Unit INTERACTIONS BETWEEN BIO/NANOMETERS AND LIVING MATTER

MOLECULAR TRANSLATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

Code	A002648
CFU	6
Teacher	Sabata Martino
Teachers	Sabata Martino
Hours	57 ore - Sabata Martino
Learning activities	Caratterizzante
Area	Discipline biologiche
Sector	BIO/10
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction	Italian
Contents	Innovative biotechnologies for : (i) the study of the basic molecular mechanisms and molecular basis of pathologies; (ii) the development of translational systems to produce support tools for the diagnosis and therapy of pathologies and for industrial applications.
Reference texts	Educational sources provided by the teacher Electronic sources (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/; https://www.uniprot.org/blast/; https://scholar.google.com/)
Educational objectives	To enable them to link molecules structure and function with complex biological mechanisms and their translational applications (epigenetic mechanisms; gene editing; gene therapy; tissue engineering). To provide them with the basic knowledge of the experimental tools that make modern advances in scientific research possible.
Prerequisites	Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Cellular Biology
Teaching methods	Lectures will be made by using slides and movies. Some lessons could be dedicated to innovative issues also proposed by students, with the involvement of students themselves. Practical lessons (3 CFU) will be held in the laboratory and will focus on basic methodologies such as transfection of nucleic acids on host cells and analysis of recombinant proteins by immunofluorescence. Preparation of biohybrid systems with stem cells and biomaterials and evaluation of biological effects.
Other information	It is planned a tutorial activity during the course and for students who request help for the preparation of the exam. The student reception dates are available on the teacher's personal website.
Learning verification modality	Oral examination. The exam evaluation will be given by the average of the grade of the two modules. The exam questions will cover the entire program. For information on support services for students with disabilities and / or SLD, visit the page http://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa
Extended program	Basic molecular mechanisms as a substrate for the development of applied biotechnologies with particular reference to applications in industry. Epigenetics and Epitrascriptomics; Regulation of gene expression. MicroRNA; long non-coding-RNA; EC-RNA. Molecular Mechanism of Gene Reprogramming. Stem cells and biomedical applications. Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells. Gene therapy. CRISPR molecular system. Tissue engineering: applications of stem cells and polymeric biomaterials and nanocomposites for the generation of artificial tissues. Basic biotechnologies such as transfection of nucleic acids on host cells and analysis by immunofluorescence of the recombined proteins produced with the previous technique. Preparation of biohybrid systems with stem cells and biomaterials and evaluation of biological effects.
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile	The course provides basic laboratory skills aimed at improving skills in the health and environmental sectors.

