Pharmacy

CHIARA TONIOLO

General educational objectives
Biology can be defined as the entire field of disciplines that study living organisms in all their
manifestations and the natural laws that regulate them. Beyond the definitions, biology is one of the
most dynamic and rapidly expanding fields of human activity and has repercussions that affect
every aspect of our lives, from health to environmental issues. The research activity constantly
carried out by biologists all over the world has allowed us to acquire a great knowledge of
biological processes and to make ourselves more and more aware of our close interdependence with
the great variety of organisms present in our planet.
This course has mainly a propaedeutic purpose; taking into particular account the level of
preparation of each student, the objective to be achieved is allowing the student to face the courses
of the following years with the necessary basic knowledge and to know the aspects main topics of
the study of biology.
Specific educational objectives

1) Expected Learning Outcomes
In the course beyond a general knowledge of the fundamental topics of biology, we want to give
appropriate importance to the concepts mainly related to professional training in the pharmaceutical
field, as well as to the subsequent subjects of the Degree Course.
For this reason we will follow a path that starts from the Chemistry of Life, and then, by deepening
the constitution of living beings at the cellular level with references to the basic biochemical and
genetic mechanisms, leads to the understanding of the higher organizational levels up to the
organismic level of Biology, both for plants and animals, taking into account the evolutionary
peculiarities, and with hints also to the ecological part.
The course has been designed and implemented with the aim of making the numerous and complex
aspects of Biology interesting and accessible: it is important that the students acquire a greater
awareness of the variety of life forms, their enormous adaptability to the environment and their
ecological and evolutionary correlations, understanding, at the same time, the dynamic way in
which science works and make progress.
The study of Plant Biology will focus on the peculiarities of plants, from the metabolic ones to the
morpho-functional ones, in order to provide the basic notions useful in the degree course, with
particular reference to the topics that will be further explored in the course of Pharmacognosy. The
main objective of the study of Animal Biology will be the acquisition of basic knowledge on animal
structures and functions at different levels of complexity, with emphasis on their adaptive meaning.
We intend to highlight both the universality of evolutionary solutions, and the main alternative
solutions to general problems of functionality of complex organic systems in the Man and in the
main Phyla of the Metazoan.
The teaching of Biology at the first-year level is congruent with the course of the student enrolled in
the degree course in CTF, as it is intended to establish a solid base of scientific knowledge on which

to build their professional skills, which include a wide range of disciplines, all closely related to
each other.
The logical path of the topics will be developed through five consecutive sections:
a) Chemistry of Life. Science and Biology in the pharmaceutical context. Modern Biology and
Systems Biology. Evolution of the scientific method. Also including elements of Primary and
Secondary Metabolism.
b) Cellular Biology, with the main elements of the cellular constitution and its functioning.
Understanding diversity: systematics and phylogeny. Viruses and sub-viral agents. Bacteria.
Archaea. Origin of Eukaryotes. Protists.
c) Plant Biology, the main botanical aspects of plant organisms and related organisms.
d) Formal Genetics and Molecular Biology. Chromosomes, cell cycle, mitosis and meiosis. DNA
replication. From DNA to proteins: gene expression. Mutations. Regulation of gene expression.
Genomes. Introduction to the Darwinian concept of evolution. The mechanisms of evolution:
evolutionary changes in populations. Speciation. Macroevolution. Evolution of genes and genomes.
e) Animal Biology. At the end of this section, the student acquires a general knowledge on the
biology of animal organisms through the study of model groups.
2) Applied Knowledge and Understanding
The evaluation of the student will be carried out mainly through a final written test, which will
focus on all the topics of the program, testing the student's ability in a form that avoids the
psychological difficulty arising from a university-type oral examination to which he/she is not still
used to.
3) Judgment autonomy

The student will deepen what he learned during the lessons on the recommended texts, which have
been written and thought mainly for the students of the pharmaceutical courses. This deepening will
allow him to rediscover these topics in the future, when the memories of the concepts taught in the
classroom will be partly forgotten. The texts will remain as a reference for the student who will
know where to find detailed concepts, especially useful to pass the exam.
The teaching of Vegetal and Animal Biology consists of lectures, with some final exercises to
prepare the students for the exam. The lessons are all interactive: the teacher stimulates the students
with questions to which they, based on their knowledge and what they have learned in class, can
give an answer. This allows the teacher to evidence the links between the current course and the
previous knowledge, fundamental to understand what is proposed in class.
The continuous references to concepts of previous courses must make the student accustomed to
study the proposed subject not as something closed, only aimed to pass the final exam and to be
filed immediately afterwards, but intends to highlight a multidisciplinary study, absolutely required
to face the university study. The student will find on the e-learning platform the slides and the
teaching material (exam program, recommended texts) useful for the preparation of the exam. It is
understood that the slides are a guide to the exam topics, but they can never absolutely replace the
recommended texts and lectures given by the teacher.

