CFU
8
Length
14 Weeks
Semester DD
Second
Radiation matter-interaction. Vibrational, rotational and electronic properties of molecules.
Spectroscopic techniques aimed at the study of biological macromolecules: UV-vis spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, circular dichroism. Nuclear magnetic resonance and electron paramagnetic resonance.
Optical, electron and atomic force microscopy. Static and dynamic light scattering.
X-ray sources: synchrotrons and free electron lasers. X-ray radiation techniques for the study of biological molecules: X-ray crystallography, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray small and wide angle scattering, coherent X-ray imaging.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The course is aimed at providing an advanced knowledge on laboratory techniques used to study biological systems, including elements taken from recent research activities in Biophysics. The goals include a deep knowledge of the Physics behind the most used laboratory techniques, of the data analysis methods and data interpretation.
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
The students will have to understand and plan laboratory experiments, to be familiar with data analysis techniques, including the appropriate statistical methods, and to put experimenal results in an appropriate biophysical framework.
APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
The students have to be able to perform laboratory experiments on systems of biophysical relevance and to interpret the acquired experimental data.
MAKING JUDGEMENTS:
Gli studenti devono essere in grado di effettuare autonomamente esperimenti e di analizzare e interpretare, anche con l'utilizzo di tecniche computazionali, i risultati degli stessi. Devono inoltre sviluppare la capacità di eseguire ricerche bibliografiche e di selezionare i materiali interessanti sia nell'ambito della letteratura scientifica che nelle banche dati di strutture biologiche. Tali capacità saranno acquisite durante lo svolgimento dell'attività di laboratorio e durante lo studio per la preparazione dell'esame, per il quale dovranno approfondire alcuni argomenti specifici anche con la consultazione di articoli su riviste.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
The students have to learn how to interact with people in a multidisciplinary environment including physicists, chemists, mathematicians and biologists. They have to be able to discuss a research topic in a complete, rigorous and understandable way.
LEARNING SKILLS:
The students have to be able to frame a research topic through an independent analysis. The have to gain the skills necesssary to go on with their studies in a PhD or post-graduate program.