Ateneo - UPO

During the course the student will participate in lectures in which the following arguments will be illustrated: - the fundamental aspects and requirements of biotechnology applied to obtain secondary metabolites of pharmaceutical interest - problems in obtaining secondary metabolites - the main innovative plant biotechnological techniques such as the culture of plant tissues and plant cells in vitro, production of secondary metabolites in vitro, genetic engineering techniques. The topics covered will be supported by examples such as biotechnological production of active ingredients with discussion of advantages and disadvantages.

Biotechnology of natural products Wilfried Schwab, Bernd Markus, Lange Matthias, Wüst Editors Pharmaceutical biotechnology Fundamental and application Daan J. A. Crommelin Robert D. Sindelar Bernd Meibohm Open access pubblications present in the pdf slides of lectures

At the end of the course, students must have acquired the knowledge and terminology necessary to describe the main biotechnological processes applied to the plant and cellular world. They will have to demonstrate competence of their uses in order to obtain secondary metabolites of importance for the pharmaceutical and food industries. Furthermore, students will have to demonstrate that they have developed language skills and correct terminology.

Knowledge of biology

Oral lessons with the use of botanical samples and computer support: slide projection. The slides will be made available to students.

Lectures whose attendance is mandatory as the examination material does not end with the slides alone. Attendance required for the exam admission is 75%. Attendance will be monitored in the classroom. Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

Oral exam with open questions. The subject of questions will be all the material explained in class. In order to achieve the knowledge and skills corresponding to the minimum level of sufficiency, the student is asked to demonstrate: (knowledge) • to know the importance of the bioavailability of a secondary metabolite • to understand the concepts applied to plant biotechnology • to comprehend the main methods of obtaining natural products through innovative biotechnological processes with and to applicate a specific and adequate language. (skills) • understand the best biotechnological approaches applicable to induce resistance, other characteristics or obtain secondary metabolites • demonstrate critical thinking in discussing the advantages and disadvantages of some biotechnological techniques Transversal skills: identify the impacts of processes at the food, industrial and pharmaceutical levels

During the course the student will participate in lectures. During the lessons the theoretical aspects relating to the cultivation of plant tissues, cell suspensions, the techniques of micropropagation and genetic transformation of a plant will be illustrated. The course will be divided as follows: The problem of bioavailability for obtaining secondary metabolites of pharmaceutical relevance Introduction to plant biotechnology. Definition, history, evolution. Traditional biotechnologies: selection, hybridization, crossing and domestication, propagation for the improvement of officinal crops. Transformation of plants. Examples of products obtained from hairy roots cultivation. Innovative biotechnologies: in vitro cultures of plant cells, tissues and organs - related techniques, micropropagation, genetic engineering or recombinant DNA technology - transgenic plants and organisms, cryopreservation of germplasm. Culture of cell suspensions. Cultures in stationary liquid medium, periodic immersion, permanent immersion (suspension cultures): discontinuous, continuous (open or closed), semi-continuous culture, immobilized cell culture. Production of secondary metabolites in vitro. Advantages and disadvantages. Selection of highly productive cell lines. Examples of production of active ingredients and substances of pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical-technological interest. GMOs and current European and national legislation on GMOs. Directives on: releases into the environment, food and feed, traceability and labeling, cross-border movements of GMOs. Precautionary principle. Examples of marketed products and mechanisms of action of introduced exogenous genes: tomato flavr savr, laurical rapeseed oil, freedom II courgette, bollgard cotton, round-up ready soy, corn maximizer and nature gard.

At the end of the course the student will have a good knowledge of the main traditional and innovative biotechnological techniques applied to cell cultures, plants, tissues in order to obtain secondary metabolites of pharmaceutical, industrial and food interest. She/He will understand their main applications, discussing with autonomy about advantages, disadvantages and their needs with a appropriate and specific language.