93773 - Clinical Analytical Chemistry

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to provide the student with the basic knowledge of the most common analytical techniques employed in clinical chemistry. In addition, the student will be able to select the most suitable analytical technique to solve a given analytical problem and to critically evaluate the analytical result.

Course contents

Specimen collection, pre-analytical variability, most common biological fluids (blood, serum, plasma, urina), sample treatment and storage, automated analytical methods, principles of high-throughput analytical systems, automation in the clinical chemistry laboratory.

Diagnostic and prognostic relevance of clinical assays, reference values, clinical sensitivity and specificity (false positives and negatives), validation of analytical methods, control quality in the clinical chemistry laboratory and its implementation.

Enzyme activity measurements: analytical aspects, evaluation of enzyme activity and metabolite concentrations, spectroscopic and non-spectroscopic techniques.

Immunoassays: reagents for immunoassays (antibodies, immunogens, tracers), competitive and non competitive immunoassays, quantitative analysis, enzyme immunoassays (EIA, ELISA), detection principles (spectrophotometry, fluorescence, fluorescence polarization, chemiluminescence).

Molecular biology techniques: gene analysis, nucleic acids hybridization reactions, labelling of gene probes, amplification techniques.

Blood and urine analysis and related analytical techniques: hemochromocytometric analysis, electrolytes, acid-base systems, blood gases, oxygenation status, coagulation parameters, urine test strips, microscopic analysis. Common clinical-chemical analyses: analytes and parameters, analytical techniques.

Therapeutic drug monitoring: principles, procedures and analytical techniques.

Biosensors and POCT (Point of Care Testing) in clinical chemistry.

Readings/Bibliography

Clinical Chemistry: Principles, Techniques, and Correlations, (Ninth Edition). Michael L. Bishop, Edward P. Fody, Carleen Van Siclen, James March Mistler, Michelle Moy, Ed. Jones and Bartlett Publishers ISBN:9781284238860- 2022

 

All teaching materials presented in class (slides, selected articles) will be made available to students in electronic format on  https://virtuale.unibo.it/

Teaching methods

The course (32 ore, 4 CFU) consists in lessons dealing about the program topics.

Assessment methods

The learning assessment will take place through the final exam, which ensures the acquisition of knowledge and expected skills by an oral examination.

The exam will assess the achievement of the following learning objectives: - knowledge of the main issues related to evaluation of the analytical result and quality control in analytical clinical chemistry; - knowledge of the main parameters and analytes measured in clinical analyses and of their physiopathological relevance; - knowledge of the analytical and bioanalytical techniques employed in analytical clinical chemistry.

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. Presentations and other material will be available for the students.

Office hours

See the website of Elisa Michelini