Study-unit FUNCTIONAL BIOLOGY
| Course name | Molecular and industrial biotechnology |
|---|---|
| Study-unit Code | 55A01706 |
| Curriculum | Comune a tutti i curricula |
| Lecturer | Maria Laura Belladonna |
| Lecturers |
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| Hours |
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| CFU | 6 |
| Course Regulation | Coorte 2023 |
| Supplied | 2024/25 |
| Supplied other course regulation | |
| Learning activities | Caratterizzante |
| Area | Discipline biologiche |
| Sector | BIO/13 |
| Type of study-unit | Obbligatorio (Required) |
| Type of learning activities | Attività formativa monodisciplinare |
| Language of instruction | Italian |
| Contents | Pathogens and infection. Innate and adaptive immune system. Cell death. Cancer. Laboratory: cloning of a gene construct and its expression in eukaryotic cells. |
| Reference texts | Alberts et al. “ BIOLOGIA MOLECOLARE DELLA CELLULA” Ed. Zanichelli – 6th edition |
| Educational objectives | The course of Functional Biology is part of the teachings dealing with the biology of cellular and molecular systems. It examines the mechanisms of various human cellular functions, in particular those involved in the immune response, programmed cell death, and tumor development; moreover, the experimental part of the course allows the student to perform experimental methodologies of molecular and cellular biology whose basic notions have been learned in previous teachings. The main objective of the course is that the student can use provided notions to build an integrated and functional framework of cell biology mechanisms, including also previously acquired knowledge; the objective of the experimental part of the course is to make the student practice some of the experimental methodologies useful for the study of cellular functions. The main knowledge acquired will be related to: - basic elements on pathogens and cell biology of the infection; - innate and adaptive immune response, and immunological tolerance; - molecular and cellular mechanisms of apoptosis (programmed cell death) and tumor development and progression; - laboratory experience of gene cloning in expression vectors, transfection into eukaryotic cells, and structural and functional analysis of the expressed protein; - use of gene cloning simulation programs; - use of gene databases. The main skills will be: - analyze and identify the behavior of cellular systems in response to infections and pro-inflammatory stimuli; - analyze and identify the molecular and cellular components involved in mechanisms of immunogenic and tolerogenic responses, and tumor development; - evaluate the most suitable methodologies to clone a gene into an expression vector and study the produced protein. |
| Prerequisites | To effectively follow and understand the topics covered in the course of Functional Biology is necessary for the student to have a basic knowledge of animal cell biology as it is normally acquired in basic programs of biological and/or biotechnological degree courses. |
| Teaching methods | Face-to-face lessons in the classroom and in the teaching laboratory, with PowerPoint presentations. A pdf copy of each presentation will be available for the students on the Unistudium Learning Platform. |
| Other information | The teacher receives students by appointment, which can be requested by e-mail. For information on support services for students with disabilities and/or Specific Learning Disorders, visit the page: http://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa |
| Learning verification modality | The exam consists of an oral examination not longer than 30 minutes and enables verification of the level of knowledge and understanding achieved by the student and the ability of the student to highlight the correlations between the various biological processes. In addition, the oral examination will assess the student's ability to communicate and expose with appropriate language the topics of cell biology, with particular regard to those discussed during face-to-face lessons and lab activities. The exam will be performed at the end of the course according to the exam timetable. The evaluation will be in thirtieths (minimum: 18/30; maximum: 30/30 cum laude). There will be no intermediate test. SLD students will be allowed to split the exam program into two parts (the first relative to frontal lessons and the second relative to practical laboratory lessons) and take the exam for the two parts on separate, but consecutive dates. |
| Extended program | Pathogens and infection: fundamentals of pathogens and human microbiota; cellular biology of infection. Innate and adaptive immune system: cellular and molecular mechanisms of the innate immune system (epithelial barrier, PRR receptors, inflammation and cytokines, phagocytic cells, complement system, dendritic cells); cellular and molecular mechanisms of the adaptive immune system (immunization, MHC proteins, antigens, immunoglobulins, T and B lymphocytes, lymphocyte clonal selection, immunological memory, immunological tolerance, costimulatory signals). Cellular death: molecular mechanisms of apoptosis (extrinsic and intrinsic pathways); apoptosis regulation (Bcl-2, IAP, etc.). Cancer: development and progression mechanisms of tumors; crucial genes for cancer (oncogenes and oncosuppressor genes; retroviral genes; Ras, Rb, p53); cancer prevention and treatment. Laboratory: cloning project of a gene construct into an expression vector, manipulation of cell cultures (eukaryotic cell line), RNA extraction and gene amplification (PCR), electrophoretic analysis on agarose gel, purification of DNA (insert of the gene to be cloned), bacterial transformation, colony PCR, purification of plasmid DNA from a bacterial culture, transfection into eukaryotic cells, structural and functional analysis of the expressed protein (protein analysis via Western Blotting and analysis of the catalytic activity via HPLC), validation of expressed protein as a pharmacological target. |
| Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile | Health and wellness; life on earth. |