93307 - Diagnostic Molecular Pathology

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Biotechnology (cod. 8005)

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide the basic elements of the molecular bases and of the main diagnostic molecular tests in human solid tumors. At the end of the course the student will be confident of the basic knowledge on the epidemiology, the histological diagnosis and the interpretation of molecular pathology tests.

Course contents

The course aims to provide the students with the basic elements of diagnostic molecular pathology, with particular focus on solid tumors.

At the end of the course the student will learn the molecular bases of the main human solid tumors and the theory and the interpretation of the main techniques of diagnostic molecular pathology.

Program/Contents
  • Basic histopathology.
  • Techniques in histopathology.
  • Fundamentals of molecular diagnostics: in vitro techniques.
  • Fundamentals of molecular diagnostics: in situ techniques.
  • Immunohistochemistry.
  • Fluorescent and chromogenic in situ hibridization.
  • PCR/Real time PCR
  • Direct sequencing
  • NGS sequencing
  • Molecular tests predictive of response in personalized oncological medicine.
  • Focus on solid tumors: prostate cancer.
  • Focus on solid tumors :colo-rectal cancer.
  • Focus on solid tumors: breast cancer.
  • Focus on solid tumors: lung cancer.
  • Focus on solid tumors: kidney cancer.
  • Focus on solid tumors: melanoma.
  • Focus on solid tumors: liver cancer.
  • Focus on solid tumors: bladder cancer.
  • Focus on solid tumors: ovarian cancer.
  • Focus on solid tumors: brain cancer.

Readings/Bibliography

Class presentations are available on Virtuale.

Teaching methods

Class presentations unless otherwise stated by current provisions.

Attendance to learning activities is mandatory; the minimum attendance requirement to be admitted to the final exam is 60% of lessons.

Assessment methods

The final exam consists of a written test with 30 multiple choice questions on the matter of the presentations.
For each question, the student receives a vote. The weighted result based on the median performance of the other students and the standard deviation is expressed in 30/30.

Teaching tools

Discussion on digitalized histological slides

Office hours

See the website of Michelangelo Fiorentino