Biological Sciences

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale program. The course is intended for advanced level students only. Enrollment is by consent of the instructor. Students learn the conceptual foundations to understand the interactions between natural and social systems in globally changing urban landscapes (terrestrial, freshwater and marine), and gain analytical basic urban-ecology tools to be applied in urban monitoring, planning, and restoration. The students are introduced to urban areas as novel ecosystems, and learn about the unique ecological conditions and functioning of cities and waterfronts, the environmental challenges and opportunities of a sustainable urban development, and the principles and strategies for biodiversity conservation, restoration and management in a human-modified context. They are introduced to ecosystem services concepts and how to use them in an interdisciplinary analysis. They also learn the direct and indirect effects of human impact with particular attention to freshwater ecosystems as Highly Modified Bodies (WFD 2000/60/CE definition). Students obtain the ability to read and understand articles in the field of urban ecology, sustainability and restoration science, to synthesize and communicate interdisciplinary research, and gain insight on how to identify appropriate solutions for urban planners, policy makers, and managers. Students also get the opportunity to develop a field-work proposal for a restoration project in an highly modified area. Course topics: principles of urban ecology and the concept of novel urban ecosystems; unique (man–made) ecological conditions of urban ecosystems– land (and sea) use cover; urban climate and the heat island effect; changes in the physical environment (soil/sediment properties, hydrological processes and (sea)water characteristics); impacts of pollution, noise, artificial light and electromagnetic fields; patterns of urban biodiversity and controlling factors– impacts of urbanization on biodiversity and changes in biodiversity along urban-rural gradients; losers and winners in urban habitats, homogenization and the susceptibility of urban ecosystems to species invasions; effects of altered disturbance regimes; habitat transformation, fragmentation and loss in urban land/seascapes, altered connectivity, and dispersal barriers and corridors; ecosystem functions and services in urban landscapes- urban biodiversity and ecosystem services; valuing the role of natural ecosystems in flood risk reduction and nature-based adaptation; ecosystem management options to enhance resilience of society and the environment to future climate conditions; principles of sustainable urban development–urban footprint, sustainability, and governance-related challenges in urban environments; natural capital and strategies for biodiversity conservation; indicators of environmental quality in urban environments (e.g. the city biodiversity index, the Ocean health index, etc.); management of multiple stressors and stakeholders; bioengineering, multifunctional blue/green infrastructures; conservation and restoration in an urban context; ecological concept from natural to modified freshwater ecosystems structure and functions, impact of human activities; HMWBs and AWBs (highly modified and artificial water bodies) in the Water Directive WFD (2000/60 EU); reservoirs and dams–impact and benefit; ecosystem services of natural versus modified rivers within sustainable development strategy; the blue imprint of cities and water scarcity; monitoring of HMWBs and AWBs: hydromorphology and biomonitoring; biodiversity conservation in HMWB and AWBs; multifunctional natural infrastructures; Common European implementation strategy on HMWBs; restoration of HMWBs and AWBs; Navile and canals of Bologna: opportunity to develop restoration proposals.

This course examines the ways insects interact with microbes—bacteria, fungi, protozoans, parasites, viruses, etc. This includes symbiotic microbes that assist insects in digestion, metabolism, detoxification; pathogenic microbes that harm insects; vector-pathogen relationships; and potential uses of microbes by humans to control insects or study them in the laboratory.

This course examines biological problems using methods of mathematical statistics and computer science. Course topics include comparative genomics and principles of algorithms, transcriptomics and epigenomics, an introduction to probability theory and mathematical statistics, supervised and unsupervised classification methods, computer programming, and data structures. The course provides students with an understanding of the scientific frontier of research and basic skills for big data analysis.

This course consists of a series of lectures, tutorials, and laboratory sessions that deals with a range of developmental topics emphasizing a molecular approach to understanding the principles of animal development. A number of animal model systems is dealt with and the contribution of each to our overall understanding of development discussed. Specific topics include: developmental genetics: the identification of genes that regulate development in Drosophila and vertebrates; positional determination: how the body plan of the embryo is laid down including the role of homeo-box genes; induction: the role of cell and tissue interactions and signaling cascades; developmental neurobiology: positional determination within the vertebrate central nervous system, neuronal diversity and axonal guidance, and neural crest cells and development of the peripheral nervous system. Other topics include limb development, organogenesis, and evolutionary developmental biology.

This course provides insights into the fascinating world of stem cells and their applications in brain research and clinics. Students follow the life of a cell from embryogenesis to neurogenesis in the adult brain. Students learn directly from scientists how to apply advanced techniques to research, how to build disease models, and the ethical limitations concerning stem cell research. A broad part of the course is directed to debates about working with animal models and stem cells, applications of “mini-brains”, and the role of women in science.

An exploration of vertebrate evolution and paleobiology, with emphasis on the anatomical and physiological transformations that occurred at the evolutionary originations of major vertebrate groups.  The structure and function of both extant and extinct taxa are explored, as documented by modern fauna and the fossil record. Topics studied include locomotion and the origin of fins and limbs, the transition from water to land, dinosaur physiology, the origin of flight, and mammalian reproduction.

Microbiology is the study of microorganisms and has been the basis for all important discoveries in the life sciences and has a wide range of applications in industry and medicine. By understanding the structure and role of microorganisms, heredity and physiological phenomena, it is possible to acquire basic knowledge about life. 

Bacteria make up the foundation of the biosphere and sustain all life on earth. This course provides insights into how genes are organized and regulated in bacteria and in their viruses. The course comprises molecular biology of genes, proteins, multi-component protein complexes, and other biomolecules that provide structure and perform the organism’s functions. The use of genetic engineering and modern techniques such as transcriptomics, proteomics, and sequence analysis are included. The experimental part focus on the most studied bacteria, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Streptomyces coelicolor.