This version of the course guide is provisional until the period for editing the new course guides ends.

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Advances in Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Pathology

Code: 42886 ECTS Credits: 9
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Bioquímica, Biología Molecular y Biomedicina OP 1

Contact

Name:
Francisco Blanco Vaca
Email:
francisco.blanco@uab.cat

Teachers

Josefina Mora Brugues
Roser Ferrer Costa
(External) Alvaro García Osuna
(External) Edgar Zapico Muñiz
(External) Francisco Illana Cámara
(External) Joan Carles Escolà Gil
(External) José Luis Sánchez Quesada
(External) José Manuel Soria Fernandez
(External) Leonor Guiñón
(External) Madalina Nicoleta Nan
(External) Mireia Tondo Colomer
(External) Noemi Rotllan Vila

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

1) Having the Degree, preferably in Life Sciences and Health (Biomedicine, Biochemistry, Genetics, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, etc.)
 
2) Good level of Spanish, and English. Spanish will be used as we do have students from other parts of Spain and South America. English will be used for sure for reading scientific information.

Objectives and Contextualisation

The main objective of the module is reviewing the progress recently made by the specialiality of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Pathology. It is intended, therefore, that students visualize this using examples, that are not intended to be exhaustive. The goal is that they understand how some applications in this area of Laboratory Medicine were generated and applied. The contents will be selected among those advances which, although recent, have proven of practical importance. The theoretical instruction is supplemented by expert seminars, discussion of articles and resolution of clinical cases.


Learning Outcomes

  1. CA20 (Competence) Devise projects associated with the emerging challenges for clinical biochemistry and molecular pathology in industry and medicine.
  2. CA21 (Competence) Work as a team to address and solve problems and case studies associated with emerging challenges in clinical biochemistry and molecular pathology.
  3. KA28 (Knowledge) Identify advances in molecular biology techniques for application in the clinical laboratory and in the biochemical diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases in emergency contexts.
  4. KA29 (Knowledge) Enumerate advances in the biochemical study of renal function in lipoprotein metabolism, dyslipidemia and arteriosclerosis.
  5. KA30 (Knowledge) Identify current issues in molecular biology research within the fields of clinical biochemistry and molecular pathology.
  6. SA28 (Skill) Relate scientific and technological knowledge acquired in the fields of clinical biochemistry to molecular pathology.
  7. SA29 (Skill) Correctly apply the biochemical and genetic analyses that are performed in clinical laboratories based on their characteristics and special requirements.

Content

M9   Dia
     
PRESENTATION. POTENTIAL ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL OUTCOMES IN CLIN BIOCH AND MOL PATHOL F. Blanco  Oct 28
UPDATE EN LIPIDS AND LIPOPROTEINS (topic 1) F. Blanco  Oct 30
STANDARDIZATION AND QUALITY (topic 2) F. Canalias Nov 6
Standardization and quality F. Canalias Nov 6
Standardization and quality (questions relative to topic 2) F. Canalias
Nov 8
SEMINAR I. Mass spectrometry: bases annd clinical applications E. Zapico Nov 11
INBORN ERRORS OF METABOLISM (topic 3) M. Tondo Nov 13
CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY OF THE ADRENAL CORTEX (topic 4) R. Ferrer Nov 15
PRENATAL SCREENING (topic 5). Questions relative to topics 3, 4 and 5 (second part) J. Mora Nov 18
ONCOLOGY (topic 6):  Diagnosis of inherired cancer / Detection of plasma free tumoral DNA F. Illana Nov 20
ONCOLOGY: Tumor Markers. Discussion of clinical cases and/or papers, questions relative to topic 6 J. Mora Nov 22
BIOCHEMICAL MARKERS OF CARDIAC DAMAGE (topic 7). Biochemical diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. Biochemical diagnosis of heart failure   A. García Nov 25
SEMINARS II-III. Animal models animals of arteriosclerosis  / Molecular and Cellular Biology of arteriosclerosis  J.C. Escolà / J.L. Sánchez Nov 27
SEMINARS IV-V- MicroRNAs en cardiovascular research / Questions relative to topics 1, 7 and seminars (second part) N. Rotllan / F. Blanco Nov 29
BIOCHEMICAL DIAGNOSIS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND OTHER NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES (topic 8). M. Tondo Dec 9
CLOSING CONFERENCE: Molecular bases of complex diseases J.M. Soria Dec 11
Presentation of scientific papers or clinical cases by the alumni F. Blanco/J. Mora Dec 13
Presentation of scientific papers or clinical cases by the alumni F. Blanco / J. Mora Dec 16

