BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
Course objectives
General expected learning outcomes The aim of the Biochemical and Biotechnological Applications course is to allow the student an in-depth knowledge of biochemical and biotechnological techniques from both a theoretical and practical perspective. The final aim is to prepare him/her to make use of these techniques to develop, in a creative and inventive way, new investigation strategies as well as new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to pathologies. Specific expected learning outcomes 1. Knowledge and understanding The student will gain up-to-date knowledge in the field of Biotechnological Techniques (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) and relevant research application. In particular, he/she will deepen his/her knowledge of macromolecules separation and detection techniques (e.g. Southern, Northern and Western blotting; Immuno-precipitation; Microarrays; Biosensors); genetic manipulation techniques (e.g. Cloning and Expression vectors in prokaryotes and eukaryotes; Mutagenesis; PCR and Real-Time PCR) and relevant applications in research, diagnostics and therapy. For these techniques, he/she will study both the theoretical background and the procedural approach /experimental design applied to an in vitro or in vivo experiment . He/She will also study the recent applications of Biotechnology in different research fields, such as design and production of: recombinant vaccines; humanized antibodies: anticancer drugs; use of enzymes in diagnostics and molecular therapy; genetically modified organisms (GMOs); RNA and SiRNA interfering techniques; Genome Editing via Crispr/CAS system). 2. Applying knowledge and understanding The student will be able to approach the research in the biochemical/pharmacological field using the latest biotechnology methodologies. He/she will be able to identify the most appropriate and profitable research strategy to best address the design of novel diagnostic methods or new-generation therapeutic approaches, or to improve existing therapies. He/she will be able to spot critical points as well as those that can be implemented. Altogether, He/she will know the most advanced therapeutic strategies and solutions deriving from the application and use of biotechnological techniques to the treatment of specific pathologies. 3. Making judgements The course will consist of interactive lessons held in a classroom. The teacher will explain the general concepts and emphasize important points using an interactive approach based on class discussion and questions aimed at developing a problem-solving attitude, both during the lecture and homework. Students will also be invited to ask questions and analyse the topic under discussion so to acquire/perfect their proactive and critical attitude also using skills and knowledge acquired during previous courses. 4. Communication skills The exam includes an oral interview and a power point presentation with a dissertation examining one or more topics of the course program, with specific focus on Biotechnologies. This kind of exam will allow evaluating the student's communication skills in relation to what he/she learned during the course. 5. Learning skills The student will be able to deepen the topics covered during the course by use of the recommended texts. These textbooks will remain as a future reference for the student. The student will also develop the learning ability that will allow He/She to update his/her knowledge through the consultation of updated scientific bibliography.
Channel 1
SILVIA CHICHIARELLI
Lecturers' profile
Program - Frequency - Exams
Course program
(5 hours)
Principles of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Basic techniques (Mechanical and non-mechanical homogenization methods). Centrifugation: preparative and analytical ultracentrifuge; sedimentation speed and balance; centrifugation in density gradient; zonal and isopicnic centrifugation; dialysis and ultrafiltration. Affinity, Gel filtration, Ion exchange and Reverse phase chromatography. Spectroscopy: visible and UV spectrophotometry: theoretical aspects, instrumentation and analysis in biochemical research. Spectrofluorimetry. Outline of the radioisotopic techniques).
(5 hours)
Examples of Experimental design, Evaluation of Scientific Literature.
Models in biological research.
Cell cultures methods; culture media; cell sorting and analysis; cell counts and cryogenic storage; flow cytometry, FACS and MACS. Application of labelled compounds in biology. Protein purification techniques: magnetic beads, affinity chromatography for immobilized metal ions, IMAC.
(5 hours
Principles of electrophoresis: migration of a biomolecule in an electric field. Native electrophoresis; SDS-PAGE; Electrophoresis of nucleic acids. Isoelectric focusing. 2D_SDS-PAGE. Capillary electrophoresis. Colorimetric and immunological detection methods (Western Blotting).
(8 hours)
Immunochemistry: principles of antigen-antibody reactions. Production of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. Humanised antibodies. Immunoenzymatic techniques (ELISA; EMIT; CEDIA): direct, indirect and sandwich ELISA. Use of ELISA for quantitative assays of Ag and Ab in biological samples. Techniques for studying ligand-receptor binding.
