84262 - Biochemistry Laboratory (G3)

Learning outcomes

Describe the principal biochemical techniques and their applications in medicine.

Course contents

The course will be divided into 8 hours of lectures in class and 9 hours in laboratory.

The topics of the lectures will be the following:

• pH and buffers

• Analytical techniques widely used in biochemistry

1. Spectrophotometry
2. Structural techniques (XRD, NMR, SEM)

• Typical Biochemical techniques

1. Western Blotting
2. Electrophoresis
3. Ultracentrifugation

• Protein structure:

1. Hemoglobin and Myoglobin

Three different laboratory experiments will be conducted:

• a computer-based simulation on protein structure (Room N, Building B, Via Andreatta 8)

• chemical laboratory on complex formation, redox reactions and acid-base titrations (Biotechnology Laboratory, General Pathology Building, via San Giacomo 14).
  

• use of a UV-vis spectrophotometer to measure the protein content in biological samples (Biotechnology Laboratory, General Pathology Building, via San Giacomo 14).

Readings/Bibliography

PowerPoint presentations integrated by personal notes can give a useful outline of the course.

Students can refer to the textbooks suggested for the Chemistry and General Biochemistry lessons.

Teaching methods

Traditional lecture-based teaching based on Power Point presentations (8 hours).

Laboratory experiences (9 hours): computer-based simulations on protein structure and chemistry laboratory experiences on pH and buffers and spectrophotometric techniques.

Attendance to learning activities is mandatory; the minimum attendance requirement to be admitted to the final exam is 60% of lessons. This teaching is a part of the Chemistry and Bichemistry Integrated Course (IC), therefore the 60% attendance requirement refers to the total amount of IC lessons. Students who fail to meet the minimum attendance requirement will not be admitted to the final exam of the course, and will have to attend relevant classes again during the next academic year.

Professors may authorise excused absences upon receipt of proper justifying documentation, in case of illness or serious reasons. Excused absences do not count against a student’s attendance record to determine their minimum attendance requirement.

Assessment methods

The students are requested to complete the calculations connected with the titration of phosphoric acid and the spectrophotometric analysis of protein content.

Teaching tools

All the lectures will be supported by PowerPoint presentations, downloadable from iol.unibo.it before the beginning of each lecture.

Office hours

See the website of Michele Di Foggia