Learning objectives based on the Dublin Descriptors 

1. Knowledge and understanding

At the end of the course, the student will be able to:

- describe the fundamental concepts of chemistry and biochemistry relevant to the understanding of biological and physiological processes;

- understand the structure and function of the main biomolecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids);

- know the basic principles of enzymatic catalysis and energy metabolism;

- understand the essential scientific language used in chemical and biochemical contexts.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding

The student will be able to:

- apply basic knowledge of chemistry and biochemistry to the understanding of biological and pathophysiological phenomena;

- guided interpretation of simple biochemical information of clinical and healthcare relevance;

- relate fundamental biochemical concepts to the main physiological processes of the human body.

3. Making judgements

The student will be able to:

- understand and evaluate basic biochemical information in the healthcare context;

- recognize the limits of one’s own knowledge and the need to refer to qualified sources;

- develop an initial capacity for critical judgement on basic scientific concepts.

4. Communication skills

The student will be able to:

- correctly use essential chemical and biochemical terminology;

- clearly and understandably communicate basic scientific concepts in the healthcare field;

- interact with other healthcare professionals using language appropriate to the professional context.

5. Learning skills

At the end of the course, the student will have acquired:

- the ability to consolidate and update one’s own basic scientific knowledge;

- an appropriate study method for understanding essential chemical and biochemical content;

- the foundations required to address subsequent courses in the biological and healthcare area.

Lectures with a final assessment test. Theoretical and practical exercises and/or hands-on laboratory techniques.

In order to understand and successfully attend the course, it is useful for students to have a basic knowledge of general physics, general chemistry, and cell biology.

Attendance is mandatory as required by the Degree Course Regulations.

1. M. Bertoldi, D. Colombo, F. Magni, O. Marin, P. Palestini -Chimica e Biochimica- EdiSES 

2. Massimo Stefani, Niccolò Taddei-Chimica & Biochimica- Zanichelli

3. Michele Samaja, Paroni Rita-Chimica e biochimica per le lauree triennali dell'area biomedica-Piccin

4. F. A. Bettelheim, W. H. Brown, M. K. Campbell, S. O. Farrell-Chimica e Propedeutica Biochimica- EdiSES

4. Tiziana Bellini-Chimica medica e propedeutica biochimica con applicazioni cliniche-Zanichelli

5. Siliprandi, Tettamanti-Biochimica Medica - Strutturale, metabolica e funzionale-Piccin

Progress assessment tests will be administered throughout the course.
At the end of the course, the exam will consist of a written exam and an oral exam.
The following criteria will be taken into account when assigning the final grade:
Grade 29-30 with honors: The student has a THOROUGH knowledge of the subject matter, excellent communication skills, and mastery of technical and scientific language.
Grade 26-28: The student has a GOOD knowledge of the subject matter and presents the topics clearly using appropriate technical and scientific language;
Grade 22-25: The student has a FAIR knowledge of the subject matter, although limited to the main topics, and presents the topics fairly clearly with reasonable command of the language;
Grade 18-21: The student has a MINIMUM knowledge of the subject matter and presents the topics sufficiently clearly, although the command of the language is poorly developed;
Exam failed: The student DOES NOT HAVE THE MINIMUM REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE of the main course content. The student has very little or no ability to use the specific language and is unable to independently apply the acquired knowledge.

Sample questions for the written exam will be provided by the instructor to students during the course, as part of ongoing assessments. The oral exam will cover all sections of the program to assess the student's thorough preparation and maturity in managing connections across various biochemical aspects.
Example questions may include:
- Talk about carbohydrates
- Difference between epimers and enantiomers
- What type of bond is a peptide bond?