Environmental stress and food chain: molecular approaches
A.A. 2024/2025
Obiettivi formativi
General aims:
The Course is divided into four teaching units and has the main objective of illustrating to students, through general concepts and analytical technologies, some paradigmatic examples relating to the impact of environmental stress on food-producing animals, with reflections on the biological dynamics and the relationship between parasites and their respective hosts, and on the food assessment processes.
Aims of the Teaching Units:
TEACHING UNIT: "Host-parasite dynamics in a changing environment"
The Unit aims to provide a comprehensive view of the effects of environmental changes on host-parasite relationships assuming a well known food-producing animal, the honeybee, as a reference model for sustainable, environmental-driven livestock production.
TEACHING UNIT: "Authenticity and quality issues in animal food products"
The Unit aim is to provide student knowledge in analytical techniques for food authenticity and quality.
TEACHING UNIT: "Environmental proteomics"
The unit aims to understand how organisms respond to environmental stress at the molecular level through an integrated omic approach. The course provides examples of proteomic approaches to study changes in protein abundance and post-translational modifications in response to environmental stressors.
TEACHING UNIT: " High Resolution Mass Spectrometry approaches toward environmental risks detection involved in food safety "
The Unit aims to provide the main knowledge in the field of inspections in relation to the Community reference standards and national transpositions (National Residual Plan) for quality analysis, certification, fraud and food safety in production chains of food of animal origin. The course provides the theoretical bases and practical applications of the main new techniques to protect food safety along food chain of food of animal origin
The Course is divided into four teaching units and has the main objective of illustrating to students, through general concepts and analytical technologies, some paradigmatic examples relating to the impact of environmental stress on food-producing animals, with reflections on the biological dynamics and the relationship between parasites and their respective hosts, and on the food assessment processes.
Aims of the Teaching Units:
TEACHING UNIT: "Host-parasite dynamics in a changing environment"
The Unit aims to provide a comprehensive view of the effects of environmental changes on host-parasite relationships assuming a well known food-producing animal, the honeybee, as a reference model for sustainable, environmental-driven livestock production.
TEACHING UNIT: "Authenticity and quality issues in animal food products"
The Unit aim is to provide student knowledge in analytical techniques for food authenticity and quality.
TEACHING UNIT: "Environmental proteomics"
The unit aims to understand how organisms respond to environmental stress at the molecular level through an integrated omic approach. The course provides examples of proteomic approaches to study changes in protein abundance and post-translational modifications in response to environmental stressors.
TEACHING UNIT: " High Resolution Mass Spectrometry approaches toward environmental risks detection involved in food safety "
The Unit aims to provide the main knowledge in the field of inspections in relation to the Community reference standards and national transpositions (National Residual Plan) for quality analysis, certification, fraud and food safety in production chains of food of animal origin. The course provides the theoretical bases and practical applications of the main new techniques to protect food safety along food chain of food of animal origin
Risultati apprendimento attesi
General learning outcomes:
The students are expected to acquire knowledge and analytical skills to interpret the impact of environmental stress in food-producing animals through the biomolecular and chemical analysis of a) changes in the proteome and parasite load in sensitive hosts, and b) indicators of the origin, quality and safety of food of animal origin
Learning outcomes of the Teaching Units:
TEACHING UNIT: "Host-parasite dynamics in a changing environment"
The students are expected: a) to learn the main morphological and molecular techniques to investigate the dynamics of honeybee parasites, and b) to know the effects of environmental changes on parasites relationships with their host through the review of selected case studies
TEACHING UNIT: "Authenticity and quality issues in animal food products"
Expected outcomes concern student capability to approach authenticity issues to specific case studies.
TEACHING UNIT: "Environmental proteomics"
Students will have knowledge on sample preparation, raw data acquisition, post-acquisition data analysis and functional analysis. By integrating proteomic techniques with bioinformatics, students will gain the skills needed to effectively analyze complex multi-omic datasets.
