Italian and if required by the students the course will be held in English
Course Content
The student will acquire intellectual tools fundamental to reach a critical knowledge of biologically relevant structures (drugs and xenobiotics) and their SARs properties. In particular the student will investigate the interaction of bioorganic molecules with nucleic acids, amino acids and their co- and post-translational modifications, carbohydrates, lipids by seminal papers of medicinal chemistry, to understand the molecular mechanisms of some relevant pathological conditions.
The teacher will provide electronic material and scientific articles.
Learning Objectives
Competences acquired: Organic molecules involved in biological processes.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course): Molecular basis for the future understanding of processes of chemical biology and bioorganic chemistry.
Prerequisites
Courses recommended: General and Inorganic Chemistry and General and Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Organic Chemistry I and II and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I and II.
Teaching Methods
Presentations based on slides. Instructional strategy based on flipped classrooms. Exchange of material via Google Drive.
Further information
In case of lockdown the course will be performed online via Google Meet.
Type of Assessment
Intermediate tests
a) Four scientific articles will be selected from the literature for each subject afforded during the frontal lessons. The student shall prepare a power point presentation to discuss the subjects in the context of the class.
b) Laboratory activity also virtual to learn the following techniques:
i) to characterise biomolecules (drugs and/or xenobiotics) in biological fluids
ii) to test the stability of a drug in biological fluids.
Final oral examination: the student will be asked to answer questions on the subjects afforded during the course.
Course program
Extensive concept of biomolecule: the point of view of drugs and xenobiotics. Role of physico-chemical and structural properties in bioactivity. Concept of peptido-mimetic molecule, selection and use of molecular scaffolds. Chemical bonds involved in the mechanism of action of active ingredients, i.e., pharmaceuticals and xenobiotics (allergens, cosmetics, pollutants, etc.). Role of pharmacokinetics in the mechanism of action of a biomolecule. Distribution pathways and theoretical models to design bioactive molecules. Extension of the concept of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics to the interaction of xenobiotics with biological systems. Chemicals in biological barriers favouring biomolecules transfer. Metabolism. Prodrugs and pro-xenobiotics. Strategies to increase bioavailability and transport mechanisms. Use of macromolecules, i.e., antibodies and their molecular characteristics. Enzymatic inhibitors. Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs and structure-activity relationship studies: molecules involved in pain. Molecular characterisation of receptors to investigate bioactivity. Opioids and chemiotherapeutics. The students will have the opportunity to perform practical tutorials also virtual based on the knowledge acquired during the theoretical classes.