Chemistry and Principles of Biology

The aim of the Integrated Course of Chemistry and Biology is to describe the basic principles of general, organic, and inorganic chemistry, general biology, basic genetics, and agroecology. The integrated course is composed of two modules, one on Chemistry and one on Genetics, General Biology, and agroecology.

The aim of the CHEMISTRY module (5 CFU) is the in-depth theoretical description of the knowledge of general, inorganic, and organic chemistry suitable for learning the topics of later courses at the molecular level.
In particular, the theoretical description of qualitative and quantitative composition of inorganic and organic compounds (including biological macromolecules), the fundamental aspects of stoichiometry, chemical equilibrium, thermodynamics, stereochemistry, and structure-reactivity relationship, which are essential to understanding any biological process.
To achieve these objectives, in addition to the lectures, exercises for each topic are planned which emphasize the importance of a quantitative approach in the practical application of any theoretical model.

The aims of the GENETICS, GENERAL BIOLOGY AND AGRO-ECOLOGY module (6 CFU) are:
A. The in-depth theoretical description and applied demonstration of basic principles of cell biology through the dissertation of cellular components at a structural, compositional, and functional level, and of basic knowledge of animal genetics, preparatory to the course of genetic improvement of livestock.
B. Theoretical notes on some methodologies of basic molecular genetics for understanding some solutions that DNA techniques offer to animal selection and production.
C. The description of the conceptual bases of ecology and the principles of agroecology, preparatory to the understanding of the problems related to the functioning of ecosystems.

CHEMISTRY
1. Knowledge and understanding. By the end of the course, the student should be able to demonstrate knowledge of a) basic inorganic and organic nomenclature; b) basic concepts of stoichiometry (moles, chemical equilibrium, chemical balance); c) the meaning of pH, equilibria in aqueous solution, the meaning of buffer solution; d) the structure and function of the main substances in biological systems, including macromolecules; e) the behavior of solutes in aqueous solutions; f) the meaning and methods of concentration measurement.
2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding. The student should demonstrate knowledge useful for a) using chemical formulas to represent the structure of inorganic and organic compounds of biological relevance (including macromolecules) and infer their function; b) performing stoichiometric calculations and balancing chemical equations; c) predicting pH from the composition of aqueous solutions; d) recognizing functional groups in organic compounds; e) determining the concentration of a solution as a function of its composition and calculating dilutions, when necessary.
3. Autonomy of judgment. The continuous interaction implemented by the teacher in the course of lessons and exercises aims to make students able to critically analyse information, answer questions and make the best use of available resources.
4. Ability to communicate what has been learned. The continuous discussion with the teacher developed in the course of lessons is aimed at conveying the use of correct scientific terminology, stimulating its acquisition by the student.
5. Ability to continue studying independently. The course is structured to emphasize the importance of the experimental method and quantitative analysis. The lessons, and particularly the exercises, are designed to provide the tools necessary to critically evaluate the information received, including what is found online. The student will be able to apply the knowledge acquired to interpret new data and solve problems, making use of the sources available and developing a proper mental organization that will enable him/her to link the new concepts to those already learned.

GENETICS, BIOLOGY AND AGROECOLOGY.
1. Knowledge and understanding. At the end of the course, the student will have to demonstrate knowledge of · morphology and function of the main components of eukaryotic cells and the basic principles of the methods of interaction between cells in the context of multicellular organisms; · Knowledge of the theoretical and practical notions of cell division processes (mitosis and meiosis) which ensure growth, reproduction, and development of living organisms. · Knowledge of the rules of transmission and expression of hereditary/heritable characters and their molecular bases. · Knowledge of the principles of ecology and agroecology relating to the functioning of ecosystems, the mechanisms that regulate the coexistence of species, the factors that influence the numerical and spatial dynamics of populations, with hints on the conservation of biodiversity.
2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding. · During the observation of histological preparations, the student must demonstrate that he/she possesses knowledge and concepts useful for: being able · to describe the structure and function of the main cellular components in a tissue context; · to recognize diploid and haploid cells in the context of male and female gonads; · to calculate the genotype and phenotype distributions of the offspring whose parents' genotypes and phenotypes for one or more monogenic characters are given (and vice versa) · to formulate a genetic hypothesis on the transmission of a character and calculate the probability starting from the phenotype distribution of one or two traits caused by one or two genes in a population, and vice-versa; to calculate the probability of the genotypes and/or phenotypes of the subjects included in a family tree segregating a monogenic trait; · to collect and storage tissues for genetic and genomic analyzes in different species; to understand the abbreviations that identify genetic mutations, and variants; to "read" a gel electrophoretic pattern (Molecular weight marker, vertebrate whole genomic DNA, PCR product, restriction pattern, delin-analysis, pattern of fragments); to "read" a genetic markers' profile and make a diagnosis of kinship; to "read" nucleotide sequence alignments and detect SNVs o delins.
3. Autonomy of judgment. In theoretical lessons and exercise classes, student-teacher interaction is implemented to stimulate the autonomous ability to critically analyze the information provided, and the questions asked and to use what is available online
4. Ability to communicate what has been learned. During the practical lessons, the interactive context is aimed at stimulating and preparing the student to develop the ability to use scientifically appropriate terminology.
5. Ability to continue studying independently. Through the written exam, which also includes open-ended parts often in the form of questions to be solved, the student must demonstrate that he/she has been able to acquire the knowledge provided, a good mental organization and that he/she can apply them to a given problem.