Understand how molcular mechanisms of disease are studied

Be able to read and interpret a scientific publication

Understand in vitro and in vivo models for studying pathogenetic mechanisms

Understand the theoretical aspects important for the identification of causes of disease

The course will take up some aspects of general pathology by delving into the basic pathogenetic mechanisms of diseases in their boochemical and molecular aspects that may have relevance as therapeutic targets.

There will be a particular focus on pathogenetic mechanisms common to different types of diseases, with a special focus on immunology and inflammation.

-Molecular mechanisms

-Experimental models in vitro and in the experimental animal as well as the identification and use of biomarkers for clinical use.

-Theoretical models to establish cause-effect relationships and define pathogenic hypotheses.

-Global (non-organ-specific) view of diseases (systems medicine, diseasoma).

The structure of the course, focusing on the latest methodologies, will make use of scientific publications in ENGLISH that will be made available in pdf.

How to read and interpret a scientific work of an experimental nature will be taught in this regard.

The course will involve group work among students in the classroom to facilitate understanding and discussion of the material distributed.

Given the particular immunological focus, the student may find it useful to make use of an immunology text, for example, Janeway's Immunobiology (Piccin); Abbas, Cellular and Molecular Immunology (Edra). Both texts are available in Italian and English.

The subjects of te lectures and papers discussed were:

1) inflammatory cytokines as pharmacological targets; identification of TNF first as an anticancer, then as an inflammatory mediator and pharmacological activity of anti-TNF antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis and sepsis.

2) reactive oxygen species as pathogenic mediators and the theory of oxidative stress; The transcription factor Nrf2 as a pharmacological target in multiple sclerosis.

3) System medicine, the genome, transcriptome and proteome; hands-on experience of bioinformatics tools.

4) NADPH oxidases (NOX) as pharmacological targets in stroke.

5) Hypoxia-inducible factor and the tissue-protective effects of eryhtopoietin in stroke and wound healing. Role of erythropoietin receptors.

6) The signalling pathways of interleukin 6 as pharmacological target in chronic inflammation and the development of JAK inhibitors.

7) Development of molecules that dissociate the TNF trimer.

8) Protein misfolding and proteinopathies. Potential use of anti-amyloid antibodies and molecular chaperones in Alzheimer’s disease.

Knowledge and Ability to Understand - Acquisition of tools for understanding research on pathogenetic mechanisms.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding - Theoretical tools to assess the clinical relevance of published scientific research.

Autonomy of judgment - Be able to read and understand scientific publications and place them within the framework of a disease mechanism. Ability to assess the level of evidence base.

Communicative skills - Ability to understand and explaina research topic, essential for professional activities in the biomedical field.

Learning skills - Ability to keep up to date by consulting scientific publications specific to the discipline in question. Ability to participate, using knowledge acquired in the course, in continuing education initiatives in the professional field.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

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Teaching

The essential part of the course will be discussion of scholarly work preceded by lectures. The lectures will have a structure based on discussion and research of sources during the lecture. There will also be at least one bioinformatics exercise aimed at systems medicine

Innovative teaching methods

Course books

Given the particular immunological focus, the student may find it useful to make use of an immunology text, for example, Janeway's Immunobiology (Piccin); Abbas, Cellular and Molecular Immunology (Edra). Both texts are available in Italian and English.

Review articles on the topics covered will also be made available in pdf.

Assessment

The final assessment will be by an oral examination in which knowledge of the molecular targets presented and discussed during the lectures and understanding of the published experiments, their interpretation and the logical processes that have demonstrated, or not, their importance in the causal pathways involved in the pathogenesis of some diseases will be evaluated.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

The student will be able to find the slides of the frontal lectures in powerpoint, as well as the scientific articles that are discussed in the classroom

Course books

Given the particular immunological focus, the student may find it useful to make use of an immunology text, for example, Janeway's Immunobiology (Piccin); Abbas, Cellular and Molecular Immunology (Edra). Both texts are available in Italian and English.

Review articles on the topics covered will also be made available in pdf.

Assessment

The final assessment will be by an oral examination in which knowledge of the molecular targets presented and discussed during the lectures and understanding of the published experiments, their interpretation and the logical processes that have demonstrated, or not, their importance in the causal pathways involved in the pathogenesis of some diseases will be evaluated.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.