(5 hours)
DNA and RNA manipulation techniques: nucleic acids extraction; Electrophoretic separation of DNA and RNA; Southern and Northen blotting (blotting techniques).
(5 hours)
Hybridization Probe Design, Production and Applications; Electrophoretic mobility shift Assay (EMSA); Immunoprecipitation (Co-IP; ChIP; X-ChIP); Microarrays.
(6 hours)
DNA synthesis and sequencing; Restriction enzymes; Cloning vectors; prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression vectors; Protein production in prokaryotes and eukaryotes (examples of recombinant proteins in therapy).
(6 hours)
PCR principles; PCR end-point; RT-PCR; RealTime PCR; in vivo and in vitro mutagenesis; PCR in site-directed mutagenesis, in diagnostics and in personalized medicine.
(5 hours)
Process of genetic modification: genetically modified organisms (GMOs, mouse models in clinic). MicroRNA; Interference with RNA and SiRNA (therapeutic use). Genome modification (Crispr / CAS system) and therapeutic application of the mentioned techniques. Outlines on Stem Cells.
(5 hours)
Production of recombinant vaccines and humanised antibodies. Use of recombinant viruses or antibodies in therapy (e.g. anti-tumour).
(5 hours)
Enzymatic purification: principles and quantification (kinetics, regulation and inhibition). Enzyme immobilization, kinetics of immobilized enzymes, Biosensors (diagnostic use).
(5 hours).
Clinical enzymology: enzymes in diagnostics (enzymes as diagnostic tools); enzymopathies; genetic enzymopathies and outline of Enzyme replacement therapy and Enzyme therapies (e.g. in cancer).
Prerequisites
Needful: The student should have knowledge of Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Microbiology.
Recommended: The student should have knowledge of pathology, pharmacology and toxicology.
Useful: The student should have knowledge of General Chemistry and Physical Chemistry.
Books
- Bonaccorsi MC, Contestabile R, Di Salvo M "Metodologie biochimiche - Espressione, purificazione e caratterizzazione delle proteine" Seconda edizione - Zanichelli (2019) - ISBN: 9788808520586
- Mauro Maccarrone "Metodologie biochimiche e biomolecolari - Strumenti e tecniche per il laboratorio del nuovo millennio" - Zanichelli (2019) - ISBN: 9788808520555
- Amaldi F., Benedetti P., Pesole G., Plevani P. "Tecniche e metodi per la biologia molecolare" - Casa Editrice Ambrosiana. Distribuzione esclusiva Zanichelli (2020) - ISBN: 9788808920348
- Nanette Pazdernik & David Clark, “Biotechnology” (2nd Edition) – Ed. Elsevier Science & Technology, Academic Cell; ISBN: 978-0-12-385015-7 (2015)
- Benjamin E. Blass “Basic Principles of Drug Discovery and Development” – Ed. Academic Press; ISBN-10: 012411508X or ISBN-13: 978-0124115088 (2015)
- Terry A. Brown "Biotecnologie molecolari" - Principi e tecniche Seconda edizione italiana condotta sulla settima edizione inglese Ed. Zanichelli. (2017) - [“Gene Cloning and DNA analysis: An introduction”, John Wiley & Sons - ISBN: 978-1-119-07256-0 (2016)]
- Denise R Ferrier “Le basi della biochimica” Seconda edizione italiana condotta sulla sesta edizione americana (2014)
- Dean R. Appling - Spencer J. Anthony-Cahill - Christopher K. Mathews “Biochimica - Molecole e metabolismo • Con Mastering Chemistry™” Ed. Pearson (2017)
- Terry A. Brown “Conoscere la Biochimica “Trad. di N. Taddei e G. Maga - Ed. Zanichelli. (2018)
Lectures notes/slides
Teaching mode
The Biochemical and Biotechnological Applications course consists of interactive lessons. The teacher will explain the general concepts and emphasize important points.
The students are involved in actively participating in the lessons and they are also invited to ask questions and analyse the topic under discussion.
