Ateneo - UPO

The course will deal with some of the main topics in Internal Medicine, particularly focusing on those with the highest applicability of medical biotechnologies

For consultation: Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine - 17th edition - New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009.
References on specific topics will be provided during the course.

The aim of the course is to give notions of methodology relating to the main biotechnological applications in Internal Medicine. In particular, the course will transmit skills on the growing role of biotechnology applications both in the diagnostic and in the therapeutic approach to different acute and chronic diseases.

The topics that will be object of the lessons have been selected to give examples of diseases characterized by educational relevance in the description of the diagnostic approach strategies, in the study of pathophysiology and in the therapeutic approach

The course will also show some examples of the development of drugs obtained by recombinant DNA techniques and the development of innovative therapeutic strategies such as stem cell transplantation and gene therapy in different conditions.

The student should possess basic knowledge about the Human Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pharmacology and General Pathology.

The course will consist of frontal lessons, assisted by the supply of materials (slides, papers and reviews) dealing with the topic discussed during the frontal lesson.

The student may request to attend the laboratory of Internal Medicine, with targets to be agreed with the teacher.

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/servicesstudents-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.

The final test will consist of multiple choice quiz: Multiple choice test will consist of 45 questions: 0.75 for each right answer. The minimum threshold for passing the exam is 18/30.
In case of low number of candidates, the exam may be oral

- Introduction to the course
- Physiology of immune system
- Connective tissue diseases: general definitions, systemic sclerosis, Sjogren's syndrome, Systemic lupus Erythematosus, Overlap/UCTD/MCTD; PM/DM
- immunodeficiencies
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: general features, pathogenesis, basis of management, murine models;
- General features of cardiovascular diseases;
- Arterial hypertension;
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus: pathogenesis and basis of treatment;
- The pathophysiology of haemostasis and thrombosis;
- Respiratory diseases: COPD, Pneumonias, lung cancers, cystic fibrosis;
- Gastrointestinal diseases: GE bleeding, IBD;
- Liver: anatomy and physiology; causes of acute and chronic liver damage; liver cirrhosis and its comlications;
- infectious diseases: Covid-19, HIV and AIDS; TBC; sepsis

We expect that the students, at the end of the course, will be able to make easy clinical reasoning, particularly focusing on the potential application of medical biotechnologies to the clinical practice.