Clinical Biochemistry
A.Y. 2020/2021
Learning objectives
The aim is to educate veterinary medicine students to select appropriate clinical biochemistry and molecular biology methods and to elaborate, interpret and understand the limitation of the test results. For each method described, several examples of plasma biochemical analytes assessed in veterinary practice are provided.
Expected learning outcomes
1) Knowledge and understanding: the student is required to demonstrate knowledge of analytical techniques of clinical chemistry, enzymology, immunochemistry, electrophoresis, chromatography, electrochemistry, atomic spectroscopy and molecular biology. Student is required to demonstrate how to interpret the clinical value of a laboratory test result, how to control the source of error of laboratory's test results and the principle of quality insurance.
2) Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: the student must be able to apply the theoretical knowledge to process an instrumental reading into the concentration of a biochemical diagnostic parameter. The student must be able also to apply the knowledge acqured in convertion between units of measure expressing quantity in clinical biochemistry (w/v, molarity, percentage, ppm, ppb), and in preparing solution and sample dilution.
3) Autonomy of judgment: the student must be able to approach the study of the subject in a reasoned and active way, integratingthe information provided by the teacher and those derived from the recommended textbooks.
4) Communication skills: the student should be able to explain the concepts acquired with appropriate and updated terminology, consistent with the professionalism required by a veterinarian surgeon during lectures, practical lessons and in the open-ended questions of the written exam.
5) Lifelong learning skills. At the end of the course, which integrates theoretical and practical training, the students will acquire skills to tackle the topic of clinical biochemistry laboratory analyses in veterinary medicine in a more critical and autonomous way.
2) Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: the student must be able to apply the theoretical knowledge to process an instrumental reading into the concentration of a biochemical diagnostic parameter. The student must be able also to apply the knowledge acqured in convertion between units of measure expressing quantity in clinical biochemistry (w/v, molarity, percentage, ppm, ppb), and in preparing solution and sample dilution.
3) Autonomy of judgment: the student must be able to approach the study of the subject in a reasoned and active way, integratingthe information provided by the teacher and those derived from the recommended textbooks.
4) Communication skills: the student should be able to explain the concepts acquired with appropriate and updated terminology, consistent with the professionalism required by a veterinarian surgeon during lectures, practical lessons and in the open-ended questions of the written exam.
5) Lifelong learning skills. At the end of the course, which integrates theoretical and practical training, the students will acquire skills to tackle the topic of clinical biochemistry laboratory analyses in veterinary medicine in a more critical and autonomous way.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Teaching methods and program, learning assessment and reference material are those described in the Syllabus and will not change due to the emergency situation. Lessons and practices will be given in classroom at the educational buildings in Lodi. In case of distance learnning, both lessons and practice will be held online on MS-Teams platform.
Course syllabus
1. THEORETICAL TRAINING (40 h)
- Ways of expressing the quantity in clinical biochemistry; International System of Units and conversion of units of measure (w/v, molarity, ppm, ppb, percent). (4h)
- Methods based on radiant energy: basic principles of light transmission, absorption, refraction, diffraction, reflection and production. (3h)
- From the instrument reading to the concentration of the analyte. (3h)
- Clinical chemistry methods. (2h)
- Determination of metabolites by enzymatic methods. (2h)
- Clinical enzymology: enzymatic activity and kinetics; determination of enzymes and isoenzymes in plasma; continuous assays, discontinuous assays, factors to control in assays. (3h)
- Immunochemical techniques: antigen and antibody structures; epitope; antigen and antibody interaction; specificity, affinity and cross-reactivity; immunoprecipitation assays; labelled immunological assays; competitive and sandwich assays; lateral-flow test. (5h)
- Electrophoresis: net charge of biomolecules; net charge electrophoresis; SDS-electrophoresis; isoelectric focusing; Western blot; the electropherogram and its interpretation. (3h)
