Artificial Intelligence for Biomedicine and Healthcare

Biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology

Biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology

Academic year 2024/2025

Sommario del corso

• Course objectives
• Results of learning outcomes
• Program
• Course delivery
• Learning assessment methods
• Teaching Modules
• Teaching tools
• Course card

Course objectives

This course encompasses several topics including (i) Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology, (ii) Cell Signaling, Metabolism, and Immunology, (iii) Modeling and Quantitative Approaches to Life Science, and (iv) Clinical Biochemistry. The primary objective of this course is to equip students with knowledge and understanding of the basic concepts of life science that are relevant to healthcare and biomedicine sectors, thereby fulfilling the main objective of the Master's degree. More specifically, the focus of this course is to provide students with broad knowledge of how life at the scale of molecules is connected to life at a much larger scales, from cells to organs and to illustrate with examples of the molecular mechanism of diseases, thereby giving students examples of how to implement computational and modeling approaches that describe the fundamental building blocks of living organisms.

Results of learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will possess a broad knowledge of chemical and biological disciplines. They will be familiar with the fundamental building blocks of life and how these react in cells and regulate biocheemical reactions. They will be introduced to cell biology, how cells ilve, replicate, move, sense and defend themselves from hostile environments. They will be introduced to a set of major examples where biomolecules and their reactions are strictly connected to health and diseases. Such a set of notions will be contextualized in the different modules and integrated in order to give the studens a comprehensive and interdisciplinary view. Furthermore, a set of exmaples of theoretical modeling will be given. Finally, students will be able to confidently present their knowledge both verbally and in concise written statements by learning the technical terms pertinent to the different contexts and by organizing thoughts in an effective way.

Program

The course will cover basic concepts in biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology. The sylllabus will include thee basics of preparatory biochemistry, fundamental metabolic and cellular  biochemistry, cellular biology and computational and modeling approaches to life science.

The course is structured into 5 modules, which detailed syllabus can be found in the specific web pages:

A Structural biochemistry, or the molecules of life
B Introduction to cellular and molecular biology
C Cell Signaling, metabolism and introduction to immunology
D Modeling and quantitative approaches to life science
E Clinical biochemistry and molecular biology

Course delivery

All the lessons wll be done in presence. Explanations on the various topic will be provided to the class using slides as didactic material. The slides will be provided to the class in advance, so that students will be faclitated in following the lessons and in posing questions. At the end of each lesson, some time will be dedicated to recap te major arguments that have been discussed. Similarly, a rapid recap will be also done at te beginning of the following lessons to set the stage for the lesson helping the students to get into the topic. Particular attention will be devoted to cross-reference with other modules in order for the students to develop an interdisciplinary view of the content of the course.

Learning assessment methods

Particular attention will be devoted to integrate the different learning abilities, including knowledge and understanding, ability to apply knowledge and understanding and communication skills. 

1. Each module has his own evaluation. All modules (with the exception of Modeling and quantitative approaches to life science) will have a written test available either during the course of the year or at scheduled date (or both) according to the calendar that you find on the AIBH website. The modeling module will consist in a small project on a topic developed during class, agreed with the teacher before the exam and sent over 1 week before the date of the exam, with a short discussion the day of the exam. 

For details relative to each module (how many question, timing, etc) please refer to the web page of the module.

2. If the students want to take the exam of one or more modules (in principles even all modules) she/he will need to register officially for the exam. In the notes of the enrollment page please specify which module or modules you want to take the exam of, as this will allow  to organize accordingly. 

Should one or more modules be insufficient, the student will have to retake the module quiz or quizzes at the exam session.

3. Each module final mark will last until the end of the year, regardless of when you got it (Dec 2024 for all exams taken in 2024). 

4. The final mark is the result of the weighted average of all the marks of the modules (refer to the course web page to check how much each module counts in CFU)

Teaching Modules

• ONC0251A Structural biochemistry, or the molecules of life (ONC0251A)
• ONC0251B Introduction to cellular and molecular biology (ONC0251B)
• ONC0251C Cell Signaling, metabolism and introduction to immunology (ONC0251C)
• ONC0251D Modeling and quantitative approaches to life science (ONC0251D)
• ONC0251E Clinical biochemistry and molecular biology (ONC0251E)

• Teaching material
• Exams and finals
• Class schedule
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• Enrolled students
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