This course provides a solid foundation in Molecular Biology that is essential for the more advanced courses in this master program. Students will understand key processes such as DNA replication, transcription, translation and protein folding both in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Moreover, students will aquire knowledge in techniques of nucleic acids manipulation for cloning, library screening and recombinant protein expression.
Prerequisiti
Biochemistry is required knowledge and if needed, MDB students can acquire it from the course “Basic Biochemistry” (1st semester 1st year).
Metodi didattici
Lectures with the active participation of students in group discussions/presentations about scientific discoveries and relevant papers from the literature. Guided bioinformatic exercises using tablets or PC (if the class size allows it). Educational methods are tailored to meet the needs of specific student groups (e.g. working students, students with disabilities, family caregivers, etc.).
Verifica Apprendimento
The exam is oral and is aimed at assessing the understanding of the topics presented during the lectures and the capacity to integrate this knowledge with the experimental methods discussed in class. Additionally, using slides (e.g. Powerpoint), the student will present the case study that he/she/they chose.
Testi
The course will incorporate scientific articles/reviews, and videos which are made available to students togeather the lecture slides on the Kiro platform.
It is recommended to supplement the lecture slides with a molecular biology textbook. Any molecular biology textbook will be suitable for this purpose, such as:-Lewin's GENES XII by Jocelyn E. Krebs, Elliott S. Goldstein, Stephen T. Kilpatrick; -Karp's Cell and Molecular Biology: Concepts and Experiments, 8th Edition. Gerald Karp, Janet Iwasa, Wallace Marshall (Wiley); -Molecular Biology, 2nd Edition. Michael M. Cox, Jennifer Doudna, Michael O'Donnell (Macmillan Learning UK); -Biochemistry, Fifth Edition. J.M. Berg, J.L. Tymoczko, L. Stryer
Contenuti
Part I-Molecular basis of information transfer from DNA to RNA to protein; protein folding. Part II-Principles of molecular biology techniques: gene libraries; PCR; cloning; sequencing; mutagenesis; library screening; recombinant expression of genes; fusion proteins; elements of genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics; basic elements of bioinformatics and structural biology.