- Chromatography: general principles; size-exclusion, ion-exchange, reverse phase and affinity chromatography; the chromatogram and its interpretation. (2h)
- Electrochemical techniques: potentiometric measures with ion selective electrodes; amperometric techniques. (1h)
- Atomic spectroscopy: atomic absorption and emission techniques. (1h)
- Molecular biology methods: PCR, analysis of PCR products, RFLP, sequencing. (3h)
- Source of error of laboratory's test result: pre-analytical variability, analytical variability: precision, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, cross-reactivity, species-specificity. Quality control (4h)
- The use of clinical laboratory test in diagnostic: biological variability, reference values; pathognomonic and non-pathognomonic tests; diagnostic sensitivity and specificity; prevalence; positive and negative predictive values. (4h)
2. PRACTICAL TRAINING (16h)
- Exercises on conversion units of measure (w/v, molarity, percentage, ppm, ppb), and on preparing solution and dilution. (10h, class room)
- Application of laboratory technique to quantify biomolecules in samples. (2h, biochemistry laboratory)
- Laboratory mathematics: elaboration of raw data from quantitative assays of biomarkers and graphical representation of clinical biochemistry results (eg: sandwich and competitive ELISA). (4h, computer laboratory)
- Ways of expressing the quantity in clinical biochemistry; International System of Units and conversion of units of measure (w/v, molarity, ppm, ppb, percent). (4h)
- Methods based on radiant energy: basic principles of light transmission, absorption, refraction, diffraction, reflection and production. (3h)
- From the instrument reading to the concentration of the analyte. (3h)
- Clinical chemistry methods. (2h)
- Determination of metabolites by enzymatic methods. (2h)
- Clinical enzymology: enzymatic activity and kinetics; determination of enzymes and isoenzymes in plasma; continuous assays, discontinuous assays, factors to control in assays. (3h)
- Immunochemical techniques: antigen and antibody structures; epitope; antigen and antibody interaction; specificity, affinity and cross-reactivity; immunoprecipitation assays; labelled immunological assays; competitive and sandwich assays; lateral-flow test. (5h)
- Electrophoresis: net charge of biomolecules; net charge electrophoresis; SDS-electrophoresis; isoelectric focusing; Western blot; the electropherogram and its interpretation. (3h)
- Chromatography: general principles; size-exclusion, ion-exchange, reverse phase and affinity chromatography; the chromatogram and its interpretation. (2h)
- Electrochemical techniques: potentiometric measures with ion selective electrodes; amperometric techniques. (1h)
- Atomic spectroscopy: atomic absorption and emission techniques. (1h)
- Molecular biology methods: PCR, analysis of PCR products, RFLP, sequencing. (3h)
- Source of error of laboratory's test result: pre-analytical variability, analytical variability: precision, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, cross-reactivity, species-specificity. Quality control (4h)
- The use of clinical laboratory test in diagnostic: biological variability, reference values; pathognomonic and non-pathognomonic tests; diagnostic sensitivity and specificity; prevalence; positive and negative predictive values. (4h)
2. PRACTICAL TRAINING (16h)
- Exercises on conversion units of measure (w/v, molarity, percentage, ppm, ppb), and on preparing solution and dilution. (10h, class room)
- Application of laboratory technique to quantify biomolecules in samples. (2h, biochemistry laboratory)
- Laboratory mathematics: elaboration of raw data from quantitative assays of biomarkers and graphical representation of clinical biochemistry results (eg: sandwich and competitive ELISA). (4h, computer laboratory)
Prerequisites for admission
The exam of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (1st year) has to be passed before sitting the exam of Clinical Biochemistry.
The exam of Clinical Biochemistry is propaedeutic (barrier exam) to that of Veterinary Medical Semiotics and Legal Medicine (4th year).
The exam of Clinical Biochemistry is propaedeutic (barrier exam) to that of Veterinary Medical Semiotics and Legal Medicine (4th year).
Teaching methods
The course (6 CFU) is organized in class lectures (5 CFU - 40 hours) and practical training (1 CFU - 16 hours). Lectures are dedicated to core knowledge of theory and practice of clinical biochemistry and clinical molecular biology methods used in in veterinary diagnostic laboratories. Practice in classroom (all students together), laboratory (groups of two students) and computer room (single student) are dedicated to develop skills in experimental techniques and calculations routinely used in clinical laboratories.