Attendance to the course is optional but strongly recommended. In fact, the percentage of students
who pass the exam and with good grades is limited to those who have regularly attended, while is
generally high the failure percentage among not attending students.
4) Communication skills
The assessment methods of the course are characterized by an exam session set in the months of
January, February and May, excluding the periods in which the lessons are held. The teacher is also
available to hold, at the request of the students, additional appeals during the months of April and
September, reserved for undergraduate and off-course students, in accordance with the provisions of
the respective CCL. The objective of the test is to certify the student's knowledge and assimilation
of the main topics that will then be the subject of further study in subsequent courses. The elements
taken into consideration for the evaluation are: the knowledge of the subject, in all the main areas of
Biology covered by the exam program, the ability of reasoning demonstrated in the choice of
answers and the ability to study autonomously on the indicated texts.

As a foundational discipline, the Pharmaceutical Biology course aims to provide students with the essential knowledge required to approach the subsequent subjects of the degree programme in a coherent and informed manner. The course provides the theoretical foundations for understanding the main biological processes, with particular reference to the chemistry of life, cell biology, genetics, plant biology, animal biology, evolutionary biology and ecology.
By the end of the course, students will have acquired an integrated knowledge of the biological principles governing the organisation and functioning of living organisms, with particular emphasis on aspects relevant to pharmaceutical sciences. They will be able to describe and analyse the main structural and functional characteristics of cells and organisms, understand the fundamental mechanisms of inheritance, gene expression, evolution and adaptation, and interpret the interactions between organisms and their environment.
Students will also be able to recognise connections among the different levels of biological organisation, from molecules to ecosystems, and to use the knowledge acquired as a foundation for the study of the biological, biochemical, physiological, pharmacological and biomedical subjects included in the subsequent stages of the degree programme.
An additional objective of the course is the acquisition of appropriate and rigorous scientific vocabulary consistent with the degree programme. Students will therefore be able to understand and correctly use biological terminology and to explain scientific concepts and processes clearly, accurately and using appropriate language.

A good knowledge of the basic concepts of biology and chemistry acquired at upper secondary school level is required. A basic understanding of the scientific method and fundamental scientific terminology is also recommended.

A. Chemistry of Life
Science and biology in the pharmaceutical context. Modern biology and systems biology. Evolution of the scientific method and its application to the study of biological systems. Main chemical characteristics of living matter. Elements of primary and secondary metabolism and their biological and pharmaceutical relevance.

B. Cell Biology and Biodiversity
Main structural and functional characteristics of the cell. Cellular organisation and the fundamental mechanisms underlying cell function.
The concept of biodiversity. Methods for studying and classifying biological diversity: systematics and phylogeny. General characteristics of viruses and subviral agents, bacteria and Archaea. Origin and evolution of eukaryotic cells. Main biological and taxonomic characteristics of protists.

C. Plant Biology
Main botanical, structural and functional characteristics of plants and related organisms. Organisation, reproduction, development and adaptations of plant organisms. Elements of plant biodiversity and systematics, with particular emphasis on aspects of biological and pharmaceutical relevance.

D. Genetics, Molecular Biology and Evolutionary Biology
Principles of formal genetics and molecular biology. Structure and organisation of chromosomes. The cell cycle, mitosis and meiosis. DNA replication. Expression of genetic information: from DNA to proteins. Structure and organisation of genomes. Mutations and mechanisms regulating gene expression. Relationships between gene expression and development. Elements of formal genetics and epigenetics.
Introduction to the Darwinian concept of evolution. Evolutionary mechanisms and evolutionary changes in populations. Natural selection, genetic drift, gene flow and mutation. Speciation and macroevolution. Evolution of genes and genomes. Relationships between development and evolution.

E. Animal Biology
General principles of animal biology, examined through the study of representative model groups. Evolutionary biology, reproduction, development and the main morphological body plans of animals.
Comparative analysis of the morphological and functional biodiversity of the animal kingdom. Main adaptations of animals to different environmental conditions. Elements concerning migration and dispersal strategies. An introduction to the main infectious agents of animal and health-related interest.
At the end of the module, students will be able to describe and compare the main morphological and functional characteristics of the animal groups examined and to interpret their adaptations in relation to environmental conditions.

