BIOCHEMISTRY
BIOCHIMICA
A.Y. | Credits |
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2024/2025 | 9 |
Lecturer | Office hours for students | |
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Alessandra Fraternale | After each lesson or the student can send an email for an appointment |
Teaching in foreign languages |
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Course with optional materials in a foreign language
English
This course is entirely taught in Italian. Study materials can be provided in the foreign language and the final exam can be taken in the foreign language. |
Assigned to the Degree Course
Date | Time | Classroom / Location |
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Date | Time | Classroom / Location |
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Learning Objectives
The course is focused on acquiring the fundamental concepts of structural and metabolic biochemistry. In particular, the molecular bases of biological systems and biochemical mechanisms controlling the cellular metabolic activities also in relation to the presence of extracellular signals and in fisiopathological conditions will be analyzed.
Program
Introduction to Biochemistry
Nucleotides: structure and function.
Desoxyribonucleic acid (DNA): structure, function and replication. Nucleosome, chromatin and chromosomes. Control of gene expression.
Ribonucleic acid (RNA): chemical composition and structure. Transcription, RNA maturation. From RNA to proteins: genetic code and translation.
Composition, structure and functions of proteins
Hemoglobin and myoglobin
Enzymes
Classification.
Structure.
Mechanisms of action.
Kinetic and regulation.
Catalytic mechanisms and inhibition.
Chemistry of carbohydrates
Chemistry of lipids
Signal transduction
cAMP and calcium as second messengers.
Basic notions on the metabolism
Carbohydrate metabolism
Glycolysis and gluconeogenesis.
Hexose monophosphate shunt.
Other sugars of metabolic interest.
Glycogen metabolism.
Lipid metabolism
Beta oxidation.
Fatty acids synthesis.
Cholesterol metabolism.
Nitrogen metabolism
Amino acids metabolism.
Urea cycle.
Amino acids biosynthesis.
Krebs cycle
Functions, energy balance and regulation.
Oxidative phosphorylation
The electron transport chain.
The proton motive force.
Regulation of metabolism
Bridging Courses
Bridging courses are not required.
Learning Achievements (Dublin Descriptors)
Knowledge and ability of comprehension: the student must demonstrate to have acquired relevant knowledge of basic aspects of biochemistry such as structure and function of biological molecules and main metabolic pathways, their modulation and hormonal control.
Ability to apply knowledge and comprehension: the student must demonstrate to be able to establish correlation between biological structure and biological function and to link the different studied topics.
Autonomy of judgement: the student must demonstrate to be able to critically evaluate the information received to elaborate personal ideas and solve problems.
Communication skills: the student must demonstrate to be able to communicate the acquired skills by adequate scientific language.
Learning skill: the student must demonstrate to be able to build his own learning path, using the materials provided by the teacher or autonomously acquired to increase the knowledge of new aspects regarding biochemistry that can be useful to study other subjects of the degree course.
Teaching Material
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
Supporting Activities
No supporting activities
Teaching, Attendance, Course Books and Assessment
- Teaching
Frontal lessons.
- Attendance
Attendance of frontal lessons is strongly reccomended.
- Course books
- NELSON, COX "I PRINCIPI DI BIOCHIMICA DI LEHININGER" (VIII ED) ZANICHELLI 2022 or
- NELSON, COX "FONDAMENTI DI BIOCHIMICA DI LEHININGER" (I ED) ZANICHELLI 2021 or
- BERG, TYMOCZKO, STRYER. BIOCHIMICA (VII ED) ZANICHELLI or
- TYMOCZKO, BERG, STRYER "PRINCIPI DI BIOCHIMICA" ZANICHELLI
- VOET & VOET "FONDAMENTI DI BIOCHIMICA" ZANICHELLI (this book can be consulted)
- DEVLIN "BIOCHIMICA" con aspetti clinico-farmaceutici EdiSES (this book can be consulted)
- Assessment
The exam consists of a written test with questions regarding the entire program of the course.
During the course there will be two in itinere written tests which replace the complete exam.
The dates of these partial tests will be communicated during the course. In this case, the final outcome will be the mean of the two marks achieved in each tests, only if both ≥ 18/30. Those who do not achieve enough in a partial test must take the full examination.
The written test consists of a series of multiple choice questions (the only correct answer must be indicated between those proposed) and open questions. The time available is 2 hours.
- 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.
Additional Information for Non-Attending Students
- Teaching
The teaching material and the specific communication of the lecturer are available inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it.
- Attendance
There are no particular requirements.
- Course books
- NELSON, COX "I PRINCIPI DI BIOCHIMICA DI LEHININGER" (VIII ED) ZANICHELLI 2022 or
- NELSON, COX "FONDAMENTI DI BIOCHIMICA DI LEHININGER" (I ED) ZANICHELLI 2021 or
- BERG, TYMOCZKO, STRYER. BIOCHIMICA (VII ED) ZANICHELLI or
- TYMOCZKO, BERG, STRYER "PRINCIPI DI BIOCHIMICA" ZANICHELLI
- VOET & VOET "FONDAMENTI DI BIOCHIMICA" ZANICHELLI (this book can be consulted)
- DEVLIN "BIOCHIMICA" con aspetti clinico-farmaceutici EdiSES (this book can be consulted)
- Assessment
The exam consists of a written test with questions regarding the entire program of the course.
During the course there will be two in itinere written tests which replace the complete exam.
The dates of these partial tests will be communicated during the course. In this case, the final outcome will be the mean of the two marks achieved in each test, only if both ≥ 18/30. Those who do not achieve enough in a partial test must repeat the full examination.
The written test consists of a series of multiple choice questions (the only correct answer must be indicated between those proposed) and open-ended questions. The time available is 2 hours.
- 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.
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