- Main characteristics of living systems: fundamental properties of cells; the cell theory; organization, structure, complexity and main differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; structure and functions of cellular organelles; definition and classification of viruses and stages of viral infection.
- Chemical basis of life: main chemical bonds characterizing living matter; structure and function of the four biological molecules (carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins); definition of enzymes as biological catalysts.
- Plasma membrane: properties and functions, modes of transport of small molecules across the plasma membrane (simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, active transport).
- Internal organization of the cell: intracellular compartments and protein sorting, intracellular membrane traffic, organelles. The cytoskeleton and cell motility. Nuclear compartment, structure and functions. The different levels of chromatin condensation.
- Energy conversion: Glycolysis and fermentation (outline). Mitochondria and Chloroplasts, structure and function.
- Molecular basis of hereditary information: DNA replication. DNA repair and its correlation with human diseases.
- RNA, structure and function: Main types of cellular RNAs and differences with respect to DNA in terms of molecular size, stability and biological functions. Transcription and RNA maturation.
- Genetic Code and its properties. Protein synthesis: How cells read the genome. Main post-translational modifications of the polypeptide chains.
- Post-synthetic fate of proteins, endomembranes and membrane traffic: Endocytosis, pinocytosis,phagocytosis and receptor-mediated endocytosis (LDL).
- Control of gene expression: Molecular mechanisms that create specialized cell types. Functional organization of the eukaryotic genome. Histone code. Transcriptional control, role of chromatin condensation and of the degree of DNA methylation.
- Cell Signaling: Exchange of chemical signals through receptor proteins. The key role played by protein kinases in this process. Key pathways in cellular transduction.
- The cytoskeleton and the interactions between cells and their environment: Cytoskeleton. Structure and function of actin, microtubules, and intermediate filaments. Motor proteins. Adhesion molecules and the extracellular matrix.
- Cell Cycle: The cell cycle and overview of the cell cycle control system. The role of the cyclin-dependent kinases.
- Mitosis and Meiosis: Principles of chromosome dynamics during mitosis and meiosis; molecular mechanisms of genetic recombination.
- Gene mutations: Mutations by substitution, insertion, or deletion of nucleotides. Spontaneous and induced mutations. Chemical and physical mutagens. DNA repair systems for single or double-stranded DNA damage.
- Apoptosis, Necrosis and Autophagy: Basic knowledge of the apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy processes.
- Molecular basis of cancer: Tumor suppressors and proto-oncogenes. Molecular mechanisms in cellular transformation. Characteristics of a cancer cell.

- “Biologia Molecolare della Cellula”, Bruce Alberts et al. VII ed., ZANICHELLI.
- “L’Essenziale di Biologia Molecolare della Cellula”, Bruce Alberts et al. V ed., ZANICHELLI.

- Main characteristics of living systems: fundamental properties of cells; the cell theory; organization, structure, complexity and main differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; structure and functions of cellular organelles; definition and classification of viruses and stages of viral infection.
- Chemical basis of life: main chemical bonds characterizing living matter; structure and function of the four biological molecules (carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins); definition of enzymes as biological catalysts.
- Plasma membrane: properties and functions, modes of transport of small molecules across the plasma membrane (simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, active transport).
- Internal organization of the cell: intracellular compartments and protein sorting, intracellular membrane traffic, organelles. The cytoskeleton and cell motility. Nuclear compartment, structure and functions. The different levels of chromatin condensation.
- Energy conversion: Glycolysis and fermentation (outline). Mitochondria and Chloroplasts, structure and function.
- Molecular basis of hereditary information: DNA replication. DNA repair and its correlation with human diseases.
- RNA, structure and function: Main types of cellular RNAs and differences with respect to DNA in terms of molecular size, stability and biological functions. Transcription and RNA maturation.
- Genetic Code and its properties. Protein synthesis: How cells read the genome. Main post-translational modifications of the polypeptide chains.
- Post-synthetic fate of proteins, endomembranes and membrane traffic: Endocytosis, pinocytosis,phagocytosis and receptor-mediated endocytosis (LDL).
- Control of gene expression: Molecular mechanisms that create specialized cell types. Functional organization of the eukaryotic genome. Histone code. Transcriptional control, role of chromatin condensation and of the degree of DNA methylation.
- Cell Signaling: Exchange of chemical signals through receptor proteins. The key role played by protein kinases in this process. Key pathways in cellular transduction.
- The cytoskeleton and the interactions between cells and their environment: Cytoskeleton. Structure and function of actin, microtubules, and intermediate filaments. Motor proteins. Adhesion molecules and the extracellular matrix.
- Cell Cycle: The cell cycle and overview of the cell cycle control system. The role of the cyclin-dependent kinases.
- Mitosis and Meiosis: Principles of chromosome dynamics during mitosis and meiosis; molecular mechanisms of genetic recombination.
- Gene mutations: Mutations by substitution, insertion, or deletion of nucleotides. Spontaneous and induced mutations. Chemical and physical mutagens. DNA repair systems for single or double-stranded DNA damage.
- Apoptosis, Necrosis and Autophagy: Basic knowledge of the apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy processes.
- Molecular basis of cancer: Tumor suppressors and proto-oncogenes. Molecular mechanisms in cellular transformation. Characteristics of a cancer cell.