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
theoretical lessons, seminars, aula practicum: 45 h 7.5 0.3
theoretical lessons, seminars, aula practicum: 45 h 15 0.6
theoretical lessons, seminars, aula practicum: 45 h 22.5 0.9
Type: Supervised      
Study of clinical cases and reading scientific papers for class discussion: 67.5 h 67.5 2.7
Type: Autonomous      
Study: 106.5 h 106.5 4.26

Methodology includes autonomous activities (studying: 106.5 h), supervised activities (study of clinical cases and reading scientific papers for class discussion: 67.5 h) and directed activities (theoretical lessons, seminars, aula practicum: 45 h).

 

 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Attendance and active participation in classes 30% 0 0 CA20, CA21, KA28, KA29, KA30, SA28, SA29
Oral presentation of projects or clinical cases 40% 4 0.16 CA20, CA21, KA28, KA29, KA30, SA28, SA29
Presentation of homework and reports, small exams of short questions (in writing) 30% 2 0.08 CA20, CA21, KA28, KA29, KA30, SA28, SA29

Unique evaluation will not be applied.

The continous evaluation process must include a minimum of three evaluation activities, of two different types, distributed throughout the course, none of which can represent more than 50% of the final grade

The evaluation will be based on: oral presentation of projects or clinical cases analysis (40% of the grade), presentation of small works and reports, as well as the answer to short exams (30% of the grade) and attendance to class and active participation (30 % of the grade)

Students who do not perform both theoretical and practical tests will be considered as "not presented", therrefore exhausting the rights of the registration.

If plagiarism is detected in any of the works delivered, this may mean that the student suspends the entire module or subject.

 

PROOF OF RECOVERY AND QUALIFICATION OF NOT EVALUABLE

To participate in exam recovery, students must have been previously evaluated in a set of activities, whose weight equals a minimum of 2/3 parts of the total grade of the subject or module. Therefore, the students will obtain a "Not Evaluable" qualification when the evaluation activities carried out have a weight lower than 67% of the final grade.

 


Bibliography

TEXTBOOKS:

1) Tietz texbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics. Burtis CA, Ashwood ER, Bruns DE eds. Elsevier, 2014.

2) Molecular Basis of Inherited Disease. Valle, Beaudet, Vogelstein et al. Saunders 2001 (digital edition with timely actualization: https://ommbid.mhmedical.com/ommbid-index.aspx).

 

SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS (Some of these journals allow public or limited access through intenet, or through the UAB website*): 

1) Clinical Chemistry. http://search.ebscohost.com/direct.asp?db=ccm&jid=%2210CS%22&scope=site

2) Clinica Chimica Acta, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00098981

3) Clinical Biochemistry, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00099120

4) Circulation, http://ovidsp.ovid.com/ovidweb.cgi?T=JS&MODE=ovid&NEWS=n&PAGE=toc&D=ovft&AN=00003017-000000000-00000

5) Blood, https://ashpublications.org/blood/issue-covers/volume/

6) Journal of Lipid Research, http://www.jlr.org/

7) New England Journal of Medicine, http://www.nejm.org/

8) Lancet, http://search.ebscohost.com/direct.asp?db=ccm&jid=%22LAN%22&scope=site

9) Journal of Clinical Investigation, http://www.jci.org/

1) Cell Metabolism, http://www.cell.chttp://www.jci.orgom/cell-metabolism/redirectUrl/

12) Nature Medicine, http://www.nature.com/nm/index.html

14) Cancer Research, http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/

*For more information, go to the digital UAB library M9 page: https://catalegclassic.uab.cat/search~S1*spi?/pBLANCO+VACA%2C+FRANCISCO/pblanco+vaca+francisco/-3%2C-1%2C0%2CB/frameset&FF=pblanco+vaca+francisco&5%2C%2C5

 

SCIENTIFIC CLINICAL LABORATORY SOCIETY WEBSITES:

1) American Association for Clinical Chemistry, www.aacc.org

2) Associació Catalana de Ciències de Laboratori Clínic, www.acclc.cat

3) International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, www.ifcc.org

4) Sociedad española de Química Clínica y Patología Molecular, www.seqc.es


Software

No especific software is used


Groups and Languages

Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAULm) Classroom practices (master) 1 Spanish annual afternoon
(SEMm) Seminars (master) 1 Spanish annual afternoon
(TEm) Theory (master) 1 Spanish annual afternoon