Industrial pharmacy | Course catalogue

GENERAL AND MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY WITH MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

Course objectives

General expected learning outcomes The General and Molecular Pathology with Medical Terminology course is an essential component of the Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology degree program, as it contributes to its educational objectives. This course is designed to equip students with knowledge about the biological basis of pathological manifestations, as well as a fundamental understanding of the pathophysiology of major organ systems. Specifically, the course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the primary pathogenetic mechanisms that cause homeostatic imbalances and the onset of diseases. The goal the course is to enable students to gain a thorough understanding of various pathological phenomena and the targets of the principal pharmacological treatments. In addition, the course aims to help students develop the necessary scientific language skills characterized by medical terminology to enrich the student's formative background and provide access to expected professional outlets. Specific expected learning outcomes 1. Knowledge and understanding By the end of the course, the student will have acquired theoretical knowledge related to cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the etiopathogenesis of the major human disorders and an appropriate medical and scientific terminology. In addition, the student will have understood the biological processes allowing to the clinical manifestations of the diseases, the targets of the main therapeutic treatments, and the rational basis of the precision medicine. 2. Applying knowledge and understanding At the end of the course, the student will be able to recognize specific cellular and molecular events underlying different disease processes and identify the main therapeutic targets for these. In addition, the student will possess the skills to link the course content with what he/she has already learned in previous classes and apply the acquired knowledge in scientific and healthcare environments. 3. Making judgements The active support of the teacher in the classroom will foster and stimulate the student into using a scientifically based methodological approach in both study and future research activities, as well as the ability to make judgments about literature data to be ready to make decisions concerning future professional responsibilities. 4. Communication skills The student should be able to effectively communicate information, ideas, problems, and solutions to specialized audiences regarding the molecular mechanisms of cellular damage, neoplastic transformation, and the pathophysiological mechanisms of diseases. Furthermore, it is essential for the student to have a strong grasp of specific medical and scientific terminology and to be able to use it appropriately, particularly in the context of the pharmacy profession. 5. Learning skills The student will be able to integrate the topics covered in the course by consulting the bibliographic materials provided by the teacher and update knowledge and professional skills by consulting specific databases suggested during the class. At the end of the course, the student will have acquired a helpful educational background to undertake more advanced studies, such as those oriented to in-depth professional studies by attending postgraduate courses, graduate schools, PhDs, and joining mobility programs with foreign countries.

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ROCCO PALERMO Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program

