OVERVIEW

The course of Diagnostic Biotechnology and Nanotechnology will offer an overview of the techniques and biotechnologies applied to diagnostics, from the most classic and consolidated to those most innovative and recently developed, also with nanotechnological approaches.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

-To know the structure and the functioning of of medical diagnostic laboratoris.

- To learn the methodologies derived from basic biotechnologies and from innovative biotechnologies/nanotechnologies/nanoscopy that may be exploited in medical diagnostics.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

-To learn the phases of the diagnostic pathway (pre-analytical phase, analytical phase and post analytical phase) and the degree of reliability of the obtained analytical results.

-To know the main analyses of clinical biochemestry exploited in medical diagnostics and their interpretation to verify metabolism and function of different organs.

-To know the most recent diagnostic applications of genomic biotechnologies, of cytofluorimetry, of nanoparticles for innovative nanosensors.

-To learn principles of micro/nanoscopy (super-resolution) and their potential applications in molecular oncology and in neurodegenerative diseases.

TEACHING METHODS

Frontal lessons and laboratory.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

- Management systems of biotech industry and their use in medical diagnostics laboratories.

- The pre-analytical, analytical and post analytical phase, in diagnostics. The analytical method: accuracy, precision, specificity, sensitivity; internal quality control and external quality assessment.  controllo di qualità interno ed esterno. Reference values and range in reports.

- Main laboratory test in clinical biochemistry (including the used technology):

1. Blood: hemochromocytometric test; electrophoretic profile of serum proteins; plasma enzymes in diagnosis; non-protein nitrogen.
2. Hepatic function tests: enzymes (AST, ALT, GGT, AP), bilirubin, serum proteins.
3. Glucose metabolism test: hormones regulating glycemia; causes for hyper- and hypo-glycemia; diagnostic parameter for diabetes mellitus; laboratory tests in diabetic ketoacidosis; glucose tolerance test; glycosylated hemoglobin; ketonic compounds.
4. Lipid metabolism test: lipoprotein and apolipoprotein classification and their metabolism; reference value for different classes of lipids; dyslipidemic phenotypes.
5. Urine analysis and renal function test: physical chemical urine analysis; renal function test (creatinine clearance, BUN-blood urea nitrogen, urine concentration capacity.
6. Endocrinology: hints to the function of the main hormones, basal levels and conditions of hyper-/hypo-secretion; laboratory tests in the different hyper-/hypo-secretion conditions.
7. Tumor markers
8. Dopping

- innovative diagnostic applications of cytofluorimetry.

- Diagnostic application of genomic technologies:

1.Applicazioni diagnostiche della genomica: microarrays for molecular classifiers, study of polymorphism and karyotype aberrations;

2.next generation sequencing, from the definition of disease landscapes to mutation diagnostics;

3. innovative methods of non-invasive molecular analysis (circulating DNA and circulating tumor cells).

- Microscopy/nanoscopy for viasualization and analysis of biological systems at cellular and molecular levels in 2D and 3D: potential diagnostic applications in molecular oncology and neurodegenerative diseases.

• Development of innovative nanosensors, based on nanoparticles, for the detection of biomolecules and analytes of diagnostic interest.

Laboratories

-Experience in the Analysis Laboratories (San Martino Hospital)

-Experience in a lab at IIT for preparation of nanoparticles for diagnostics use

-Experience of micro/nanoscopy

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Handouts provided by the Professors

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

SANTINA BRUZZONE (President)

MICHELE MUSSAP

LESSONS

LESSONS START

October 1, 2017

Class schedule

BIOTECHNOLOGY DIAGNOSTIC AND NANOTECHNOLOGY AND LABORATORY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

ral Exam and Written Exam (Multiple Answer Quiz)

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Verification the knowledge about the program
Verification the skills that prove the achievement of the aims

Exam schedule