72727 - Xenobiotic, Environmental Contamination and Food Safety

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, the student will have a thorough understanding of the biochemical processes involving major xenobiotics, including the main mechanisms of accumulation, biotransformation, detoxification, and mutagenesis in living organisms, as well as their interactions through the consumption of food products. The student will be able to apply this knowledge at the molecular and cellular levels to analyze the cascade of events that begins with exposure to a toxic compound and culminates in the manifestation of toxic endpoints

Course contents

This course is part of the Integrated Course “BIOCHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND METABOLISM OF NUTRIENTS AND XENOBIOTICS”.

Upon completion of the Integrated Course unit, the student will be able to know the fundamental biochemical reactions of cellular metabolism, the biochemical constituents of food, the biochemical basis of nutrition, and the biochemical processes involving major xenobiotics. The student is able to understand the toxic effects of substances.

The course will cover the following topics in biochemical toxicology at the molecular level:

• Mechanisms of cell death (6 hours);
• Mitochondrial dysfunction (5 hours);
• DNA damage and mutagenesis (5 hours);
• Reactive species and cellular defense mechanisms (5 hours);
• Toxins, pollutants, and heavy metals (3 hours).

Note: FOR SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS, CODE 8522, Module 1 taught by Prof. Nesci and Module 2 taught by Prof. Palgiuca (see Web Guide by Prof. Giampiero Palgiuca) are components of Xenobiotic, Environmental Contamination and Food Safety into the Integrated Course ANIMAL HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY FOR HUMANS. The designated course contact for this course is Prof. Andrea Barbarossa.

Readings/Bibliography

The teaching materials for this course are available on the Virtuale Learning Environment (https://virtuale.unibo.it/?lang=en ).

Teaching methods

The course includes theoretical lectures.

Assessment methods

The assessment for the Integrated Course unit “BIOCHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND METABOLISM OF NUTRIENTS AND XENOBIOTICS” consists of one oral exam:

In evaluating the oral exam, the instructor will use the following grading scale:

- Basic understanding of only a few course topics; analysis skills emerge only with the instructor’s help; generally correct language → 18–22

- Limited knowledge of several topics; independent analysis only on procedural issues; correct language use → 23–26

- Broad knowledge of course topics; ability to make autonomous critical judgments; mastery of discipline-specific terminology → 27–29

- Comprehensive understanding of course content; fully independent critical analysis and connections; excellent command of terminology and argumentation skills → 30–30 with honors

The result of the oral exam will be communicated at the end of the session. The minimum passing grade is 18/30.

The exam is considered passed only if all parts are successfully completed. The final grade is determined by the average of the grades from the various parts of the exam, expressed out of 30). A minimum final grade of 18/30 is required.

Negative results are not graded numerically but recorded as “withdrawn” or “failed” in the electronic transcript on AlmaEsami, and do not affect the student’s academic record. Students may reject the final grade only once by informing the course examiner via email within 5 working days.

The designated course contact for this course is Prof. Salvatore Nesci.

Students can register for exams through the AlmaEsami platform (http://almaesami.unibo.it/). Exams are scheduled during the designated periods in the academic calendar. Additional sessions are available for students beyond the standard program duration.

Students with learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint presentations, videos.

In case of difficulty understanding the course content, the instructor is available for clarification meetings, which must be scheduled via email.

Office hours

See the website of Salvatore Nesci

See the website of Giampiero Pagliuca