The teaching is organized as follows:

Learning outcomes

The course provides students with the fundamental concepts for the comprehension of molecular mechanisms operating at the cellular and tissue level in response to physical exercise and hypoxia.
At the end of this course the students will be able to:
1. comprehensively describe the adaptive responses to exercise and hypoxia;
2. fully understand the main cellular responses operating in the context of adaptation;
3. explain in depth the molecular mechanisms underlying paradigmatic adaptive responses;
4. integrate molecular, cellular and systemic mechanisms of adaptation;
5. critically analyze the acquired knowledge in the physiopathological and sports context.

Program

The course will be divided into two modules in which the following topics will be discussed:
1. Adaptative responses to the exercise:
- The integrated response to the exercise;
- Exercise and energy metabolism;
- Exercise-induced muscular hypertrophy: molecular signaling pathways involved, transcriptional mechanisms and control of protein synthesis;
- Autophagy and exercise;
- Stem cells and adaptive muscle response;
- Myokines and exercise;
- Exosomes as mediators of adaptation;
- MicroRNAs in cardiac and muscular response to exercise;
- Exercise and brain.
2. Adaptive responses to hypoxia:
- Cellular and molecular mechanisms of oxygen sensing;
- Cellular and molecular responses to hypoxia: transcriptional mechanisms and control of protein synthesis;
- Epigenetic response to hypoxia;
- Muscle response to hypoxia: implications of physical exercise;
- Hypoxia and energy metabolism;
- Hypoxia, blood and blood circulation;
- Hypoxia, kidneys and fluid control;
- Human evolution in altitude.


Lessons consist of frontal lectures (with slides) including group discussions of experimental evidence to support the illustrated concepts. The lessons will be held in Italian. The reference material will be partially in English. In addition to slides, the student may make use of scientific articles that will be indicated and the following texts:
1. Zierath J.R., Joyner M.J., Hawley J.A. (2017). The Biology of Exercise COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY PRESS
2. Swenson E.R., Bartsch P. (2014). High Altitude: Human Adaptation to Hypoxia. Springer.
3. Speigelman B. (2017). Hormones, Metabolism asnd the Benefits of Exercise. Springer.
4. Roach R.C., Wagner P.D., Hackett P.H. (2016). Hypoxia: Translation in Progress. Springer.

Examination Methods

The objective of the exam consists in verifying the level of achievement of the previously indicated training objectives.
The exam consists of a written test divided into two parts, one relating to the adaptation to the exercise, and the other to the response to hypoxia. The written test will consist of some open questions and some multi-choice questions taken from the didactic material. The open questions are always present and require the student to describe the concepts learned during the course critically. The multi-choice questions, however, are not a constant (depends on the structuring of the written test that changes from time to time). The written test will be administered at the end of the course modules, and at every exam session.
After having received the result of the written test, it is possible to have an oral interview with the teachers in which the contents and the results of the written test will be discussed and the questions addressed in the course will be answered.