Etiology: Illness and homeostasis. Disease as homeostatic imbalance. Etiology and Pathogenesis. Intrinsic and extrinsic pathogenic factors. Physical causes of disease (Trauma; Electric current; Ionizing and exciting radiations; Hyperthermia and Hypothermia). Chemical causes of disease. Infections and infectious diseases. General principles of pathogenesis. Basic of Genetic Pathology: Mutations and mutagenesis. Karyotype anomalies: structural and numerical alterations of chromosomes. Cytogenic disorders involving autosomes and sex chromosomes. Transmission patterns and molecular basis of single-genes (Mendelian) disorders. Single-gene disorders with nonclassic inheritance (Caused by Trinucleotide-repeat mutations, mutations occurring at mitochondrial DNA, altered genomic imprinting). Multi-Factorial Disorders. Congenital non-hereditary diseases. Cellular pathology: Mechanisms and causes of cell damage. Cellular response to stress and noxious stimuli. Reversible and irreversible cell damage. Intracellular accumulations. Hydropic degeneration. Accumulations of lipids (Steatosis), cholesterol and cholesterol esters, proteins, glycogen, and pigments. Bilirubin metabolism and etiological classification and pathophysiology of Jaundices. Lysosomal storage diseases. Mechanisms and types of cellular adaptations to the stress (atrophy, hypertrophy, hyperplasia, metaplasia). Cell Death. Morphology, biochemical and molecular features of necrosis and apoptosis. Distinctive features of apoptosis with respect to cell death by necrosis. Basis of Immunology and Inflammation: Innate and adaptive immunity. The cells of the immune system. Dynamics of the humoral and cell-mediated immune response. Cells and Receptors of inflammation. Inflammation as a transcriptional program. The chemical mediators of acute inflammation of cellular and plasma origin. Acute inflammation phases and evolution: vascular modifications. Mechanisms of exudate formation and types of exudative inflammation. Phagocytosis. Chronic inflammation: phases, and evolution. Granulomas formation mechanisms. Granulomas from a foreign body and immunological granulomas. Systemic manifestations of inflammation: acute-phase proteins, blood count and leukocyte formula, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate. Sepsis. Biomarkers of inflammation and sepsis. Mechanisms of thermoregulation. Hyperthermia and fever. Pathogenesis of fever. The action of pyrogens. Fever classification. Oncology: Etiology and pathogenesis of tumors. Classification and nomenclature. Benign and malignant tumors. Cytological features of cancer cells. Dysplasia, pre-cancerous lesion, and carcinoma in situ. Grading and staging of neoplasms. Diagnosis and Tumor markers. Phases of the neoplastic process: initiation, promotion, and progression. Genes and cancer: oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Cancer angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis: patterns and mechanisms. Tumor dissemination and colonization. The hallmarks of cancer. Proliferation and apoptosis. Chemical, physical and viral carcinogenesis. Pleiotropic response to antiblastics. Cancer immunology and therapeutic perspectives. Tumor antigens and tumor cell immunogenicity. Effective mechanisms of immunity against tumors: innate and specific responses. Mechanisms of evasion of the immune response by tumors. Tumor immunotherapy. Stimulation of the host's anticancer responses: anticancer vaccines. Passive immunotherapy with T lymphocytes and antibodies. Precision medicine and target therapy. Immunopathology: Autoreactivity and self-tolerance. Mechanisms of central and peripheral tolerance. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of autoimmunity pathogenesis. Loss of self-tolerance mechanisms. Genetic susceptibility and role of environment and infections in the development of autoimmunity. Principal organ-specific and systemic autoimmune diseases. Immunological basis of hypersensitivity reactions. Classification and mechanisms of cell and tissue damage. Type I hypersensitivity: genetic susceptibility, and role of mast cells, basophils and eosinophils. Allergic diseases in humans. Type II hypersensitivity: damage due to cytotoxic antibodies. Transfusion reactions, hemolytic disease of the newborn, drug-induced hemolytic anemia. Type III hypersensitivity: pathogenesis linked to immune complexes. Reaction of Arthus. Type IV hypersensitivity: tissue damage due to lymphocytes TH1 and CTL. Contact dermatitis, tuberculin reaction and granulomatous hypersensitivity. Diagnosis of immunological disorders. Immunodeficiency. Primary deficiencies of innate and specific immunity. Acquired immunodeficiencies. AIDS. Pathophysiology of the endocrine system: Endocrine system, classification of hormones, synthesis and secretion. Transport and metabolism, hormone signal receptors and transductions. Pathogenesis of endocrine hypo and hyperfunctions. Multiple endocrine neoplasms. Pathophysiology of the thyroid: thyroid structure, thyroid functions, synthesis, secretion and degradation of thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormone receptors. Pathology of the thyroid gland: hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism and goiter. Biochemical Markers Reflecting Thyroid Function. Pathophysiology of the adrenal cortex: hypoadrenal syndromes, Addison's disease; hyper adrenal syndromes, Cushing's syndrome and disease. Pathophysiology of the endocrine pancreas: Diabetes mellitus. Epidemiology. Classification and diagnosis of diabetes. Carbohydrate homeostasis. Insulin and Glucagon. Alterations of metabolism in diabetes. Insulin-dependent and insulin-independent diabetes mellitus. Other forms of diabetes mellitus. Biochemical alterations resulting from hyperglycemia. Acute and chronic complications of diabetes. Blood and the Hematopoietic System. The pathophysiology of red blood cells. Anemia resulting from defective maturation of red cells. Megaloblastic Anemia. Hereditary hemolytic: anemia due to defective globin synthesis. Aplastic anemia and hemolytic anemia. The hemorrhagic diseases. Pathophysiology of coagulation and thrombosis. Disseminated intravascular coagulation. Diagnostics of Hemostatic Disorders. Pathophysiology of circulation and vessels: hemorrhage, active and passive hyperemia. Ischemia and Heart Attack. Embolism. Alteration of blood pressure: hypotension, shock, and hypertension. Diagnosis and rational therapeutic strategies. Atherosclerosis: definition, formation, and evolution of atheroma. Foam Cells. Rupture of the plaque.

Prerequisites

Knowledge of general physiology and human anatomy is crucial for understanding the course contents and achieving the learning objectives. Knowledge of biochemistry is helpful to this purpose.

Books

It is recommended the use of one of the following books: G.M. Pontieri - Elementi di Patologia generale e Fisiopatologia generale. Piccin F. Celotti - Patologia Generale e Fisiopatologia. Edises

Frequency

The frequency of the course is optional, even if strongly recommended

Exam mode

The examination consists of an oral discussion, approximately 1/2 hour in length, focused on the topics explained throughout the course. The reasoning skills and the ability to present the topics in a critical and exhaustive way will be considered for the final evaluation. Sufficient program knowledge is required to pass the exam with minimum grades. To achieve a score of 30/30 cum laude, the student must demonstrate an excellent understanding of all the topics covered during the course, being able to link them logically and consistently.

Lesson mode

The didactic model consists of lectures with the use of slides in PowerPoint as telematic support. During the lessons, the teacher stimulates the participation of students with questions designed to highlight the links between the course and other previously followed courses whose concepts can help them understand the lessons. The student will find on the e-learning platform the slides and the teaching material (exam program, recommended texts) helpful in preparing for the exam. The slides aid the study and should not replace the recommended textbooks and lectures the teacher gave.

MARIALAURA PETRONI Lecturers' profile