The first part of the course aims to provide the basics of general chemistry and organic chemistry to tackle biological chemistry in the second part of the course.
The teaching aims will provide the student with the basics of inorganic and organic chemistry to deal with the Biological Chemistry module.
In particular, the student will be given the concepts of elements of the periodic table, types of bonds between atoms, chemical reactions, acids, bases and pH, what solutions are and how they are prepared, thermodynamics and functional groups.
The student will be introduced to the main biological molecules and their structures whose metabolisms will be shown in the following Biological Chmistry module.
Upon completion of the module the student will be expected to:
Mandatory face-to-face lectures will be conducted during which module topics will be explained.
Students with valid certifications for Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), disabilities or other educational needs are invited to contact the lecturer and the School/Department's disability liaison at the beginning of the course to agree on possible teaching arrangements that, while respecting the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning patterns.
Elements and periodic table. Solutions. Properties, units of concentration and solubility: molarity, normality, %w/w, %p/v. Osmotic pressure. Chemical reactions. Chemical equilibrium. Chemical kinetics. Reaction rates. Catalysis. Thermodynamics. Concepts of enthalpy and entropy. Spontaneity of reactions, free energy. Ionization of water. pH. Acidity and basicity. Strong, weak acids and bases and salt hydrolysis. Buffer solutions.
The chemistry of carbon, valence of carbon. Functional groups. Alcohols and thiols. Oxidoreduction. Oxidation of alcohols and thiols. Aldehydes and ketones. Semiacetals. Amines. Carboxylic acids, Amides, esters and anhydrides. Fatty acids. Biomolecules and their functional groups. Carbohydrates: monosaccharides: glucose, fructose, ribose and deoxyribose, disaccharides: sucrose and polysaccharides: cellulose, glycogen. Triglycerides. Phospholipids. Amino acids.
The following textbooks are the recommended ones for studying the module:
Chimica e Biochimica Autori: Bertoldi, Colombo, Magni, Marin, Palestini Casa editrice: EdiSES
Chimica medica e propedeutica biochimica Autori: Tiziana Bellini Casa editrice: Zanichelli
Slides of the of the lectures conducted will also be uploaded to aulaweb.
Ricevimento: The student reception is from Monday to Friday by appointment at the Biochemistry Section in Viale Benedetto XV, 1 - first floor. e-mail: francesco.piacente@unige.it phone: 0103538131
FRANCESCO PIACENTE (President)
BRUNO STERLINI (President)
PIERLUIGI VALENTE (President)
MARIO PASSALACQUA (President and Coordinator of Integrated Course)
The start of classes and schedule can be viewed at the following web address:
https://easyacademy.unige.it/portalestudenti/index.php?view=easycourse&_lang=it&include=corso
The timetable for this course is available here: EasyAcademy
The exam will be in-person and oral dissertation of the content covered in the course.
The student will have to answer open-ended questions describing the content covered during the lectures.
Regulations regarding how to evaluate students certified as having DSA or other educational needs indicated by the university will be followed in the examination. (e.g.: additional time in case of written exams, use of concept maps to be viewed for approval by teachers at least one week before the exam date).
The oral examination will test the student's ability to discuss the topics covered in class and make connections between them. The quality of exposition, the correct use of specialized vocabulary, and the ability to critically reason about the realized study will also be evaluated.
The basic elements of the subject must be known for the examination to be considered sufficient.
Ask the professor for other information not included in the teaching schedule
