Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

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.

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.