Translational medicine and biotechnologies 2 - clinical biochemistry (Clerkship)

The course "Translational Medicine and Biotechnologies 2 - Clerkships Clinical Biochemistry" is designed to introduce the students in the dynamic intersection of clinical laboratory biochemistry and translational medicine. Through the course, the students will have a clear understanding of how biochemical tests guide diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic monitoring and how laboratory information are integrated in real clinical decision-making. The major emphasis will be on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) preparation and advanced analysis using both traditional methods (e.g. fully automated chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer) and the latest technologies, like seed amplification assays (SAA), which are transforming the early and precise diagnosis of neurodegenerative dementias. By identifying tiny traces of misfolded protein biomarkers - like prions, alpha-synuclein, tau, TDP-43, and beta-amyloid - SAAs are revolutionizing our diagnostic capability for prion diseases, alpha-synucleinopathies, tauopathies, and TDP-43 proteinopathies. Students will be also introduced to the discovery of new biomarkers from accessible biological samples like olfactory mucosa, urine, blood, and tear fluid using advanced diagnostic tools like SAA and Single Molecule Array (SIMOA). This clerkship offers an opportunity to bridge the gap between cutting-edge laboratory research and clinical practice, so students can develop the future of personalized medicine.

At the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. Value the fundamental principles of clinical biochemistry and its role in translational medicine.
2. Recognize the role of biochemical testing in supporting diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring in practice.
3. Gain valuable knowledge in how to prepare and deal with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples for laboratory analysis.
4. Familiarize with established and emerging CSF analysis techniques, including completely automated immunoassay systems and novel seed amplification assays (SAA).
5. Understand the molecular mechanism and clinical significance of misfolded protein biomarkers (e.g., prions, alpha-synuclein, tau, TDP-43, beta-amyloid) in neurodegenerative diseases.
6. Discover new diagnostic devices and biological samples for biomarker detection in readily available biological fluids such as olfactory mucosa, blood, urine, and tear fluid.
7. Credit the new use of ultrasensitive technologies, such as SAA and SIMOA, for disease detection at an early stage and for patient stratification.
8. Acknowledge the translational research pipeline of biomarker discovery through to clinical utility, enabling personalized medicine development.