OVERVIEW

The students attending this class are supposed to learn the basics of chemistry that are especially important to understand the functioning of the chemical processes involved in biochemistry.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

To provide the basic concepts of chemistry necessary for understanding  the mechanisms underlying biochemical reactions.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

To understand  how the formation of strong and weak bonds among atoms/molecules is important for the biochemical processes which occur in biological conditions. To study the chemical importance of water as a solvent, and the significance of pH, buffer solutions, and colligative properties specifically in biological systems. To understand why the 3D structure of a given molecule and its exposed groups are important for reactivity in biological conditions. To learn how different functional groups in organic compounds are involved in reactions important for living organisms. To understand the rationale behind the biochemical reactions considering kinetics and thermodinamics.

TEACHING METHODS

Teacher-led lessons are delivered to stimulate when possible, the interaction teacher-students on the notions just exposed, by resolving examples/exercises both in class and at home. These exercises are aimed to improve the student's sequential learning in order to easily pass the final test.

Lessons, depending on the rules given by the University,  will be held either in presence or online. In this second case,  the lessons will be synchronous and recorded.

Any Student with documented Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or with any special needs, shall reach out to the Lecturer(s) and to the dedicated SLD Representative in the Department before class begins, in order to liase and arrange the specific teaching methods and ensure proper achievement of the learning aims and outcomes.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

General chemistry: Periodic table  and recurring chemical properties. Strong and weak bonds, quantitative expressions of solute concentration in a solution. Chemical and structural properties of water. Acids and bases, chemical equilibrium, pH definition and calculation, buffer solutions. Colligative properties, osmosis and osmolarity. Free Gibbs energy and coupled reactions. Organic chemistry: carbon hybridization, chirality and other types of isomers. How to calculate the oxidation number of an atom. Alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, and their derivatives: primary chemical reactions including examples concerning important biological molecules (esters, thioesters, acid anhydrides, amides, hemiacetals, acetals). Peptide bond. Structure of important carbohydrates in living organisms: Monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, ribose) disaccharides (saccharose, maltose, lactose), polysaccharides (starch, cellulose, glycogen).

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bertoldi M. et al. "Chimica e biochimica" edizioni EdiSES

Stefani M. et al. "Chimica e Biochimica"

The students attending this course can also refer to the files of the lessons published on Aulaweb.

If the lessons will be provided online, then the attending students will have the possibility of download the recorded lessons.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

PIETRO BALDELLI (President)

ROBERTA DE TULLIO (President)

MARIANNA DIONISI

PIERLUIGI VALENTE

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral examination including also breif written exercises and examples of organic molecules having biological interest.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam has a duration of  10-20 minutes and consists generally, of two questions. The first one concerns general chemistry, and the second organic chemistry/propaedeutic biochemistry.