METHODS FOR THE STUDY OF BIOINORGANIC SYSTEMS

Knowledge and Understanding:

Knowledge of techniques for the study of biomolecules and bioinorganic systems.

Applying Knowledge and Understanding:

Ability to apply acquired knowledge to interpret experimental data and propose characterization techniques for biomolecules.

Judgment Skills:

Ability to propose the application of techniques covered during the course for the study of biomolecules. Critical interpretation of experimental data obtained through the characterization techniques discussed in the course.

Communication Skills:

Acquire appropriate terminology in describing the principles and applications of the techniques learned.

Learning Skills:

Develop learning abilities that allow for continued study and further in-depth exploration of the knowledge acquired in the field of biomolecule characterization, independently addressing various interdisciplinary problems.

Information for Students with Disabilities and/or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD):

To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current legislation, interested students may request a personal interview to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on the learning objectives and specific needs.

The course is worth 6 ECTS credits and consists of frontal lectures delivered as follows:

Lectures on theoretical topics and problem-solving sessions on the subjects covered, with active student participation.

• The physical basis of NMR spectroscopy.  Nuclear Angular Moment and magnetic moment. Nuclei in a magnetic field. 
• Basic Principles of the NMR experiment.  The resonance condition. The pulse. Relaxation. Fourier transformation. 
• The Chemical Shift. Nuclear shielding. 
• Coupling. Spin-Spin coupling. Equivalent neighboring nuclei. Dependence of bond angle. 
• Double resonance experiments. Simplification of spectra by selective spin decoupling. NOE. effect.  Decoupling in ¹³C NMR spectra.
• NMR 2D. Basic Principles.  COSY. TOCSY, ETCOR, NOESY e ROESY. 3D and 4D NMR. Exercises.
• Dynamic NMR. Exchange processes.  DOSY.
• MRI. Basic Principles. Contrast agents used in the clinic. 
• EPR.  Physical bases. Application for the study of metalloproteins. 
• Circular dichroism spectroscopy. Physical basis of CD. Selection rules. Exciton coupling. Static and dynamic coupling. Octant rule. CD sepctra of biomolecules. 
• XAS spectroscopy. Physical bases. Application for the study of metalloproteins. 

 This course may be offered in an "English-friendly" format. The course will be taught in Italian, but students participating in an international mobility program will be supported with English-language teaching materials. Exams may be taken in English. The "English-friendly" format will be adopted upon request by students participating in an international mobility program.

The Basics of NMR by J.P. Hornak              Hypertext based NMR course http://www.cis.rit.edu/htbooks/nmr/nmr-main.htm

Horst Friebolin  Basic One- and Two-Dimensional NMR Spectroscopy Wiley.VCH

Alison Rodger, Bengt Nordén Circular Dichroism and Linear Dichroism Oxford University Press

The final exam consists of a written test and an oral test.

The written test consists of mostly open-ended application exercises.

After passing the written test (with a grade of at least 18/30) you can take the oral test, which is based on clarification of the written test and other verification questions.

The final mark takes into account the marks attributed to all the tests.

Grade 30 with honors: The student demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of all the topics covered, showing a fully developed ability to critically correlate various aspects, along with excellent communication skills and language proficiency.

Grade 27–28: The student demonstrates a good knowledge of all the topics covered and presents them clearly using appropriate language.

Grade 25–26: The student has a fair knowledge of all the topics covered, is able to integrate and analyze information with sufficient critical thinking, and expresses themselves more than adequately.

Grade 24–25: The student has a more than sufficient knowledge of all the topics covered, is able to integrate and analyze content with sufficient critical thinking, and expresses themselves more than adequately.

Grade 18–22: The student has a sufficient knowledge of all the topics covered, shows limited ability to critically relate the relevant chemical aspects, and presents topics with acceptable clarity, although language proficiency is poorly developed.

Exam not passed: The student does not demonstrate the minimum required knowledge of the course’s basic content. Their ability to use specific terminology is extremely poor, and they are unable to independently apply the knowledge acquired.