Students are invited to choose one or more topics to be explored for the essay for the final exam. The teacher will provide the slides of the lessons, as support of the recommended texts.
Frequency
No attendance required
Exam mode
The exam includes an oral interview and a power point presentation with a dissertation examining one or more topics of the course program (100%). The exam sessions are scheduled every except in August. The oral interview lasts an hour on average for each student, in order to better address the topics included in the course program.
Student Assessment will take into account the level of knowledge and skills acquired, the critical capacity and of ability to synthesize elements of several sources through interdisciplinary links, the clarity and language skill.
For awarding the 30/30 with honors, the student will have to excel in all the categories of the assessment. He/She must demonstrate to understand impeccably all the program topics. Overall, the candidate will have to demonstrate that He/She has acquired knowledge and skills in biotechnological applications and ability to communicate them adequately as well as being able to update themselves.
Lesson mode
The Biochemical and Biotechnological Applications course consists of interactive lessons. The teacher will explain the general concepts and emphasize important points.
The students are involved in actively participating in the lessons and they are also invited to ask questions and analyse the topic under discussion.
Students are invited to choose one or more topics to be explored for the essay for the final exam. The teacher will provide the slides of the lessons, as support of the recommended texts.
Course attendance is recommended although optional.
SILVIA CHICHIARELLI
Lecturers' profile
Program - Frequency - Exams
Course program
(5 hours)
Principles of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Basic techniques (Mechanical and non-mechanical homogenization methods). Centrifugation: preparative and analytical ultracentrifuge; sedimentation speed and balance; centrifugation in density gradient; zonal and isopicnic centrifugation; dialysis and ultrafiltration. Affinity, Gel filtration, Ion exchange and Reverse phase chromatography. Spectroscopy: visible and UV spectrophotometry: theoretical aspects, instrumentation and analysis in biochemical research. Spectrofluorimetry. Outline of the radioisotopic techniques).
(5 hours)
Examples of Experimental design, Evaluation of Scientific Literature.
Models in biological research.
Cell cultures methods; culture media; cell sorting and analysis; cell counts and cryogenic storage; flow cytometry, FACS and MACS. Application of labelled compounds in biology. Protein purification techniques: magnetic beads, affinity chromatography for immobilized metal ions, IMAC.
(5 hours
Principles of electrophoresis: migration of a biomolecule in an electric field. Native electrophoresis; SDS-PAGE; Electrophoresis of nucleic acids. Isoelectric focusing. 2D_SDS-PAGE. Capillary electrophoresis. Colorimetric and immunological detection methods (Western Blotting).
(8 hours)
Immunochemistry: principles of antigen-antibody reactions. Production of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. Humanised antibodies. Immunoenzymatic techniques (ELISA; EMIT; CEDIA): direct, indirect and sandwich ELISA. Use of ELISA for quantitative assays of Ag and Ab in biological samples. Techniques for studying ligand-receptor binding.
(5 hours)
DNA and RNA manipulation techniques: nucleic acids extraction; Electrophoretic separation of DNA and RNA; Southern and Northen blotting (blotting techniques).
(5 hours)
Hybridization Probe Design, Production and Applications; Electrophoretic mobility shift Assay (EMSA); Immunoprecipitation (Co-IP; ChIP; X-ChIP); Microarrays.
(6 hours)
DNA synthesis and sequencing; Restriction enzymes; Cloning vectors; prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression vectors; Protein production in prokaryotes and eukaryotes (examples of recombinant proteins in therapy).
(6 hours)
PCR principles; PCR end-point; RT-PCR; RealTime PCR; in vivo and in vitro mutagenesis; PCR in site-directed mutagenesis, in diagnostics and in personalized medicine.
(5 hours)
Process of genetic modification: genetically modified organisms (GMOs, mouse models in clinic). MicroRNA; Interference with RNA and SiRNA (therapeutic use). Genome modification (Crispr / CAS system) and therapeutic application of the mentioned techniques. Outlines on Stem Cells.
(5 hours)
Production of recombinant vaccines and humanised antibodies. Use of recombinant viruses or antibodies in therapy (e.g. anti-tumour).
