Molecular diagnostic and therapy
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The Course intends to provide students with a strong background on the molecular pathogenesis of inherited neurological disorders, with emphasis on the diagnostic approaches and the most innovative therapeutic strategies. In line with this, student will also study the most recent neuroimaging approaches in different pre-clinical and clinical settings. Finally, the course contains a module of neuropsychopharmacology that will provide the pharmacological bases for the treatment of all neurological and psychiatric disorders described during the entire curriculum.
Expected learning outcomes
Students will learn about how to use biotechnological approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of inherited neurological disorders and the physical bases and possible applications of the most important imaging techniques for the study of CNS (MRI, fMRI, PET/SPET). They will learn about the rational use of drugs in neurology and psychiatry on the basis of their molecular and cellular mechanisms of action.
Lesson period: Third trimester
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
Third trimester
Course syllabus
Radiology:
MRI:
Principles and methods that underpin Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
MRI methodology, and the molecular basis for endogenous contrasts.
Anatomical Imaging and MRI.
Advanced applications: fMRI, Diffusion weighted imaging, Perfusion studies, Spectroscopy.
Clinical example for different pathologies.
Nuclear based techniques:
Principles and methods of single photon emission tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET) imaging procedures.
The course will include a description of the most important and innovative radiopharmaceuticals for Nuclear Medicine in CNS imaging
studies as well as the importance of quality control involved in clinical molecular imaging.
Image analysis methods will be presented with particular attention to Statistical Parametric Mapping.
Examples in different clinical pathologies will be presented.
Neurology :
Molecular basis of inherited neurological disorders, including motor neuron diseases and metabolic encephalopathies.
Genetics of spinal muscular atrophies, SMN-related SMA, Spinal muscular atrophies with respiratory distress, Progressive myoclonic epilepsy-SMA and others.
Genetics of familial Amyotrohic Lateral Sclerosis and overlap with Fronto-Temporal Dementia.
Mendelian and matrilinear genetics of mitochondrial encephalomyopathies.
Disorders of glucose and glycogen metabolism affecting brain and skeletal muscle.
Principles and application of gene therapy to recessive inherited disorders.
Oligonucleotide and small molecule therapies for neurological disorders.
Pharmacology:
Pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia
Pharmacological treatment of autism spectrum disorder
Pharmacological treatment of epilepsy
Pharmacological treatment of mood disorders
Pharmacological treatment of Parkinson's disease
Pharmacological treatment of Alzheimer's disease
Applied Biology:
Modeling the blood-brain barrier in drug discovery and development.
Strategies for the delivery of drug to the Central Nervous System
Nanocarriers as drug delivery devices to cross the blood-brain barrier.
MRI:
Principles and methods that underpin Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
MRI methodology, and the molecular basis for endogenous contrasts.
Anatomical Imaging and MRI.
Advanced applications: fMRI, Diffusion weighted imaging, Perfusion studies, Spectroscopy.
Clinical example for different pathologies.
Nuclear based techniques:
Principles and methods of single photon emission tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET) imaging procedures.
The course will include a description of the most important and innovative radiopharmaceuticals for Nuclear Medicine in CNS imaging
studies as well as the importance of quality control involved in clinical molecular imaging.
Image analysis methods will be presented with particular attention to Statistical Parametric Mapping.
Examples in different clinical pathologies will be presented.
Neurology :
Molecular basis of inherited neurological disorders, including motor neuron diseases and metabolic encephalopathies.
Genetics of spinal muscular atrophies, SMN-related SMA, Spinal muscular atrophies with respiratory distress, Progressive myoclonic epilepsy-SMA and others.
Genetics of familial Amyotrohic Lateral Sclerosis and overlap with Fronto-Temporal Dementia.
Mendelian and matrilinear genetics of mitochondrial encephalomyopathies.
Disorders of glucose and glycogen metabolism affecting brain and skeletal muscle.
Principles and application of gene therapy to recessive inherited disorders.
Oligonucleotide and small molecule therapies for neurological disorders.
Pharmacology:
Pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia
Pharmacological treatment of autism spectrum disorder
Pharmacological treatment of epilepsy
Pharmacological treatment of mood disorders
Pharmacological treatment of Parkinson's disease
Pharmacological treatment of Alzheimer's disease
Applied Biology:
Modeling the blood-brain barrier in drug discovery and development.
Strategies for the delivery of drug to the Central Nervous System
Nanocarriers as drug delivery devices to cross the blood-brain barrier.
Prerequisites for admission
The student has to pass the 6 common exams of the first two quarters.
Teaching methods
Teachers give lectures for 6 ECTS (42 hours), using PPT presentations which are available for the students
Teaching Resources
Students will receive pdf files of the presentations used during the lectures. Moreover review articles will be available on the different topics. Text books will be suggested.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Oral test. The evaluation parameters concern the completeness of the knowledge, the capacity for critical reasoning and the appropriateness in the use of specialized vocabulary.
Applied Biology
BIO/13 - EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY - University credits: 1
Lessons: 7 hours
Professor:
Francolini Maura
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
Francolini Maura
Neurology
MED/26 - NEUROLOGY - University credits: 2
Lessons: 14 hours
Professor:
Ronchi Dario
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
Ronchi Dario
Pharmacology
BIO/14 - PHARMACOLOGY - University credits: 2
Lessons: 14 hours
Professors:
Antonucci Flavia, Molteni Raffaella
Shifts:
Radiology
MED/36 - IMAGING AND RADIOTHERAPY - University credits: 1
Lessons: 7 hours
Professor:
Ottobrini Luisa
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
Ottobrini LuisaProfessor(s)
Reception:
Please contact [email protected] to schedule a meeting
Via Vanvitelli, 32 - 20129 Milano Dept. Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine