ID:
510582
Duration (hours):
96
CFU:
12
SSD:
BIOCHIMICA
Year:
2025
Overview
Date/time interval
Secondo Semestre (02/03/2026 - 19/06/2026)
Syllabus
Course Objectives
Main objective of the course is the study of relationships between structure and function of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids in the biological environment. The course aims to provide students with detailed information regarding: enzymes and their mechanisms of action and regulation, ligand-receptor interactions, reactions and intermediates of metabolic pathways, energy production and utilization, control strategies of metabolic pathways in physiological conditions and in some pathological conditions, main processes of transmission of genetic information (replication, transcription, translation and regulation of gene expression). The course also aims to highlight some fundamental aspects of clinical biochemistry and enzymology.
Course Prerequisites
It is mandatory to have passed the exam of Organic Chemistry I. Knowledge of the chemistry of sugars, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids and amino acids are fundamental for the study of metabolic cycles.
Teaching Methods
Face to face lectures (96 hours) are provided with the support of power point slides and video.
PDF of slides and other material presented during the lectures will be uploaded on the KIRO platform.
Teachers are available for further explanations on specific topics upon request.
Further support for students will be provided by tutors whose activity will be adequately advertised on the KIRO platform. For students with specific needs, who cannot attend the teaching activities in person and who have applied for Inclusive Teaching Methods, adequate teaching material will be available to study fruitfully on their own. If required, tutoring or supplementary teaching activities, remote or face to face meetings may be provided to support their self-learning.
PDF of slides and other material presented during the lectures will be uploaded on the KIRO platform.
Teachers are available for further explanations on specific topics upon request.
Further support for students will be provided by tutors whose activity will be adequately advertised on the KIRO platform. For students with specific needs, who cannot attend the teaching activities in person and who have applied for Inclusive Teaching Methods, adequate teaching material will be available to study fruitfully on their own. If required, tutoring or supplementary teaching activities, remote or face to face meetings may be provided to support their self-learning.
Assessment Methods
During assessment students must show that they have learnt and understood the topics of the course, that they have achieved good communication skills with appropriate scientific terminology.
Students can access either to written in itinere tests (for second-year students only) or a combined written/oral examination in any of the established examination dates.
During the course students can access to three in itinere tests, each comprising 3-4 open questions based on a specific part of the programme. Final score is based on the overall evaluation of the three exams carried out during the course. If one out of the three tests were insufficient, students are given the opportunity to take an oral exam on the specific part of the programme related to their failed test. Also, in this case, final score is based on the average of three tests (two written and one oral). Please note that the itinere tests are dedicated exclusively to second-year students.
Alternatively, students can opt for a combined written/oral test during the ordinary assessment sessions. After a positive evaluation (with a score ≥ 18/30) of the written test which includes 3-4 open questions, students will be admitted to the oral exam which will be held on a different date according to a schedule established by the teachers. The oral exam will always start from the correction of the written one and/or further insight into its topics. The oral exam includes also other questions regarding other sections of the programme not already requested in the written test. Final score is based on the overall evaluation of both written and oral exams.
In addition, appropriate examination methods are provided for students who are included into the Specific Learning Disorders (DSA) and Special Educational Needs (BSA) categories.
Students can access either to written in itinere tests (for second-year students only) or a combined written/oral examination in any of the established examination dates.
During the course students can access to three in itinere tests, each comprising 3-4 open questions based on a specific part of the programme. Final score is based on the overall evaluation of the three exams carried out during the course. If one out of the three tests were insufficient, students are given the opportunity to take an oral exam on the specific part of the programme related to their failed test. Also, in this case, final score is based on the average of three tests (two written and one oral). Please note that the itinere tests are dedicated exclusively to second-year students.
Alternatively, students can opt for a combined written/oral test during the ordinary assessment sessions. After a positive evaluation (with a score ≥ 18/30) of the written test which includes 3-4 open questions, students will be admitted to the oral exam which will be held on a different date according to a schedule established by the teachers. The oral exam will always start from the correction of the written one and/or further insight into its topics. The oral exam includes also other questions regarding other sections of the programme not already requested in the written test. Final score is based on the overall evaluation of both written and oral exams.
In addition, appropriate examination methods are provided for students who are included into the Specific Learning Disorders (DSA) and Special Educational Needs (BSA) categories.
Texts
J. Berg, J. Tymoczko, G.J. Gatto, L. Stryer “Biochimica” Zanichelli
D. Nelson, M. Cox “I principi di biochimica di Lehninger” Zanichelli
M.K. Campbell, S.O. Farrel, O.M McDougal “Biochimica”
D. Voet, J.G. Voet, C.W. Pratt “Fondamenti di biochimica” Zanichelli
T.M. Devlin “Biochimica con aspetti clinic-farmaceutici”, EdiSES
D. Nelson, M. Cox “I principi di biochimica di Lehninger” Zanichelli
M.K. Campbell, S.O. Farrel, O.M McDougal “Biochimica”
D. Voet, J.G. Voet, C.W. Pratt “Fondamenti di biochimica” Zanichelli
T.M. Devlin “Biochimica con aspetti clinic-farmaceutici”, EdiSES
Contents
Amino acids: structures and chemical-physical properties.
