TEACHING

Classes offered

• Biochemistry I (Spring semester)

  • Contents: 1) Introduction to Biochemistry; Structure of biomolecules: amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids. 2) Structure and function of proteins. 3) Organization of biomolecules in high-order structures; Composition, organization and function of cellular membranes; Transport through membranes; DNA and chromatin. 4) Enzyme kinetics and mechanisms of function; Modulation and inhibition of enzymes; Use of enzyme inhibitor and modulators to address problems in medicine and other sciences. 6) Basic principles of metabolism; Glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, citric acid cycles, Oxidative Phosphorylation, Photosynthesis.

• Biochemistry II (Fall semester)

  • Theory: Storage and flow of the genetic information. Replication, transcription and translation of DNA. Gene regulation and post-translational modifications. Cellular compartmentalization. Special cellular pathways. Protein degradation. Signaling pathways. Methods for analyzing proteins and DNA.
  • Laboratory:  (A) Analysis of proteins: Fractionation from cellular extracts; Spectroscopic quantifiation; Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. (B) Molecular Biology: Bacterial cultures and growth kinetics; DNA isolation from E.coli; DNA quantification and purity determination; Digestion of DNA by restriction endonucleases; DNA analysis on agarose gels

• Advanced Topics in Biochemistry (starting Spring semester 2024)

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  • Contents: Mechanisms of enzymatic regulation. Biochemistry of the immune system. Transport sorting and secretion of proteins. Advanced metabolic processes. Molecular Machines. Drug development.