20729 - Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology

Learning outcomes

Describe the clinical biochemistry skills and techniques to evaluate the functional state of organs and tissues, using liquid and solid samples from patients.

Course contents

Course contents:

• Course introduction
• Laboratory medicine: the pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical phases
• Variability and standardization of laboratory testing
• Performance of a laboratory test: sensitivity, specificity, predicting values, ROC curves, clinical validation.
• Personalized medicine: new diagnostic and bioinformatic approaches that provide understanding of the molecular basis of disease and stratify related patients
• Principle of epigenetics
• The use of genetic and epigenetic biomarkers in oncology and neurological disorders
• The assessment of diagnostic, prognostic and predictive tests with examples from new assays based on Next Generation and nanopore Sequencing
• Liquid biopsy to monitor the evolution of the cancer genome through a minimally invasive technique
• Tumor heterogeneity and single cell sequencing
• Bioinformatic tools in Clinical molecular biology and radiogenomics
• Oral cancer genetic and epigenetic modifications
• The development of a new diagnostic and prognostic assay to early detect oral cancer using bisulfite NGS
• Cerebrospinal fluid analysis in the central nervous system diseases

Readings/Bibliography

Files will be provided by IOL platform (.pdf slides, video, reference papers)

Teaching methods

Lectures

Assessment methods

Oral examination

Graduation of the final grade

Insufficient: lack of preparation. Serious and repeated conceptual errors.

18-19: knowledge of the basic concepts without serious gaps. Exposition of concepts and language as a whole acceptable.

20-24: knowledge of the basic concepts without gaps. Ability to analyze and link in partial autonomy. Exposure of discrete concepts and language.

25-29: preparation of good or very good level or even excellent preparation but with inaccuracies in the presentation that compromise the achievement of full marks. Ability to analyze and link independently. Exposure of concepts in the right succession and mastery of the language.

30-30L: full preparation, consolidated and without inaccuracies on the topics covered in the course. Ability to promptly frame the topic. Ability to analyze and connect independently. Concepts in the right succession and full command of the specific language.

Teaching tools

Power point presentations, video, assessment tests using .quizizz platform

Office hours

See the website of Luca Morandi