ANIMAL ORGANISMS OF BIOTECHNOLOGICAL INTEREST
Academic year and teacher
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2021/2022
- Teacher
- MILVIA CHICCA
- Credits
- 6
- Didactic period
- Secondo Semestre
- SSD
- BIO/13
Training objectives
- Educational aims
The course “Animal Models in Biotechnology” provides general information about model organisms and in detail about model organisms belonging to the Kingdom Animalia, currently used in research fields related to Biotechnology. The course also provides information about emerging model organisms and their applications in advanced studies related to Biotechnology.
The main educational purposes of the course are the following:
- general information about model organisms
- knowledge about the most relevant model organisms belonging to the Kingdom Animalia and their applications in research fields related to Biotechnology
- knowledge about emerging model organisms and other advanced fields related to Biotechnology
The main abilities the students should develop are the following:
- understanding and learning the general characteristics of model organisms
- understanding and learning the biology, physiology and genomics of the most relevant model organisms belonging to the Kingdom Animalia and their applications to studies related to Biotechnology
- knowledge about emerging model organisms and other advanced fields in Biotechnology
- ability to retrieve information about model organisms in databases and/or web sites
- skills to communicate the acquired information in a clear and synthetic way, using a correct terminology
- critical reading of articles about model organisms and their applications in Biotechnology
- ability to communicate data about model organisms and other advanced research fields through poster or oral presentations Prerequisites
- No formal preparatory courses are required, but the student must have acquired the basic knowledge provided in senior high school courses dealing with General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, General Biology, Cell Biology, Genetics and Zoology.
Course programme
- The course (University Credits 5+1, 50 hours) includes 38 hours of lectures and 12 hours of laboratory practice
The lectures (University Credits 5, 38 hours) will deal with the following topics:
Introduction to model organisms and their general applications. Relevant model organisms belonging to the Kingdom Eubacteria, Archea, Protista, Fungi and Plantae. Introduction to Kingdom Animalia (Metazoa). Biological bases of the extreme animal diversity. Classification of Metazoa. Protostomia and Deuterostomia. General biology, physiology and genomics of model organisms belonging to the main animal phyla: Porifera, Ctenophora, Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Mollusca, Annelida, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, Chordata. Model organisms among Tetrapoda: Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves, Mammalia.
Animal models in biotechnology. Emerging model organisms. Evo-Devo. Life in extreme environments and quasi-living structures. Applications of model organisms to advanced research fields. Relevant databanks concerning model organisms and their use.
Laboratory reports. Presentation of data to meetings: posters and oral communications. Writing for science. Reference styles, international journals and databases related to model organisms. How to publish: journal choice, impact factor, journal ranking, DOI, ISBN, ISSN, ORCID.
According to current state and regional laws concerning the SARS-CoV-2 pandemics, the laboratory exercises will be held in presence of the students but, if not possible, they will be held through online meetings on GoogleMeet dealing with practical aspects of the program topics, supported by discussions on experimental details of recent studies.
The laboratory exercises (University Credit 1, 12 hours) will deal with the following topics:
Basic model organisms among Eubacteria, Archea, Protista, Fungi and Plantae.
Model organisms of the Kingdom Animalia: Protostomia.
Model organisms of the Kingdom Animalia: Deuterostomia.
Databanks related to model organisms and scientific writing (posters, oral communications, publications, reference styles, journals and reviews). Didactic methods
- The course (5 + 1 CFU) is organized in 38 hours of frontal teaching through lessons (in presence or videotaped) with the aid of animations, documents and publications, and in 12 hours of laboratory exercises.
According to current state and regional laws concerning the SARS-CoV-2 pandemics, the laboratory exercises will be held in presence of the students but, if not possible, they will be held through online meetings on GoogleMeet dealing with practical aspects of the program topics, supported by discussions on experimental details of recent studies. Learning assessment procedures
- The exam at the end of the course has the purpose to verify the level of acquisition of the educational aims. The exam will be oral and composed of seven questions related to the course content. The first question will be on a topic chosen by the student among those included in the course program, with a maximum of 4 points awarded. Six other questions on the program topics will then be asked to the student, and a maximum of 4.5 points will be awarded to each answer. The maximum score obtainable in the exam is therefore 31 points, corresponding to 30/30 magna cum laude. To pass the exam the student must obtain a minimum score of 18 points. If the final score is less than 18 points, the student must repeat the exam.
Overall, the exam will evaluate:
- the degree of general knowledge about model organisms and in detail the knowledge about the most relevant model organisms belonging to the Kingdom Animalia
- the degree of knowledge of the most relevant applications of model organisms to research fields related to Biotechnology
- the knowledge about emerging model organisms in advanced research fields
- the ability to communicate the acquired information using a correct terminology and presenting it in a synthetic, logic and critical way
- the knowledge about basic techniques for publishing results through poster, oral communications and papers on international journals Reference texts
- There are no suggestions concerning specific textbooks. The lectures and the laboratory handouts will be made available to the students according to the scheduled dates. Other public domain handouts in Italian and English will be provided for the students, including references to published papers and/or reviews, websites and “open access” publications related to the lecture topics.
Warning: No handouts and/or course notes sold at any copy shop have been authorized or verified by the teacher. Students are cautioned against wasting money to purchase unauthorized materials that are liable to copyright infringement.