TEACHING UNIT: " High Resolution Mass Spectrometry approaches toward environmental risks detection involved in food safety "
The Unit and its learning outcomes will examine the knowledge of the main analytical techniques used at inspection level in the field of food of animal origin. Learning outcomes will be considered the knowledge of analytical techniques with regard to the reference regulations, executive procedures and interpretation of the data for the purpose of understanding the analytical results usually used for food safety indicators of food of animal origin
The students are expected to acquire knowledge and analytical skills to interpret the impact of environmental stress in food-producing animals through the biomolecular and chemical analysis of a) changes in the proteome and parasite load in sensitive hosts, and b) indicators of the origin, quality and safety of food of animal origin
Learning outcomes of the Teaching Units:
TEACHING UNIT: "Host-parasite dynamics in a changing environment"
The students are expected: a) to learn the main morphological and molecular techniques to investigate the dynamics of honeybee parasites, and b) to know the effects of environmental changes on parasites relationships with their host through the review of selected case studies
TEACHING UNIT: "Authenticity and quality issues in animal food products"
Expected outcomes concern student capability to approach authenticity issues to specific case studies.
TEACHING UNIT: "Environmental proteomics"
Students will have knowledge on sample preparation, raw data acquisition, post-acquisition data analysis and functional analysis. By integrating proteomic techniques with bioinformatics, students will gain the skills needed to effectively analyze complex multi-omic datasets.
TEACHING UNIT: " High Resolution Mass Spectrometry approaches toward environmental risks detection involved in food safety "
The Unit and its learning outcomes will examine the knowledge of the main analytical techniques used at inspection level in the field of food of animal origin. Learning outcomes will be considered the knowledge of analytical techniques with regard to the reference regulations, executive procedures and interpretation of the data for the purpose of understanding the analytical results usually used for food safety indicators of food of animal origin
Periodo: Secondo semestre
Modalità di valutazione: Esame
Giudizio di valutazione: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Corso singolo
Questo insegnamento può essere seguito come corso singolo.
Programma e organizzazione didattica
Edizione unica
Responsabile
Periodo
Secondo semestre
Programma
Course Syllabus:
TEACHING UNIT: "Host-parasite dynamics in a changing environment"
Basic features of honeybee parasites and their impact on colony health and production in conventional farming systems
How honeybee parasites face with natural beekeeping and urban beekeeping, as alternative and highly-sustainable farming systems with specific environmental stressors
Effects on environmental changes on honeybee social immunity mechanisms and related host-parasite interactions: case studies
TEACHING UNIT: "Authenticity and quality issues in animal food products"
Introduction to analytical techniques for food authenticity studies
Specific case research studies on food authenticity and quality concerning method of production (wild or farmed, organic or conventional, intensive or extensive), geographic origin and species of origin of animal food products. Product quality based on sustainable farming system.
TEACHING UNIT: "Environmental proteomics":
The study of the proteome and its applications in the response to environmental stress and
stressors
Sample preparation: protein extraction strategies
Effect of thermal water pollution, harmful algal blooms, heavy metals, and ocean acidification parasitic infestations on animal proteome. Examples of aquatic animal models and honeybees
Protein identification programs: MaxQuant and Perseus
Ontological and pathway classification
Web-based tools available for the creation and networks analysis
Integration with omics data: Exploration of big data concepts
TEACHING UNIT: " High Resolution Mass Spectrometry approaches toward environmental risks detection involved in food safety ":
Description of different environmental risk (such as temperature, pH etc.) related to different food chains: milk and derived products, fish, honey and bee products, toward their incidence and legislative framework (f.e organic food and conventional, EFSA guidelines etc).
Sample preparation protocols suitable for target and untarget analysis and mass spectrometry instrumentation requirements
High Resolution Mass Spectrometry for metabolomic analyses and their fields of application
From mass spectrometric raw data to the detection and quantification of food residues and their metabolites
TEACHING UNIT: "Host-parasite dynamics in a changing environment"
Basic features of honeybee parasites and their impact on colony health and production in conventional farming systems
How honeybee parasites face with natural beekeeping and urban beekeeping, as alternative and highly-sustainable farming systems with specific environmental stressors
Effects on environmental changes on honeybee social immunity mechanisms and related host-parasite interactions: case studies
TEACHING UNIT: "Authenticity and quality issues in animal food products"
Introduction to analytical techniques for food authenticity studies
Specific case research studies on food authenticity and quality concerning method of production (wild or farmed, organic or conventional, intensive or extensive), geographic origin and species of origin of animal food products. Product quality based on sustainable farming system.