- “Biologia Molecolare della Cellula”, Bruce Alberts et al. VII ed., ZANICHELLI.
- “L’Essenziale di Biologia Molecolare della Cellula”, Bruce Alberts et al. V ed., ZANICHELLI.

- Main characteristics of living systems: fundamental properties of cells; the cell theory; organization, structure, complexity and main differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; structure and functions of cellular organelles; definition and classification of viruses and stages of viral infection.
- Chemical basis of life: main chemical bonds characterizing living matter; structure and function of the four biological molecules (carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins); definition of enzymes as biological catalysts.
- Plasma membrane: properties and functions, modes of transport of small molecules across the plasma membrane (simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, active transport).
- Internal organization of the cell: intracellular compartments and protein sorting, intracellular membrane traffic, organelles. The cytoskeleton and cell motility. Nuclear compartment, structure and functions. The different levels of chromatin condensation.
- Energy conversion: Glycolysis and fermentation (outline). Mitochondria and Chloroplasts, structure and function.
- Molecular basis of hereditary information: DNA replication. DNA repair and its correlation with human diseases.
- RNA, structure and function: Main types of cellular RNAs and differences with respect to DNA in terms of molecular size, stability and biological functions. Transcription and RNA maturation.
- Genetic Code and its properties. Protein synthesis: How cells read the genome. Main post-translational modifications of the polypeptide chains.
- Post-synthetic fate of proteins, endomembranes and membrane traffic: Endocytosis, pinocytosis,phagocytosis and receptor-mediated endocytosis (LDL).
- Control of gene expression: Molecular mechanisms that create specialized cell types. Functional organization of the eukaryotic genome. Histone code. Transcriptional control, role of chromatin condensation and of the degree of DNA methylation.
- Apoptosis and Cancer: Tumor suppressors and proto-oncogenes.
- Cell Signaling: Exchange of chemical signals through receptor proteins. The key role played by protein kinases in this process.
- The interactions between cells and their environment: Adhesion molecules and extracellular matrix.
- Cell Cycle: The cell cycle control system.
- Mitosis and Meiosis: principles of chromosome dynamics during mitosis and meiosis; molecular mechanisms of genetic recombination.
- Gene mutations: mutations by substitution, insertion or deletion of nucleotides. Spontaneous and induced mutations. Chemical and physical mutagens. DNA repair systems for single or double stranded DNA damage.
- Mobile genetic elements and evolution of the genomes.

BIOLOGY: Karp's Cell and Molecular Biology: Concepts and Experiments, Gerald Karp; Janet Iwasa; Wallace Marshall.

- Basic Genetics: Definitions of Key Terms: gene, locus, allele, genotype, phenotype, haplotype, homozygous, heterozygous, haploid, diploid, dominance, recessivity, codominance, mutation, polymorphism
- Principles of Genetic Transmission: Mendel's Genetic Hypothesis, The Monohybrid and Dihybrid Crosses, Segregation in Human Pedigrees, Blood groups Genetics
- Monogenic Inheritance Models: Autosomal inheritance,Autosomal recessive inheritance, X-linked inheritance
- Genetic Risk calculation and pedigrees analyses. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
- Chromosomes: Structure and Analysis, Chromosomes Pathologies
- Genomic Imprinting
- X-chromosome inactivation
- Mitochondrial inheritance: mitochondrial DNA, pattern of inheritance
- Multifactorial Inheritance and Common Diseases: polimorphisms, susceptibility genes, gene-environment interaction, association studies
- Pharmacogenomics and Personalised Medicine
- Genetic tests and Counselling
- Prenatal and postnatal testing
- Examples of genetic diseases: BRCA1 and breast cancer, Cystic fibrosis, dinamic mutations disorders, genes and dental disorder

- Medical Genetics: Lectures in pdf format will be provided to students
- “Medical Genetics” by Lynn Jorde, John Carey, Michael Bamshad. Edited by Elsevier