needed to align the gained scientific knowledge with advances in biological research. COMMUNICATION SKILLS. To demonstrate mastery of skills and knowing how to convey them adequately. To develop the ability to use the correct terminology. LEARNING SKILLS. To be able to grasp, rework and discuss the scientific issues dealt with in the lesson, including their applications.
|
6
|
BIO/11
|
48
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Related or supplementary learning activities
|
ITA |
|
119652 -
FINAL TEST
|
30
|
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Final examination and foreign language test
|
ITA |