CHEMISTRY AND PROPEDEUTIC BIOCHEMISTRY
Students are required to have a basic knowledge of chemistry which corresponds to a minimum score of 3 in the Chemistry questions of the admission test. For the students who, despite having passed the admission test, reach a score lower than 3, there will be identified specific Additional Educational Obligations (OFA), to be fulfilled within the first year of the course. Students with OFA will have to carry out an e-learning recovery path, in order to complete their initial preparation, which will be available to students for further study and clarification. At the end of the course there will be an ongoing test (OFA Recovery Test). The dates and place of the test will be advertised on the Study Program web page. The OFA are considered fulfilled once they have been passed, with a favorable outcome, the tests in progress and the final exam in the teaching of Chemistry.
Chemistry and basic biochemistry
The “Chemistry and basic Biochemistry” exam consists of 30 multiple-choice quizzes that are evaluated
with 1 point for the first 16 correct answers
with 2 points for the 17st correct answer
with 1 point for the remaining 12 correct answers up to the 29st
with “Laude” for the 30st correct answer
The 30 quizzes of each exam are prepared from a single large archive of questions and assorted randomly so that all exams of all sessions are as homogeneous as possible. Representative examples of archive questions will be offered during the course of the lessons for self-assessment and exam preparation.
Chemistry and basic biochemistry
Knowing the chemical basis of biological phenomena, mostly those important in physiology, diseases, and clinical practice, at the level of cells, tissues and total body. Approaching the own language and method of experimental life sciences.
Chemistry and basic biochemistry
1) CHEMICAL BONDS. Covalent and ionic bonding, molecules and crystals
2) SOLUTIONS. Water properties, solvation and electrolytes, hydrogen bond, concentration of the solutions.
3) ACID-BASE BALANCE. Fundamentals (strength of the acids and the bases pH, pK), buffering, biological buffers, Handerson-Hasselbalch equation
4) BIOENERGETICS (I). Principles of the thermodynamics, free energy and spontaneous reactions, high-energy bonds.
5) BIOENERGETICS (II). Redox potentials, redox pairs of particular biological importance, oxidative phosphorylation.
6) ENZYMES. Reaction rate and chemical equilibrium, catalysts and biological catalysis, specificity and control of enzymatic reactions
7) ORGANIC COMPOUNDS. Functional groups: alcohol, aldehydes, ketones, carboxyl acids, amines. Nomenclature and main characteristics. Main types of isomers. Aromatic compounds.
8) LIPIDS. Fatty acids, triglycerides and phospholipids. Detergents and micelles. NUCLEIC ACIDS. Nitrogenous bases and nucleotides, DNA and RNA
9) CARBOHYDRATES. Monosaccharides, pentoses, hexoses, anomers and epimers; glycosidic bond, di- and polysaccharides
10) AMINOACIDS AND PROTEINS. General structure and properties of the main side chains. Peptide bond and protein structure.
Chemistry and basic biochemistry
All didactic material presented in the classes as well the one necessary for the preparation of the examination (slides, pantries, exercises) is available in the e-learning platform.
Textbook suggested according to the individual preferences (written in Italian).
M. Samaja, R. Paroni - Chimica e Biochimica per le lauree triennali dell’area biomedica – Piccin editore (simple but complete, suitable for the Biochemistry class too).
Fiecchi A., Galli Kienle M., Scala A, Chimica e propedeutica biochimica - edi ermes editore (synthetic and complete);
Stefani S., Taddei N. - Chimica, Biochimica e Biologia applicata - Zanichelli editore (more details and points of view);
Roberti R., Alunni Bistocchi G., Elementi di Chimica e Biochimica - McGraw Hill editore (very simple and synthetic).
Chemistry and basic biochemistry
The course takes place through 12 frontal lessons of 2 hours each covering the entire exam program. Through the e-learning platform, exercises, commentaries and on-line lessons are also available.