Structural organization of proteins: primary structure and peptide bond. Secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures. Protein folding and conformational diseases. Examples of fibrous and globular proteins: collagen, alpha keratin, actin, myosin, antibodies, myoglobin and haemoglobin.
Enzymes: classification and properties. Coenzymes: structure and modes of action. Thermodynamics of enzymatic reactions. Enzyme kinetics. Equation of Michaelis-Menten and kinetic parameters. Enzyme inhibitors. Mechanisms of catalysis. Regulation of enzymatic activity. Blood coagulation.
Chemical composition and structural-functional organization of biological membranes.
Molecular mechanisms of signal transduction associated to ligand-gated ion channels, serpentine receptors, receptor enzymes, steroid receptors.
Principles of bioenergetics thermodynamics in catabolic, biosynthetic and amphibolic metabolic pathways. Structure and function of ATP and high-energy compounds.
Glucidic metabolism: digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. Reactions, metabolic intermediates, thermodynamics and regulation of: glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, gluconeogenesis, glycogen synthesis and glycogen breakdown. Pyruvate dehydrogenase complex: structural organization and mode of action.
Reactions, metabolic intermediates, thermodynamics and regulation of citric acid cycle; anaplerotic reactions.
Lipid metabolism: digestion and absorption of lipids. Reactions and regulation of degradation and degradation and synthesis of fatty acids.
Formation of ketone bodies in the liver, role in physiology and pathology, and their use as fuel in extra-hepatic tissues.
Biosynthesis and transport of cholesterol. Structure and function of plasmatic lipoproteins.
Metabolism of biological nitrogen compounds: digestion of proteins and absorption of amino acids.
Protein turnover. Reactions of transamination, oxidative and non-oxidative deamidation. Decarboxylation of amino acids and synthesis of biological amines. Reactions, metabolic intermediates, and regulation of urea cycle.
Electron-transfer chain and ATP synthesis in mitochondria: reactions and regulation.
Principles of clinical biochemistry: assessment of haemostasis. Markers of tissue damage in skeletal muscles, heart, liver, kidney. Diabetes: classification, metabolic alterations, diagnosis, and glycemia follow-up. Lipid and lipoprotein assay and clinical implications.
DNA and RNA structure. DNA super coiling and role of topoisomerase. Elements of epigenetics. DNA replication and repair. Functional and structural characteristics of telomerase. Synthesis and maturation of RNA. Genetic code. Protein synthesis and post-translational modifications. Regulation of gene expression in bacteria: lac-operon and trp-operon. Regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes.
Structural organization of proteins: primary structure and peptide bond. Secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures. Protein folding and conformational diseases. Examples of fibrous and globular proteins: collagen, alpha keratin, actin, myosin, antibodies, myoglobin and haemoglobin.
Enzymes: classification and properties. Coenzymes: structure and modes of action. Thermodynamics of enzymatic reactions. Enzyme kinetics. Equation of Michaelis-Menten and kinetic parameters. Enzyme inhibitors. Mechanisms of catalysis. Regulation of enzymatic activity. Blood coagulation.
Chemical composition and structural-functional organization of biological membranes.
Molecular mechanisms of signal transduction associated to ligand-gated ion channels, serpentine receptors, receptor enzymes, steroid receptors.
Principles of bioenergetics thermodynamics in catabolic, biosynthetic and amphibolic metabolic pathways. Structure and function of ATP and high-energy compounds.
Glucidic metabolism: digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. Reactions, metabolic intermediates, thermodynamics and regulation of: glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, gluconeogenesis, glycogen synthesis and glycogen breakdown. Pyruvate dehydrogenase complex: structural organization and mode of action.
Reactions, metabolic intermediates, thermodynamics and regulation of citric acid cycle; anaplerotic reactions.
Lipid metabolism: digestion and absorption of lipids. Reactions and regulation of degradation and degradation and synthesis of fatty acids.
Formation of ketone bodies in the liver, role in physiology and pathology, and their use as fuel in extra-hepatic tissues.
Biosynthesis and transport of cholesterol. Structure and function of plasmatic lipoproteins.
Metabolism of biological nitrogen compounds: digestion of proteins and absorption of amino acids.
Protein turnover. Reactions of transamination, oxidative and non-oxidative deamidation. Decarboxylation of amino acids and synthesis of biological amines. Reactions, metabolic intermediates, and regulation of urea cycle.
Electron-transfer chain and ATP synthesis in mitochondria: reactions and regulation.
Principles of clinical biochemistry: assessment of haemostasis. Markers of tissue damage in skeletal muscles, heart, liver, kidney. Diabetes: classification, metabolic alterations, diagnosis, and glycemia follow-up. Lipid and lipoprotein assay and clinical implications.
DNA and RNA structure. DNA super coiling and role of topoisomerase. Elements of epigenetics. DNA replication and repair. Functional and structural characteristics of telomerase. Synthesis and maturation of RNA. Genetic code. Protein synthesis and post-translational modifications. Regulation of gene expression in bacteria: lac-operon and trp-operon. Regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes.
Course Language
Italian
More information
----
Degrees
Degrees
MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY
Single-cycle Master’s Degree
5 years
No Results Found
People
People (2)
No Results Found