Single channel
Chair (Coordinator) and Rapporteur: DANIELA DE BIASE
Module 1:
- Activity type
- Scienze propedeutiche
- SSD
- PHYS-06/A
- Year
- 1st year
- Semester
- 1st semester
- CFU
- 1
- Hours distribution
- 12 classroom hours
- Lecturers
- SANTE CENTURIONI
Module 2:
- Activity type
- Scienze biomediche
- SSD
- BIOS-07/A
- Year
- 1st year
- Semester
- 1st semester
- CFU
- 2
- Hours distribution
- 24 classroom hours
- Lecturers
- DANIELA DE BIASE
Module 3:
- Activity type
- Scienze biomediche
- SSD
- BIOS-10/A
- Year
- 1st year
- Semester
- 1st semester
- CFU
- 2
- Hours distribution
- 24 classroom hours
- Lecturers
- CECILIA BATTISTELLI
Module 4:
- Activity type
- Scienze biomediche
- SSD
- MEDS-01/A
- Year
- 1st year
- Semester
- 1st semester
- CFU
- 1
- Hours distribution
- 12 classroom hours
- Lecturers
- ANTONIO PIZZUTI
Objectives
The student must demonstrate knowledge of chemistry and of inorganic and organic compounds of specific biomedical interest, and knowledge of the fundamental mechanisms of biological processes at the molecular level.
Learning outcomes
Acquire basic knowledge of the laws of physics and chemistry that are relevant to the biomedical field. Understand the structure of cells and biological molecules and their relationship to their function. Know the fundamental mechanisms of biological processes at the molecular level: biochemical/metabolic processes and their integration in the organism. Understand the transmission of genetic traits.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of chemistry, physics, biology, genetics taught in secondary schools
Programme
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General and inorganic chemistry
The atom and its particles. Atomic mass and weight. Modern atomic theory: quantum numbers, orbitals and their occupation. Periodic Table of elements and their properties. Ionization potential and electron affinity. Isotopes. Radioisotopes and their use in medicine. Chemical bonds: covalent and electrostatic. Chemical reactions: oxidation and reduction. States of matter and phase transitions. Ideal gas laws. Chemical changes and kinetics. Chemical equilibria: Le Chatelier’s principle. Solutions and solubility. Colligative properties: osmotic pressure. Water ionic product: pH. Acids and bases. Buffers.
Organic chemistry: basics
Chemistry of carbon. hybridization sp. Saturated, unsaturated and aromatic hydrocarbons. Functional groups and their reactivity: alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, amines, amides.
Biochemistry
Proteins. Biological roles. Amino acids and peptide bond. Primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures. Fibrous proteins: collagen. Proteins devoted to the transport and deposit of molecular oxygen. hemoglobin, myoglobin. Physiological and pathological hemoglobins. Enzymes: classification, mechanisms of action of action and regulation. Isozymes and zymogens. Water-soluble vitamins and coenzymes: functions.
Carbohydrates. Mono-, di- and poly-saccharides: structures and biological functions.
Lipids. Fatty acids. Triacylglycerols, phospholipids e cholesterol: structures and biological functions. Fat-soluble vitamins: functions. Lipoproteins and lipids’ transport in the biological fluids.
Metabolism. Thermodynamics. Catabolism and anabolism. Digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Carbohydrates metabolism: glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, glycogen degradation and synthesis. Krebs cycle and lactic fermentation. Respiratory chain and ATP synthesis.
Lipid metabolism and their regulation: beta-oxidation and fatty acids synthesis. Ketone bodies. Metabolism of cholesterol and its regulation
Amino acid metabolism: transamination and deamination. Urea cycle.
General aspects of hormonal regulation: chemical nature of hormones, sites of synthesis and targets in particular of adrenaline, insulin and glucagon. Neurotransmitters.
Fundamentals of biochemistry of organs and tissues.
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Books
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Samaja-Paroni “Chimica e Biochimica” - Piccin (second edition)
Stefani-Taddei “Chimica e Biochimica" - Zanichelli
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Bibliography
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Lessons mode
Teaching consists of face-to-face lectures with students. All lessons are interactive, so the instructor encourages students to ask questions that they can answer based on previous courses or lessons. This allows the instructor to highlight the connections between the current course and previous courses, whose contents are key to understanding the content covered in class. The constant reference to previous or parallel courses should accustom students to studying the material presented, not as a closed set of topics, aimed at passing the final exam, which must be filed away immediately afterwards, but rather as a means of highlighting a multidisciplinary approach, which students must embrace. Students can also find other useful learning materials on the e-learning platform for exam preparation. It is understood that the slides are a guide to exam topics, but cannot totally replace the textbook.
Frequency
As per the regulations of the course of study, attendance is compulsory (70% minimum) in order to be able to take the exam
Exam mode
To pass the exam the student must achieve a grade of no less than 18/30.
The student must demonstrate that he/she has acquired sufficient knowledge of the Biochemistry, Applied Biology, Medical Genetics, , and Applied Physics topics covered during the course, and that he/she is able to understand and use the correct technical-scientific terminology.
