Science and Technology for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage

The course aims to provide students with the conceptual and methodologicaltools for the application of biological analyses to Cultural Heritage.By the end of this course students will have the knowledge to identify biological materials of which an artwork is made as well as biological agents deterioranting artworks and strategies to control them for Cultural Heritage conservation. A - Knowledge and understanding OF 1) Provide students with a solid theoretical and methodological foundation for applying biological sciences to the study and preservation of cultural heritage. OF 2) Identify main biological agents responsible for the biodeterioration of artworks, and understand mechanisms of action to develop appropriate conservation and prevention strategies. OF 3) Gain familiarity with biological analysis techniques, from traditional methods to advanced approaches such as metabarcoding and metagenomics, applied to both modern and ancient DNA. OF 4) Understand advanced methods used to study biodeterioration with a focus on the impact of human activities on cultural heritage. OF 5) Deepen knowledge of genetic diversity, molecular markers, and bioinformatic tools for the identification of organisms involved in deterioration processes. … B - Application skills OF 7) Apply DNA analysis methods to cultural heritage, with a specific focus on diagnostics and the conservation of artworks. OF 8) Perform basic laboratory techniques, such as DNA extraction, PCR amplification, DNA fingerprinting and sequencing. OF 9) Develop practical skills in laboratory work, write short scientific reports, and present research findings in the form of seminars. … C - Autonomy of judgment OF 10) Assess the extent of biodeterioration in cultural heritage items, identifying the main biological agents responsible for the damage using molecular approaches. OF 11) Integrate theoretical and practical knowledge to propose scientifically grounded conservation strategies. OF 12) Be able to scientifically assess the level of biological deterioration in cultural heritage, considering the type of material and its conservation environment. OF 13) Develop the ability to design and plan a laboratory dedicated to ancient DNA analysis, taking into account technical, logistical, and biosafety considerations. D - Communication skills OF 14) Be able to effectively communicate the results of biological analyses applied to cultural heritage, using terminology appropriate to scientific and multidisciplinary contexts. OF 15) Develop oral and written presentation skills in English, to convey findings to diverse audiences, such as specialists, conservators, and non-academic stakeholders. E - Ability to learn OF 16) Develop the ability to stay updated in the field of biological methods applied to cultural heritage, including through the use of international scientific databases such as GenBank and BOLD. OF 17) Acquire project and critical thinking skills to design and organize research activities, such as the setup of a laboratory for DNA analysis. OF 18) Strengthen the capacity for interdisciplinary learning for effectively addressing the evolving technologies and challenges in cultural heritage conservation.