Biological Sciences

Please note that the course extends into January, available for year students only. The course focuses on the following topics: the geological evolution of the planet earth and the formation of sea basins; the physical and chemical characteristics of the water masses; physiography and geomorphology of the seabed, genesis, and characteristics of rocks and sediments; sedimentological processes and distribution of benthic environments; the interactions between marine organisms and the abiotic environment; the main types of marine ecosystems and their functional characteristics; and the processes of formation of populations and their distribution in space and time. The course is divided into lectures and practical sessions, in the field and/or in the laboratory, with collection and analysis of samples/data and interpretation of results. Visits to the ISMAR (Institute of Marine Sciences) of the CNR of Bologna where the tools used in oceanographic and marine biology campaigns and the principles and techniques for the analysis and interpretation of the acquired data are presented. Visit to the Environmental Sciences Laboratories, of the Master's Degree in Marine Biology, at the Ravenna Campus.

This course is part of the LM degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrollment is by consent of the instructor. The course covers molecular, cellular, and “-omics” aspects of the following topics (considering both theoretical and methodological points of view): 1) Cell-cell communication in bacteria (quorum sensing): basic principles and components of quorum sensing (QS); role of the QS in microbial pathogenicity, genome plasticity (horizontal gene transfer), stress response, and microbial interaction with the host; and application of quorum sensing circuits in biotechnology and synthetic biology of single bacteria and microbial communities. 2) Microbial biofilms: distribution and diversity of biofilms; mechanisms of biofilm formation and persistence; microbial metabolism and physiology in biofilm; role of QS in biofilm formation; biofilm resistance and tolerance; in vitro systems to grow and study the microbial biofilm; and the role/importance of biofilms in medical and industrial fields. 3) Bacterial second messengers: molecular mechanisms of the nucleotide second messenger (NSM)-based intracellular signaling in bacteria; the different components involved in the NSM-based signaling; and essential and emerging roles of NSMs in bacterial sensing and cellular response, biofilm formation, and microbial interactions. 4) Signaling and interactions within microbial communities: “-omics” to study microbial communities and microbial interactions; and designing and construction of synthetic microbial communities for the application in medical, industrial, and environmental fields.

This course introduces the basic principles underlying modern human genetics research through a combination of lectures presenting theoretical principles, practical exercises allowing students to apply these principles, and more research-focused lectures providing illustrative case-studies. Students are introduced to the approaches currently used to identify genetic factors in health and disease. They become familiar with concepts and methods such as complex traits, population studies, Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) and high through-put genome analysis. Case studies include the genetic basis of cancer, selected cardiovascular and psychiatric disorders, as well as genetic predisposition/resistance to infectious diseases.

This is an advanced course on cellular structure and function at the molecular level. This course integrates the disciplines of biochemistry, molecular biology, structural biology, and molecular genetics. Research approaches, practical techniques, and problem-based learning are emphasized in this course. Prerequisites in biochemistry, molecular biology or cell biology are highly recommended. 

This course provides research training for exchange students. Students work on a research project under the guidance of assigned faculty members. Through a full-time commitment, students improve their research skills by participating in the different phases of research, including development of research plans, proposals, data analysis, and presentation of research results. A pass/no pass grade is assigned based a progress report, self-evaluation, midterm report, presentation, and final report.

Evolutionary biology covers the history of life on our planet and the processes that produced the multiple life forms of Earth. Topics include: the origins of life, the eukaryotic cell, and multicellularity; the generation of genetic variation and the sorting of that variation through random processes and through natural and sexual selection; the origin of new traits, new life histories, and new species; the origins of sex, sociality, and altruism; the evolution of humans; and applications of evolutionary biology to solving modern-day problems.

The environment influences organisms profoundly. It affects their present-day ecology (determining where they live and how many can survive there) and, through natural selection acting over past generations, influences their form and adaptations. Present day human-induced changes to the environment are also responsible for endangering species and even driving them to extinction. This course introduces principles and applications of ecology at different levels of ecosystems (i.e. individual, population, community, ecosystem, regional and global scales). The ecological theories are illustrated with examples in order to enable better understanding of the links between the environment and organisms as well as the biological interactions and human-induced threats at each level of ecological organization. The course concludes with the introduction of biodiversity management, i.e. conservation, restoration and sustaining biodiversity, global ecological crisis, and the economical and socio-political dimensions of nature and environmental management.