91063 - Toxicology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student acquires cultural skills useful for the integrated understanding of the problems that contribute to defining the safety profile of drugs and products for human health. In particular, the student: - acquires the skills needed to understand the mechanisms at the biochemical, cellular, molecular, and pathological levels that underlie the toxicity; - is able to understand the ways in which a toxic substance can come into contact with the biological material, the effects of specific organs and apparatuses following exposure, as a cause of both acute and chronic diseases; - obtains a scientific preparation that allows him to address the issues related to the regulatory request for preclinical and clinical evaluation and to the evaluation of risk from drugs and health products, also in relation to adverse reactions due to possible interactions between drugs and other products for health purposes (pharmacovigilance); - is also able to address specific toxicological issues for the food and environmental sectors, based on the principles of health risk characterization associated with xenobiotics.

Course contents

Module 1- General Toxicology. Principles of Toxicology, spectrum of undesired effects; mechanisms of toxicity; dose- response curve. Absorption, distribution, and excretion of toxicants; biotransformation of xenobiotics. Toxicogenetic and toxicogenomic. Gender differences in toxicology. Toxic effects in children. Molecular and cellular aspects of Toxicology. Cell death. Genetic toxicology. Chemical carcinogenesis.

Special toxicology. The process of drug development and regulatory aspects. Safety of new chemical entities and biotech medicines. Risk assessment and risk/benefit evaluation. Chemoprevention of chronic degenerative diseases. Molecular epidemiology.

Module 2- Target organ toxicity .Toxic responses of the liver. Toxic responses of the kidney. Toxic responses of the respiratory system. Toxic responses of the central nervous system. Toxic responses of the reproductive system. Toxic responses of the immune system. Toxic responses of the skin.

Module 3 - Environmental and food toxicology. Food safety. Natural toxins. Pesticides, food additives and residues.Toxic compounds from technologic processes. Heavy metals. Peristant organic pollutants. 

Readings/Bibliography

Lecture files and the notes taken in class are essential for the preparation of the exam.

Students may refer to:

Casarett & Doull's Essentials of Toxicology

Teaching methods

Lectures and seminars.

Assessment methods

The exam will consist in an oral test aimed at assessing the student's understanding and knowledge of the topics set out during the course. The achievement by the student of an organic vision of the issues addressed during the course and the use of an appropriate specific terminology will be assessed with a mark of excellence.

Teaching tools

Overhead projector, PC, blackboard. Slides used during the course will be uploaded at the website https://virtuale.unibo.it/, reserved to students enrolled at this course.

Office hours

See the website of Eleonora Turrini

See the website of Fabio Vivarelli

See the website of Lucia Carboni