(5 hours)
Enzymatic purification: principles and quantification (kinetics, regulation and inhibition). Enzyme immobilization, kinetics of immobilized enzymes, Biosensors (diagnostic use).
(5 hours).
Clinical enzymology: enzymes in diagnostics (enzymes as diagnostic tools); enzymopathies; genetic enzymopathies and outline of Enzyme replacement therapy and Enzyme therapies (e.g. in cancer).
Prerequisites
Needful: The student should have knowledge of Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Microbiology.
Recommended: The student should have knowledge of pathology, pharmacology and toxicology.
Useful: The student should have knowledge of General Chemistry and Physical Chemistry.
Books
- Bonaccorsi MC, Contestabile R, Di Salvo M "Metodologie biochimiche - Espressione, purificazione e caratterizzazione delle proteine" Seconda edizione - Zanichelli (2019) - ISBN: 9788808520586
- Mauro Maccarrone "Metodologie biochimiche e biomolecolari - Strumenti e tecniche per il laboratorio del nuovo millennio" - Zanichelli (2019) - ISBN: 9788808520555
- Amaldi F., Benedetti P., Pesole G., Plevani P. "Tecniche e metodi per la biologia molecolare" - Casa Editrice Ambrosiana. Distribuzione esclusiva Zanichelli (2020) - ISBN: 9788808920348
- Nanette Pazdernik & David Clark, “Biotechnology” (2nd Edition) – Ed. Elsevier Science & Technology, Academic Cell; ISBN: 978-0-12-385015-7 (2015)
- Benjamin E. Blass “Basic Principles of Drug Discovery and Development” – Ed. Academic Press; ISBN-10: 012411508X or ISBN-13: 978-0124115088 (2015)
- Terry A. Brown "Biotecnologie molecolari" - Principi e tecniche Seconda edizione italiana condotta sulla settima edizione inglese Ed. Zanichelli. (2017) - [“Gene Cloning and DNA analysis: An introduction”, John Wiley & Sons - ISBN: 978-1-119-07256-0 (2016)]
- Denise R Ferrier “Le basi della biochimica” Seconda edizione italiana condotta sulla sesta edizione americana (2014)
- Dean R. Appling - Spencer J. Anthony-Cahill - Christopher K. Mathews “Biochimica - Molecole e metabolismo • Con Mastering Chemistry™” Ed. Pearson (2017)
- Terry A. Brown “Conoscere la Biochimica “Trad. di N. Taddei e G. Maga - Ed. Zanichelli. (2018)
Lectures notes/slides
Teaching mode
The Biochemical and Biotechnological Applications course consists of interactive lessons. The teacher will explain the general concepts and emphasize important points.
The students are involved in actively participating in the lessons and they are also invited to ask questions and analyse the topic under discussion.
Students are invited to choose one or more topics to be explored for the essay for the final exam. The teacher will provide the slides of the lessons, as support of the recommended texts.
Frequency
No attendance required
Exam mode
The exam includes an oral interview and a power point presentation with a dissertation examining one or more topics of the course program (100%). The exam sessions are scheduled every except in August. The oral interview lasts an hour on average for each student, in order to better address the topics included in the course program.
Student Assessment will take into account the level of knowledge and skills acquired, the critical capacity and of ability to synthesize elements of several sources through interdisciplinary links, the clarity and language skill.
For awarding the 30/30 with honors, the student will have to excel in all the categories of the assessment. He/She must demonstrate to understand impeccably all the program topics. Overall, the candidate will have to demonstrate that He/She has acquired knowledge and skills in biotechnological applications and ability to communicate them adequately as well as being able to update themselves.
Lesson mode
The Biochemical and Biotechnological Applications course consists of interactive lessons. The teacher will explain the general concepts and emphasize important points.
The students are involved in actively participating in the lessons and they are also invited to ask questions and analyse the topic under discussion.
Students are invited to choose one or more topics to be explored for the essay for the final exam. The teacher will provide the slides of the lessons, as support of the recommended texts.
Course attendance is recommended although optional.
- Lesson code10612249
- Academic year2025/2026
- CourseIndustrial pharmacy REPLICA LATINA
- CurriculumCurriculum unico
- Year5th year
- Semester1st semester
- SSDBIO/10
- CFU6