TEACHING UNIT: "Environmental proteomics":
The study of the proteome and its applications in the response to environmental stress and
stressors
Sample preparation: protein extraction strategies
Effect of thermal water pollution, harmful algal blooms, heavy metals, and ocean acidification parasitic infestations on animal proteome. Examples of aquatic animal models and honeybees
Protein identification programs: MaxQuant and Perseus
Ontological and pathway classification
Web-based tools available for the creation and networks analysis
Integration with omics data: Exploration of big data concepts
TEACHING UNIT: " High Resolution Mass Spectrometry approaches toward environmental risks detection involved in food safety ":
Description of different environmental risk (such as temperature, pH etc.) related to different food chains: milk and derived products, fish, honey and bee products, toward their incidence and legislative framework (f.e organic food and conventional, EFSA guidelines etc).
Sample preparation protocols suitable for target and untarget analysis and mass spectrometry instrumentation requirements
High Resolution Mass Spectrometry for metabolomic analyses and their fields of application
From mass spectrometric raw data to the detection and quantification of food residues and their metabolites
Prerequisiti
The prerequisites required to pass the exam are the knowledge of the most common laboratory techniques of biochemistry, proteomics and molecular biology, basic knowledge of parasite biology
Metodi didattici
TEACHING UNIT: "Host-parasite dynamics in a changing environment"
Frontal lectures focused on topics dealt with theoretically, and practical exercises focused on morphological, and molecular and computer-assisted imaging methodologies techniques for honeybee parasites monitoring and immune response assessment at the colony level
TEACHING UNIT: "Authenticity and quality issues in animal food products"
Frontal lectures and practical exercises.
TEACHING UNIT: "Environmental proteomics"
Frontal lectures and practical exercises focused on topics dealt with theoretically. The exercises will take place as follows: a bioinformatic search will be performed using the main softwares and databases available and the correct construction of a scientific work will be discussed. This approach will enhance students' skills in both bioinformatics and data science, particularly in handling big data sets.
TEACHING UNIT: " High Resolution Mass Spectrometry approaches toward environmental risks detection involved in food safety ":
High Resolution Mass Spectrometry approaches toward environmental risks detection involved in food safety: frontal lectures and practical exercises focused on topics dealt with theoretically. The practical approach will be used in laboratory in order to acquire he knowledge for sample preparation and purification protocols as well as for high resolution mass spectrometry data management
Frontal lectures focused on topics dealt with theoretically, and practical exercises focused on morphological, and molecular and computer-assisted imaging methodologies techniques for honeybee parasites monitoring and immune response assessment at the colony level
TEACHING UNIT: "Authenticity and quality issues in animal food products"
Frontal lectures and practical exercises.
TEACHING UNIT: "Environmental proteomics"
Frontal lectures and practical exercises focused on topics dealt with theoretically. The exercises will take place as follows: a bioinformatic search will be performed using the main softwares and databases available and the correct construction of a scientific work will be discussed. This approach will enhance students' skills in both bioinformatics and data science, particularly in handling big data sets.
TEACHING UNIT: " High Resolution Mass Spectrometry approaches toward environmental risks detection involved in food safety ":
High Resolution Mass Spectrometry approaches toward environmental risks detection involved in food safety: frontal lectures and practical exercises focused on topics dealt with theoretically. The practical approach will be used in laboratory in order to acquire he knowledge for sample preparation and purification protocols as well as for high resolution mass spectrometry data management
Materiale di riferimento
Teaching material provided in class and available on the Ariel website
Modalità di verifica dell’apprendimento e criteri di valutazione
The written exam is aimed at ascertaining the knowledge and awareness of the topics proposed in the course through multiple-choice questions. Vote expressed out of thirty
AGR/19 - ZOOTECNIA SPECIALE - CFU: 2
BIO/10 - BIOCHIMICA - CFU: 2
VET/04 - ISPEZIONE DEGLI ALIMENTI DI ORIGINE ANIMALE - CFU: 2
VET/06 - PARASSITOLOGIA E MALATTIE PARASSITARIE DEGLI ANIMALI - CFU: 2
BIO/10 - BIOCHIMICA - CFU: 2
VET/04 - ISPEZIONE DEGLI ALIMENTI DI ORIGINE ANIMALE - CFU: 2
VET/06 - PARASSITOLOGIA E MALATTIE PARASSITARIE DEGLI ANIMALI - CFU: 2
Lezioni: 48 ore
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Via dell'Università 6 a Lodi e se a distanza su Teams.
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Ricevimento:
Mercoledì 11.00-12.00
DIVAS - Lodi Via Dell'Università 6
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Su appuntamento, previo contatto via e-mail o Teams
Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali (DIVAS) - via dell'Università 6, Lodi (primo piano)