F. Ecology
Fundamental principles of ecology. Relationships between organisms and their environment. Biotic and abiotic factors. Levels of ecological organisation: individuals, populations, communities and ecosystems. Population dynamics and the main interactions among species.
Structure and functioning of ecosystems. Energy flow and nutrient cycling. Food chains and food webs. Biodiversity, distribution of organisms and adaptation to environmental conditions. Effects of human activities on ecosystems, biodiversity conservation and environmental sustainability.

G. Fundamental principles of parasitology
Concepts of parasite, host, vector and reservoir. Main types of parasitic associations and host–parasite relationships. Direct and indirect life cycles, transmission routes and the main adaptations to a parasitic mode of life.

E.P. Solomon, C.E. Martin, D.W. Martin, L.R. Berg Biologia (Edizione VII/2017) (Volume unico) Edizioni Edises. The refernce text book
M.L. Leporatti e M. Nicoletti Biologia Vegetale. Edizioni Japadre. Text to go in deepness foe Plant Biology
S. Foddai, M. Nicoletti Atlante di Biologia Vegetale e delle Piante Officinali. Edizioni Edises. Hyconographic Materials
Genovese, Maggi, Nicoletti, Menghini, Chessa Eserciziario di Biologia Vegetale . Edizioni Edises. Exercises book

E.P. Solomon, C.E. Martin, D.W. Martin, L.R. Berg Biologia (Edizione VII/2017) (Volume unico) Edizioni Edises.
M.L. Leporatti e M. Nicoletti Biologia Vegetale. Edizioni Japadre.
S. Foddai, M. Nicoletti Atlante di Biologia Vegetale e delle Piante Officinali. Edizioni Edises.
Genovese, Maggi, Nicoletti, Menghini, Chessa Eserciziario di Biologia Vegetale . Edizioni Edises.

The course is mainly delivered through lectures, during which the different topics included in the syllabus are presented and discussed in a systematic and comprehensive manner.
Lectures are supported by slides, diagrams, images and other materials designed to facilitate the understanding of the main biological concepts. Connections among the different course modules and the relevance of biological knowledge to pharmaceutical sciences are also highlighted throughout the course.
Students may be provided with supplementary learning materials aimed at consolidating the knowledge acquired during lectures and exploring selected topics in greater depth. These materials do not replace the reference textbooks recommended by the instructor.

Attendance at the Pharmaceutical Biology lectures is compulsory, as the course is recognised at the European level. A minimum attendance of 75% of the teaching activities is required. Participation in teaching activities is an essential requirement to ensure adequate scientific and professional training and to comply with the expected educational standards.
Regular attendance facilitates the understanding of course topics, the acquisition of appropriate scientific terminology and the identification of connections among the different course modules. It also allows students to follow the learning path in a coherent and progressive manner, supporting more effective exam preparation.

Learning outcomes are assessed through a written examination consisting of the following sections:
- 10 multiple-choice questions, each with five possible answers and only one correct option. Each correct answer is worth 1 point. No points or fractions of points are deducted for incorrect or unanswered questions.
- 6 short open-ended questions, which may require, for example, the definition of a term, the description of a concept or a concise explanation of a topic. Each question is worth up to 2 points. No points are deducted for incorrect or unanswered questions.
- 2 extended open-ended questions, requiring a more detailed discussion. Each answer must not exceed 15 lines and is worth up to 5 points.

The questions cover the entire course syllabus and are distributed across the different course modules:
- Chemistry of Life;
- Cell Biology;
- Plant Biology;
- Genetics;
- Animal and Evolutionary Biology;
- Ecology.

To pass the examination, students must both achieve the required overall passing score and demonstrate a basic level of knowledge in each course module. Therefore, students must answer correctly at least one question related to each module.
Failure to meet this requirement in even one module will result in failure of the examination, regardless of the overall score obtained. Consequently, achieving an overall score equal to or higher than the minimum passing score is not sufficient if the student has not provided at least one correct answer for each subject area.
The final grade is expressed on a 30-point scale. The highest grade achievable is 30 with honours (30 e lode). The overall score obtained in the different sections of the examination is converted into a grade out of 30, provided that the student has correctly answered at least one question relating to each course module.

The assessment of open-ended answers will take into account:
- scientific accuracy;
- completeness and relevance of the answer;
- appropriate use of scientific terminology;
- clarity and ability to summarise;
- ability to establish connections between different concepts and topics, particularly in the extended open-ended questions.

Multiple-choice question
Which of the following terms is not related to the structure of the root?
a. Root cap
b. Periderm
c. Epidermis
d. Procambium
e. Epicarp

Short open-ended question
Which cells lack a nucleus?

Extended open-ended question (the answer must not exceed 15 lines)
Describe the mitochondrion, outlining its structure, main functions and role in cellular energy metabolism.

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