APPLIED NANOTECHNOLOGIES

Code	A005471
CFU	6
Teacher	Loredana Latterini
Teachers	Alessio Cesaretti (Codocenza)
Hours	57 ore (Codocenza) - Alessio Cesaretti
Learning activities	Caratterizzante
Area	Discipline chimiche e chimico-industriali
Sector	CHIM/02
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction	Italian
Contents	Nanoaggregation and self-assembly: formation of nanoaggregates, self-assembly processes, and colloidal stability. Nano-bio interfaces: protein corona, interactions with biological membranes, and cellular internalization mechanisms. Excited states in aggregated materials: photophysical properties emerging from molecular aggregation, including Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE), Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), Two-Photon Absorption (TPA), and Singlet Fission. Biological applications: bioimaging, Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), Photothermal Therapy (PTT), and theranostic approaches. Interactions with biological systems: passive targeting and delivery of functionalized nanosystems, including stimuli-responsive nanoparticles. Natural biological nanomaterials: Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) and biomimetic nanosystems. Characterization techniques: Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), ¿-potential analysis, Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA), and Tunable Resistive Pulse Sensing (TRPS).
Reference texts	Teaching material provided by the lecturer. To learn more about the topics covered during the lessons, selected scientific papers and review articles will be provided during the course.
Educational objectives	The course aims to provide advanced knowledge on the physicochemical properties of bionanomaterials and on the mechanisms governing their interactions with biological systems. Particular emphasis will be placed on self-assembly and nanoaggregation processes, on the emerging photophysical properties of aggregated materials, and on their applications in bioimaging, photoinduced therapies, and theranostics. The course will enable students to acquire both theoretical and practical skills in the design, characterization, and application of functional nanosystems for biomedical and biotechnological applications, with particular focus on photoactive organic materials and biomimetic nanomaterials.
Prerequisites	Basic knowledge of general chemistry, physical chemistry, biochemistry, and cell biology is required. Fundamental notions of spectroscopy and molecular photophysics are also recommended.
Teaching methods	The course consists of lectures and laboratory activities. Lectures will be delivered through multimedia presentations and discussion of case studies and scientific literature. Laboratory activities will be carried out in the Photophysics and Photochemistry laboratories of the Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology (Via Elce di Sotto, Perugia) and will include practical sessions on the preparation and characterization of organic nanoaggregates, the use of colloidal characterization techniques (DLS and ¿-potential), as well as the acquisition and interpretation of spectroscopic data related to photoactive nanosystems.
Other information	The teacher is available to discuss with the students via email or by scheduling a meeting on the Microsoft Teams platform.
Learning verification modality	Learning outcomes will be assessed through an oral examination aimed at evaluating the understanding of the theoretical principles covered during the course, the ability to connect different topics, and the knowledge acquired during laboratory activities. The assessment will evaluate the student's command of scientific terminology, critical reasoning skills, and ability to interpret experimental data and results.
Extended program	The course provides an overview of the fundamental principles governing the interactions between bionanomaterials and biological systems, with particular emphasis on functional organic nanomaterials and their emerging photophysical properties. Nanoaggregation and self-assembly. Formation of nanoaggregates through self-assembly processes. Emergent properties of matter at the nanoscale. Colloidal stability, aggregation and disaggregation phenomena. Electrostatic and steric stabilization of nanosystems. Preparation methods for organic nanoparticles. Nano-bio interfaces. Interactions between nanomaterials and biological fluids. Protein corona and biomolecular corona. Interactions with biological membranes. Main cellular internalization pathways and intracellular trafficking. Influence of surface properties on the biological behaviour of nanosystems. Excited states in aggregated materials. Fundamentals of molecular photophysics and photoinduced processes. Emergent properties associated with molecular aggregation. Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE) and Aggregation-Caused Quenching (ACQ). Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). Two-Photon Absorption (TPA). Intermolecular singlet fission and related processes. Relationships between supramolecular organization and excited-state dynamics. Biological applications of photoactive bionanomaterials. Fluorescent nanosystems for bioimaging. Optical probes and imaging strategies in biological environments. Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) and Photothermal Therapy (PTT). Theranostic systems integrating diagnosis and therapy. Reactive oxygen species generation and photon-to-heat conversion processes. Interactions with biological systems and targeting. Principles of nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery. Passive and active targeting strategies. Surface functionalization approaches. Biodistribution of nanosystems and biological barrier crossing. Stimuli-responsive nanoparticles, including pH-responsive nanomaterials. Natural biological nanomaterials. Extracellular Vesicles (EVs): classification, biogenesis and role in intercellular communication. EVs as biological nanocarriers. Biomimetic and hybrid nanosystems. Characterization techniques. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), ¿-potential measurements, Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA), and Tunable Resistive Pulse Sensing (TRPS). Spectroscopic techniques for the characterization of photoactive nanosystems. Laboratory activities. Practical activities will be carried out in the Photophysics and Photochemistry laboratories of the Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology (Via Elce di Sotto, Perugia). Laboratory sessions will include the preparation and characterization of organic nanoaggregates, measurements of particle size and colloidal stability by DLS and ¿-potential, acquisition and interpretation of absorption and emission spectra, investigation of Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE) phenomena, and processing and discussion of experimental data related to nanosystems for bioimaging and theranostic applications.
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile	3