FLOW CHARTS METHODOLOGY : High level road map to fractionate in logical steps a laboratory analysis pathway leading to diagnostic data. Intermediate level actions road maps. Timing and resources critical evaluation to reach the analysis objectives.

CLINICAL ENZYMOLOGY :
Enzyme’s role in clinical diagnosis. Early markers and late markers. Basics of enzymatic catalysis: ezyme kinetics, action models (lock and key, induced fit, Michaelis and Menten) and their use, influence of ambient factors. Mechanisms of action, regulation, allostery, feedback. Inibition: competitive and non competitive.

Enzymatic dosing methodologies:
Critical evaluation of results: sensitivity, specificity, predictive value, accuracy, precision.
Continuous and discrete measure dosing. Substrate, product and co-factors dosing.
Diagnostic dosing “Case Studies” in the Clinical Laboratory practice: Creatin Kinase (CK), Lactic DeHydrogenase (LDH), Transaminases (GOT, GPT), Alkaline and Acidic Phosphatases, Amilases.

TUMORAL MARKERS:
Definition of sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic effectiveness, predictive value and cut-off value.
Classification and description of the main serologic markers : «case studies» of tumoral markers in organs such as colon, pancreas, liver, breast, ovary, prostate, thyroid.

Dosage methods of tumor markers in the « case studies ». Main analytical interferences and diagnostic outcome validity of interpretation.

ALLERGOLOGY:
Hypersensitivity reactions (type I-IV). Serologic investigation for total and specific IgEs. New multiparametric methodologies. Recombinant allergens. Single components diagnosis.
«Case studies» of common allergens and their diagnosis based on analytical data.

Dosing methods of immunoresponse, immunofluorescence, immunoenzymatic methodologies. Main analytical interferences, diagnostic outcome and validity of interpretation.

Material distributed by the professor during the course, and corresponding selected chapters from :

1) « Laboratory Medicine Diagnosis of Disease in Clinical Laboratory », McGraw Hill, Laposata Michael, ISBN-13: 978-1259255137

2) « Henry’s Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods », 23rd Ed. McPherson Richard A., Pincus Matthew, Elsevier, ISBN-13: 978-0323295680

Pharmacology
• Definition of drug.
• Main pharmacokinetic parameters: routes of administration, absorption, passage through the membranes, distribution, biotransformation, elimination of drugs.
• General principles of pharmacodynamics: receptors, mechanism of action of drugs.
• Development and discovery of new drugs: general principles of in vitro drug sensitivity tests, preparation of a pharmacological experiment.
• Drug testing: preclinical experimentation; Phases I, II, III and IV of the clinical trials.
• Drugs and food-drug interactions.
• Branded medicines, equivalents and biosimilars.
• General characteristics of the main classes of drugs.
• Pharmacogenomics: individual variability of drug response, variation of target proteins, variation in enzymes responsible for drug metabolism.
• Biotechnological drugs and targeted therapies: anti-sense oligonucleotides, monoclonal antibodies; chimeric proteins, kinase inhibitors.
Toxicology
• Principles of toxicology; toxicokinetics; toxication and detoxification mechanisms; main sources of toxicity; toxic drug effects.
Pharmaceutical Galenic
• Principles of pharmaceutical galenic, magisterial and officinal galenic, auxiliary substances in galenic preparations: solvents, excipients, preservatives.
• Operation in a confined environment with reference to the Official Pharmacopoeia; calculation of the molarity of the solutions and their preparation.

Moini J. Focus on Pharmacology: Essentials for Health Professionals. 3rd Edition PEARSON, 2018.  
Other material and scientific articles indicated from time to time by the teacher.