MOLECULAR RECOGNITION AND DESIGN OF BIOACTIVE SYSTEMS FOR LIFE SCIENCES
Academic Year 2026/2027 - Teacher: SERENA RIELACourse Structure
The lecture module is delivered through classroom lectures supported by slides and the discussion of practical examples drawn from recent scientific literature. During the lectures, students will be encouraged to actively participate in discussions through the analysis of case studies concerning the development and use of clay-based materials in biological applications, with particular emphasis on interactions with biomolecules, drug delivery, diagnostics, and biosensors.
The laboratory module will allow students to apply some of the concepts introduced during the lectures through the preparation and/or characterization of simple clay-based systems.
Required Prerequisites
Knowledge of the fundamental concepts of general chemistry and organic chemistry is required.
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
Clay minerals and halloysite nanotubes:
- Definition, origin, and classification of clays.
- 1:1 and 2:1 structures and relevant physicochemical properties.
- Surface charge and ion exchange.
- Halloysite nanotubes: morphology, inner lumen, and distinctive properties.
- Principles of functionalization and loading of bioactive molecules.
- Interactions between clays and biomolecules (proteins, enzymes, nucleic acids, and synthetic analogues).
- Loading and controlled release of bioactive molecules from clays.
- Clays as platforms for biosensors.
- Applications in drug delivery and diagnostics.
Textbook Information
Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to clay minerals. Definition, origin, and classification. 1:1 and 2:1 structures. Main physicochemical properties relevant to biological applications: surface properties, surface charge, ion exchange, and adsorption capacity. (Lecture, 2 hours) | Lecture notes provided by the instructor. |
| 2 | Halloysite nanotubes. Structure and morphology; external surface and inner lumen; distinctive properties. Basic principles of functionalization and molecule loading. (Lecture, 2 hours) | Lecture notes provided by the instructor. |
| 3 | Clays and biomolecules. Interactions with proteins, enzymes, nucleic acids, and synthetic analogues. Adsorption, immobilization, loading, and controlled release of bioactive molecules. (Lecture, 2 hours) | Lecture notes provided by the instructor. |
| 4 | Biological applications. Examples of clay-based systems for drug delivery, diagnostics, and biosensors. Relationship between structure, material properties, and biological function.(Lecture, 1 hour) | Lecture notes provided by the instructor. |
| 5 | Clay preparation and handling. Preparation of dispersions of different clay minerals; observation of their behavior in water and comparison of different materials. (Laboratory activities, 3 hours) | Lecture notes provided by the instructor. |
| 6 | Loading/adsorption of a model molecule. Preparation of a clay–bioactive molecule or clay–model molecule system; separation and qualitative and/or quantitative evaluation of loading. (Laboratory activities, 3 hours) | Lecture notes provided by the instructor. |
| 7 | Characterization of clay-based systems. Use of suitable characterization techniques to compare the pristine clay with the loaded and/or functionalized system (e.g., FT-IR, DLS, ζ-potential). (Laboratory activities, 3 hours) | Lecture notes provided by the instructor. |
| 8 | Release and interpretation of results. Simple release experiment using the loaded molecule and discussion of the results. Correlation between experimental observations and concepts introduced during the lectures. (Laboratory activities, 3 hours) | Lecture notes provided by the instructor. |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
Students will be assessed through a written examination consisting of multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Multiple-choice questions will mainly assess knowledge and understanding of the fundamental concepts, while open-ended questions will also assess the ability to apply acquired knowledge, establish connections among the different topics of the course, interpret the laboratory activities, and use appropriate scientific terminology.
The final assessment will take into account the level of achievement of the expected learning outcomes, in accordance with the Dublin Descriptors.
18–20/30 – Satisfactory: essential knowledge of the course topics; ability to describe fundamental concepts and the main laboratory activities, with limited ability to establish connections and use of simple scientific language.
21–23/30 – Fair: adequate knowledge of the course topics; ability to apply fundamental concepts to simple examples and to interpret the main aspects of the laboratory activities; generally correct presentation.
24–26/30 – Good: good knowledge and understanding of the course topics; ability to establish connections between structure, properties, and biological applications and to correctly interpret the results of laboratory activities; appropriate use of scientific terminology.
27–29/30 – Very good: comprehensive and in-depth knowledge of the course topics; good ability to independently apply acquired knowledge, interpret experimental results, and establish connections among the different topics of the course; clear and rigorous presentation.
30/30 – Excellent: comprehensive and confident knowledge of the course topics; ability to independently apply acquired knowledge and discuss connections between molecular aspects, material properties, and biological function; excellent presentation skills and command of scientific terminology.
30/30 with honours – Outstanding: in addition to the requirements for 30/30, the student demonstrates a high level of integration and independent elaboration of the course contents and the ability to apply acquired knowledge appropriately to simple situations or examples not directly discussed during the course.
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
Briefly describe the structure of halloysite nanotubes and explain why they can be used as carriers for bioactive molecules.
Explain, using an example, how a clay mineral can interact with a biomolecule.
What is meant by the loading and controlled release of a bioactive molecule from a clay-based material?
Why are the surface properties of clay minerals important in biological applications?
During the laboratory activities, you prepared and/or characterized a clay-based system. Briefly describe the aim of the experiment, what you observed, and which property of the material was investigated.