To achieve a score of 30/30 cum laude, the student must demonstrate that he has acquired excellent knowledge of all the topics covered during the course, being able to connect them in a logical and coherent way.
Example exam questions
- How fetal and adult hemoglobin differ in structure and function
- Describe the phases of the cell cycle and their regulation
- The risk of having an affected child for two carriers of an autosomal recessive disease is: 25%, 50%, 33%, 100%
- The kinetic energy theorem states that: A. The change in potential energy is equal to the change in kinetic energy; B. Kinetic energy can only be calculated for a particle; C. The work done by a force is equal to the change in kinetic energy; D. Kinetic energy is constant
Arguments
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Module:
- Introduction to the course, exam procedures, and teaching materials. Elements of inorganic chemistry relevant to biochemistry: The atom and its particles. Atomic mass and atomic weight. Modern atomic theory: quantum numbers, orbitals, and their filling. Periodic table of elements. Properties of the elements. Ionization potential and electron affinity.
- Elements of inorganic chemistry relevant to understanding biochemistry: Isotopes. Radioisotopes and their use in medicine. Chemical bonds: atomic bonds, electrostatic bonds. Valency and oxidation number of elements. Oxidation-reduction reactions.
- Elements of inorganic chemistry relevant to understanding biochemistry: States of matter. Phase transitions. Gas laws. Chemical transformations and chemical kinetics. Chemical equilibria: Le Châtelier's principle. Solutions and solubility. Units of concentration. Colligative properties: osmotic pressure. Ionic product of water: pH. Acids and bases. Acid-base systems. Physiological buffer systems.
- Elements of Organic Chemistry useful for understanding Biochemistry: The chemistry of carbon. Sp. hybridization. Hydrocarbons. Functional groups and their reactivity: alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, amines, and amides. Cyclic and heterocyclic compounds.
- Structural biochemistry - Amino acids and peptide bonds. Proteins: structural levels biological functions. Fibrous proteins: Collagen - structure, function, and mention on collagenopathies.
- Structural biochemistry - Oxygen transport and storage proteins: myoglobin and hemoglobin (structure and function). Physiological and pathological hemoglobins.
- Structural biochemistry - Enzymes: Classification, Mechanism of Action, and Regulation of Activity. Isoenzymes and Zymogens. Water-Soluble Vitamins: Structure and Role. Coenzymes.
- Structural biochemistry - Carbohydrates: Mono-, di- and polysaccharides: structure and biological functions.Structural Biochemistry - Lipids: Fatty acids, triglycerides, phospholipids, cholesterol, and prostaglandins: structure and biological functions. Lipoproteins and lipid transport in the blood. Fat-soluble vitamins: structure and role.
- Metabolic biochemistry - Metabolism: anabolism and catabolism. Thermodynamics. Digestion and absorption of major nutrients. Carbohydrate metabolism and its regulation: glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, and glycogen synthesis. Lactic acid fermentation and the Cori cycle.
- Metabolic biochemistry - Fatty acid metabolism and regulation: β-oxidation and (notes on) fatty acid biosynthesis. Ketone bodies. Cholesterol metabolism and regulation (mentions).
- Metabolic biochemistry - Tricarboxylic acid cycle. Electron transport chain (respiratory chain).
- Metabolic biochemistry - Protein metabolism: transaminations and deaminations. Urea cycle. Overview of hormonal regulation: Hormones: chemical nature, sites of synthesis, and targets, particularly adrenaline, insulin, and glucagon. Neurotransmitters. Overview of organ and tissue biochemistry.
Module:
- The study of cell biology. Biology and the scientific method. Cell chemistry: The molecular components of a cell, structure, and functions.
- The organization of DNA in the cell. Chromosomal DNA and its compaction into chromatin fibers. DNA polymerases, the origin of replication, telomerases.
- Nucleic acids. Flow of genetic information. DNA replication.
- Transcription: from DNA to RNA. Transcription in prokaryotes. Transcription and RNA maturation in eukaryotes. Messenger RNA, ribosomal RNA, transfer RNA.
- Gene expression regulation. Transcriptional control in eukaryotes. Role of chromatin in transcriptional regulation
- Translation: from RNA to proteins. The genetic code. Structure and function of the ribosome. Destination of proteins to different cellular compartments. Post-translational modifications of proteins.
- Cell membranes and transport mechanisms. RER, REL, and Golgi apparatus.
- The cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix. Cell junctions.
- Energy use by cells, biological reactions, and enzymes. Mitochondria and energy metabolism.
- Cell cycle and regulation, meiosis and mitosis.
- Comunicazione cellulare: recettori e ligandi. Tipi di recettori transmembrana: con funzione di canale ionico, legati alle proteine G, con attività enzimatica.
- Mechanisms of cell death: necrosis and apoptosis. Intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis.
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Sustainability goals
- Academic year2026/2027
- Degree program to which the course belongsMidwifery - Course A - Roma Azienda Policlinico Umberto I
- Languageita
- CFU6 CFU, distributed among 4 integrated didactic modules
- Total duration72 hours