Teaching code

4S000089

Teacher

Patricia Lievens

Credits

2

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

BIO/13 - EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY

Period

1 SEMESTRE PROFESSIONI SANITARIE dal Oct 3, 2022 al Dec 23, 2022.

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars 0

To show the organization of the course that includes this module, follow this link:  Course organization

Learning objectives

To provide knowledge of human biology in an evolutionary vision with particular reference to the molecular and cellular processes common to all living organisms.
Provide knowledge on the mutagenic action of chemical and physical agents. To provide knowledge relating to the transmission of hereditary traits. The student must be able to explain the cellular mechanisms underlying the functioning of the entire organism and grasp the pathogenetic significance of any alterations in them; she/he will also need to be able to recognize the different ways of transmitting Mendelian characters in humans.
At the end of the course, students will have to demonstrate that they have acquired the basic knowledge of the mechanisms that regulate cellular life and reproduction, the interactions between cells, between organisms and between organisms and the environment. In particular, they will need to know the mutagenic action of chemical and physical agents present in the environment. They will also have to demonstrate that they have acquired knowledge on the mechanisms of transmission of hereditary characters and will have to be able to recognize the ways of transmission of genetic diseases in humans. This basic knowledge is a pre-requisite for further specialized studies that will be the subject of the teachings of the subsequent years of the course.

Program

The development of modern biological thinking, the fundamental ideas General biology of prokaryotes. Relations between prokaryotes and other organisms. The eukaryotic cell: general aspects. The cell cycle and its regulation. Mitosis. The molecular basis of hereditary information: characteristics of DNA, its replication. Flow of gene information. Transcription, translation: the genetic code, the production of proteins in the eukaryotic cell. The genes of eukaryotes are discontinuous: the processing of messenger RNA (splicing). Regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The architecture of the genome in eukaryotes. The chromosomes. Normal and pathological human karyotype. Anomalies of number and structure. Gene dosage and inactivation of the X chromosome in mammals, the determination of sex in the embryo. The mutations. The various types and the mechanisms that determine them. Pre-adactivity of mutations. Spontaneous mutations. Mutagenesis by chemical and physical agents. Mutagenesis test. DNA repair mechanisms. Somatic mutations and cancer. Sexual reproduction: meiosis, crossing-over, gametogenesis in humans. The experiments of G. Mendel. The laws of inheritance, the segregation of alleles. The independent assortment of genes. Association and recombination. Blood group genetics (ABO, Rh). Various types of inheritance: autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, sex-linked. Methods of transmission of genetic diseases in humans, examples of AD, RA, X-linked diseases. Examples of family trees.

Bibliography

Didactic methods

The teacher will use frontal lessons. The teaching methods consist of classroom lessons during which the topics covered by the program will be addressed and discussed. The teacher will provide power point presentations to integrate the classroom lessons, usable on the moodle platform. For students who will be in isolation due to Covid positivity, streaming will be made accessible on moodle.

Learning assessment procedures

Written test potentially covering all the topics in the program, structured in multiple choice quiz + open questions. The objectives of the written test are: a) ascertaining the acquisition of theoretical knowledge; b) ascertaining the capacity for reasoning and individual re-elaboration of the notions acquired. The examination of the Biology and Genetics module will take place at the same time as the examination of the Biochemistry module. The final evaluation will take into account the results from each module; the exam is only passed if the student receives a positive evaluation for both modules. The student can withdraw or refuse the proposed grade.

Evaluation criteria

The evaluation will be expressed out of thirty and will be considered positive if greater than or equal to 18/30.

Exam language

Italiano