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.

APPLIED BIOLOGY – COURSE SYLLABUS

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

• Course introduction: Creationism or Evolution? The Origin of Life

• Origin of biomolecules and general principles of biology

• Endosymbiotic origin of mitochondria

• Cells, genomes, and the diversity of life: 16S rRNA (rDNA) gene analysis

MODULE 1 – CYTOLOGY AND CELL BIOLOGY

• Prokaryotic cell, eukaryotic cell, viruses, and prions

• Inorganic (water and ions) and organic (proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids) cellular components

• Structure and function of biological membranes, membrane potential, and cellular transport

• Nucleus, nucleolus, and chromatin organization

• Cytoplasmic organelles: endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, peroxisomes

• Cytoskeleton and cell motility

• Cellular bioenergetics and mitochondria

• New insights into mitochondria

• Cellular metabolism in prokaryotes and eukaryotes (Energy, enzymes, and redox)

• Energy management in prokaryotes and eukaryotes (Chemoheterotrophs / Chemoautotrophs / Photoautotrophs / Photoheterotrophs)

MODULE 2 – GENETIC INFORMATION AND HEREDITY

• Human genome project and genome organization

• DNA identification and chromosome structure

• Cell cycle: mitosis and meiosis

• Cellular differentiation and reproduction

• Apoptosis

• Mendelian genetics: Mendel’s laws and exercises

• Multifactorial inheritance and mitochondrial genome

• DNA replication, transcription, and protein synthesis

• Point and chromosomal mutations

• Molecular cell biology: DNA, chromosomes, genomes, and proteins – sequence analysis

MODULE 3 – ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

• Biodiversity

• Redox code: biological function and regulation

• Physical, chemical, and biotic factors influencing traits

• Gene-environment interaction in phenotype determination

Mixed-language module (ITA/ENG):

• Biodiversity – our strongest natural defense against climate change (UN)

• Reactive oxygen species (ROS) as pleiotropic physiological signaling agents – Sies & Jones, Nature Reviews (2020)

• Guest lecture: Sustainability and the environment

MODULE 4 – INTEGRATED TEACHING ACTIVITIES AND LABORATORIES

• Field trip – Furlo Park and group project kickoff

Laboratorio Arancio:

• Microscopic observation of biological samples

• Sample lyophilization and solution preparation for DNA extraction

• PCR of ribosomal genes: 16S rDNA / 18S rDNA

• PCR product purification and submission for NGS sequencing

• Laboratory techniques for microbial genetic and metabolic diversity

• Sequence analysis

Guest lectures:

• Discovery of Novel Protists

• Bioremediation

MODULE 5 – COURSE CLOSURE

• Final presentations of applied biology projects

• Collective discussion and evaluation

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 course adopts a combination of lectures, laboratory activities, and active learning strategies to foster deep and participatory learning. Specifically:

Lectures and Laboratory Work
Lectures introduce key theoretical concepts, while laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience and direct observation, helping students understand biological phenomena and apply the scientific method.

Flipped Classroom
Some materials are provided in advance (videos, articles, slides) for individual study, and are then discussed and explored further in class through exercises and peer interaction.

Guided and Participatory Debate
On controversial topics (such as GMOs, climate change, and bioethics), students are encouraged to engage in critical discussion, learning how to argue effectively and evaluate scientific evidence.

Group Projects and Final Presentations
Students work collaboratively on case studies, experiments, or applied research projects, which are then presented and shared with the class.

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.