The knowledge and skills acquired in this course will allow the student to deal with the study of cellular life, from the levels of organization, simplicity/complexity, homeostasis, to the diversity of life forms, how they have evolved until to understand the meaning of genetic information and its expression in metabolism, development and reproduction. With particular attention to influences and interactions with the environment.

The course will be in presented Italian and some lessons will be presented in English.

1. CYTOLOGY

1.1. Prokaryotic cell, eukaryotic cell, viruses and prions.

1.2. Inorganic (water and ions) and organic (proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and lipids) constituents of the cell.

1.3. Structure and function of biological membranes, membrane potential and transport mechanisms.

1.4. Nucleus and nucleolus: chromatin organization.

1.4. Cytoplasm: smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, Golgi complex, lysosomes, peroxisomes.

1.5. Cytoskeleton and cell motility.

2. GENETIC INFORMATION AND INHERITANCE

2.1. Human genome project: organization of the nuclear genome.

2.2. DNA identification. The chromosomes.

2.3. Cell cycle: mitosis and meiosis.

2.3. Cellular differentiation and reproduction.

2.4. Apoptosis.

2.5. Mendelian genetics: law of segregation and independent assortment (exercises on Mendel's first law).

2.6. Multifactorial inheritance.

2.7. Mitochondrial genome and mitochondrial inheritance.

2.8. DNA replication.

2.9. Information flow: RNA transcription and protein synthesis.

2.10. Point and chromosomal mutations.

3. ENVIRONMENT


3.1. Biodiversity.

3.2. Redox code that identifies the regulatory elements and defines the principles through which the biological function is enabled to proceed.

3.3. Physical, chemical and biotic factors that determine traits; 

3.4. interaction between genes and environment in determining the phenotype

3.5. Mixed module (Italian/English): "Biodiversity - our strongest natural defense against climate change (https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/biodiversity)".

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) as pleiotropic physiological signalling agents. (Sies H. and Jones D.P. (2020), Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 21, pp. 363–383).

D1- KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING ABILITY At the end of the course the student will have to demonstrate that she has acquired knowledge regarding the general concepts of living matter: adaptive or hormetic cellular modifications following an oxidative/inflammatory stimulus or insult, the intra- and extra-cellular communication pathways, the foundations of Mendelian genetics and the flow of genetic information from gene to proteins.

D2-ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING The student must demonstrate the ability to recognize the most common mechanisms underlying cellular communication.

D3-MAKING JUDGMENTS The student must have acquired the basic knowledge for understanding the structure/function relationship existing for each component or cellular compartment and their analysis in the various biological systems.

D4-COMMUNICATION SKILLS The student must possess the ability to relate professionally and competently with their peers and with representatives of public and private bodies. The student must be able to transmit the knowledge acquired clearly and understandably and accessible even to non-competent people. 

D5-LEARNING ABILITY The student must be able to examine and understand scientific texts and demonstrate that she has learned correct and rigorous scientific language and a study method that can be used in everyday contexts for the profession and the research.

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

Video materials will be used as teaching support. Furthermore, ongoing written tests and exercises will be carried out. Expert speakers will be also invited.

Teaching

Frontal lessons.

Innovative teaching methods

The objective is to broaden the skills of male and female students through new learning methodologies and through in-depth discussion and sharing to stimulate their participation. Collaborative and active involvement for motivated participation.

Insights chosen by students and the Flipped Classroom are planned to optimize time in class and motivate students.

Attendance

On the moodle platform, the teaching material containing most of the images used to support the explanations is made available to students; this material does not replace attendance at lessons or study in textbooks. 

Course books

Any updated text compliant with the program.

Alberts et al., The Essentials of Molecular Biology of the Cell, Zanichelli.

Campbell N.A., Reece J.B. et al, "Biology and Genetics" Pearson Education publisher.

Other textbooks and scientific articles will be recommended at the beginning of the course. 

Assessment

Written and oral exam. The student's abilities will be assessed following what is reported in the Dublin Descriptors.

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

Frontal lessons.

Attendance

On the moodle platform, the teaching material containing most of the images used to support the explanations is made available to students; this material does not replace attendance at lessons or study in textbooks. 

Course books

Any updated text compliant with the program.

Alberts et al., The Essentials of Molecular Biology of the Cell, Zanichelli.

Campbell N.A., Reece J.B. et al, "Biology and Genetics" Pearson Education publisher.

Other textbooks and scientific articles will be recommended at the beginning of the course. 

Assessment

Written and oral exam. The student's abilities will be assessed following what is reported in the Dublin Descriptors.

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.