Teaching Resources
- Power point handouts and lecture notes on ARIEL [https://vborromeobcv.ariel.ctu.unimi.it/v5/home/Default.aspx]
- Study books
Biochimica clinica, 2° edizione (2000), Luigi Spandrio, Edizioni Sorbona. Prima Parte (Biochimica Clinica Generale)
- For further study:
Metodologia biochimica - Keith Wilson e John Walker, 5° edizione - Eds Italiana Pilone e Pollegioni, Raffaello Cortina Editore (2006). Clinical biochemistry of domestic animals, 6° edizione (2008), Kaneko JJ, Academic press.
Clinical biochemistry of domestic animals, 6° edizione (2008), Kaneko JJ, Academic press.
- Study books
Biochimica clinica, 2° edizione (2000), Luigi Spandrio, Edizioni Sorbona. Prima Parte (Biochimica Clinica Generale)
- For further study:
Metodologia biochimica - Keith Wilson e John Walker, 5° edizione - Eds Italiana Pilone e Pollegioni, Raffaello Cortina Editore (2006). Clinical biochemistry of domestic animals, 6° edizione (2008), Kaneko JJ, Academic press.
Clinical biochemistry of domestic animals, 6° edizione (2008), Kaneko JJ, Academic press.
Assessment methods and Criteria
- There are 8 exam session, taking place in: January, February, April, June, July, September, October, November / December. Two extra exam sessions only for students enrolled in supplementary years take place in March and May.
- To take the exam it is compulsory to register trough the SIFA online service (N.B.: registration closes 3 days before the exam date) and the propaedeutic exams must have been passed.
- The final examination is a written test followed by a short optional interview.
- The written test consists of three sections: (A) sixteen multiple choice and/or completion type questions on theory and practice of analytical methods commonly used in veterinary diagnostics laboratories; (B) two open-ended questions on theory and practice of analytical methods commonly used in veterinary diagnostics laboratories, and in which the student must demonstrate to be able to process the instrumental reading to obtain a diagnostic value; (C) five calculation questions, i.e. exercise conversion between units of measurement, preparation of solutions and dilutions, enzyme activity measure, simple calculations to transform an instrument reading into the concentration of the analyte.
- Examination rate. Section A (12 points): 0,75 points for a correct answer, 0,4 points for each partially correct answer, zero points for a wrong answer. Section B (12 points): six points maximum each answer. Section C (6 points): 1,2 points for each correct answer, 0,6 point for each partially correct answer, zero points for each wrong answer.
- The interview is optional and aimed to discuss possible misinterpretation of the answers by the teacher.
- The written exam can be viewed by the student at the oral exam or at any time by appointment via email.
- To take the exam it is compulsory to register trough the SIFA online service (N.B.: registration closes 3 days before the exam date) and the propaedeutic exams must have been passed.
- The final examination is a written test followed by a short optional interview.
- The written test consists of three sections: (A) sixteen multiple choice and/or completion type questions on theory and practice of analytical methods commonly used in veterinary diagnostics laboratories; (B) two open-ended questions on theory and practice of analytical methods commonly used in veterinary diagnostics laboratories, and in which the student must demonstrate to be able to process the instrumental reading to obtain a diagnostic value; (C) five calculation questions, i.e. exercise conversion between units of measurement, preparation of solutions and dilutions, enzyme activity measure, simple calculations to transform an instrument reading into the concentration of the analyte.
- Examination rate. Section A (12 points): 0,75 points for a correct answer, 0,4 points for each partially correct answer, zero points for a wrong answer. Section B (12 points): six points maximum each answer. Section C (6 points): 1,2 points for each correct answer, 0,6 point for each partially correct answer, zero points for each wrong answer.
- The interview is optional and aimed to discuss possible misinterpretation of the answers by the teacher.
- The written exam can be viewed by the student at the oral exam or at any time by appointment via email.
BIO/12 - CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY - University credits: 6
Practicals: 16 hours
Lessons: 40 hours
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Borromeo Vitaliano
Shifts:
Professor:
Borromeo Vitaliano
Turno 1 per tutti gli studenti
Professor:
Borromeo VitalianoTurno 2 per un gruppo di studenti
Professor:
Borromeo VitalianoTurno 3 per un gruppo di studenti
Professor:
Borromeo VitalianoProfessor(s)
Reception:
Every day, by appointment
Lodi or online on Teams