Physics

BIOCHEMISTRY COURSE SYLLABUS, BSc in PHYSICS The course (6 CFU) is organized in 33 lessons during 12 weeks (60 hrs) plus a project carried out by the group of students. 1. COMPOSITION OF LIVING MATTER (weeks 1-4) • Recap of organic chemistry, the molecules of life in the pre-biotic era (L1). • Recap molecular bonds (L2). • Basic chemical thermodynamics and chemical kinetics (L3, L4). • Key biochemical reactions of biological interest: bimolecular nucleophilic substitution, oxidation-reduction reactions (L5). • Overview of nucleotides, amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids (L6). • Structure of nucleic acids (L7). • Protein structures from Protein Data Bank. (L8) • INTRODUCTION TO THE PROJECT • Biological membranes (L9). 2. PROTEIN AND ENZYME SYSTEMATICS (weeks 5-6) • Enzyme classification and principles of enzyme kinetics (L10). • Hemoglobin, myoglobin and general ligand binding models (L11) • The Michaelis-Menten model (L12). • Enzyme cofactors: NAD, FAD, and heme group (L13). • Membrane proteins, ion channels and ion pumps: potassium channels (L14). • Protein-protein interactions (L15). • Protein-nucleic acids interations (L16). 3. METABOLIC PROCESSES (weeks 7-8) • Anabolism and catabolism, energy and matter conversion processes in the biosphere (L17). • Anaerobic glycolysis and Krebs cycle (L18). • Cellular respiration and the functioning of the mitochondrial respiratory chain (L19). • Photosynthesis, light-dependent reactions and the Calvin cycle (L20, L21). • Nitrogen fixation in the biosphere and the role of nitrogenases (L22). 4. QUANTUM BIOCHEMISTRY (weeks 9-10) • Qualitative and quantitative interpretation of the interaction between light radiation and biological matter (L23). • Frontier orbitals and monodimensional optical electron model: applications to spectroscopies (L24). • Absorption and emission of conjugated molecules (L25) • Quantum biochemistry, exciton models, J- and H- aggregates, examples from photosynthetic centers (L26, L27). 5. INTEGRATED CELLULAR PROCESSES (weeks 11-12) • Transcription and translation, the mechanism of protein synthesis (L28). • Excitation-contraction coupling, calcium cycling, and muscle contraction (L29). • The controlled protein degradation system: proteasome and ubiquitin ligases (L30). • Signal transduction (L31). • Mutations and evolution (L32, L33) PROJECT OUTLINE 2025/2026 The project of the year will be focused on the engineering of a viral capsid protein in order to build up a nanocarrier capable of recognizing cell specific receptor and introducing genetic materials (mRNA or ssDNA) into the target cell. The capsid of choice has been identified as a plant nanovirus with partitioned genome (see fig.). The engineered virus will be a non self replicating machine, and methods different from current virus engineering methodologies will be introduced. The aim of the project is to help students practicing with protein engineering and entails using programs of sequence alignment (BLAST P), modeling 3D structures (starting with EXPASY model builder and Alpha fold 2) and finally write a scientific article on the subject.

Understanding of basic principles of general chemistry and organic chemistry

scientific articles on the subjects

free

A group project on a topic chosen at the beginning of the year will be evaluated. The results of the project will be written in the form of a scientific paper suitable for publication. During the oral exam, students will be assessed on their knowledge of the topics covered in the course.

Classroom teaching and group activities