Cell and Molecular Biology

This course is a course for students accepted to the Bachelor in Biomedicine but is also open for single course students who meet the admission requirements

Knowledge in molecular processes that occur in cells is essential for a medical understanding of health and disease, treatments of disease and drug development. The course gives knowledge in the genomic structure of a eukaryotic cell and how gene expression is regulated on all levels from transcription to translation. The students will also gain in-depth knowledge in the structure and function of membranes, transport over membranes, and intracellular vesicle trafficking. The students are also given lectures on the organization and function of intracellular spaces, the structure and function of the cytoskeleton, and the structure and function of membrane contacts used to connect cells with other cells and extracellular matrixes to form tissues. Finally, the students will obtain knowledge in basal mechanisms responsible for cell division, cell death, and cancer.

The students are also introduced into modern molecular biology methods, microscopy and bioinformatics through lectures and a practical laboratory course.

After successful completion of the course, the students will be able to:

Knowledge:

• Describe the structure and function of chromosomal and regulatory elements, gene regulating proteins and protein complexes, and describe concepts and principles behind epigenetic heritage and imprinting.
• Explain how mutations and dysfunctional regulation mechanisms may lead to disease.
• Explain structure and function of the cell membrane, principles of membrane transport, structure and function of intracellular compartments, mechanisms of protein sorting in the cell and intracellular vesicle transport.
• Describe the general principles of cell communication, and give specific examples of signaling pathways from the cell surface to target molecules involving all main types of receptor mediated signaling.
• Describe the organization and main functions of the cytoskeleton, including the structure and function of microtubule, intermediate filaments and actin filaments.
• Describe the structure and function of components of extracellular matrix, and the composition and function of cell contacts like adherens junctions, tight junctions, gap junctions, desmosomes, and hemidesmosomes.
• Describe regulation of cell cycle, the role of cheque points, the role and regulation of cylin dependent kinases and APC/C in cell cycle, and the mechanism for mitogen induced induction of cell cycle.
• Describe morphological changes that occurs under programmed cell death (apoptosis) and explain molecular mechanisms involved in «extrinsic» and «intrinsic pathway», including roles of BCL2 family proteins.
• Describe the different stages of cancer development, and explain concepts as malign or benign tumors, metastasis, cancer stem cells, Warburg effect, and «Hallmarks of cancer».
• Explain how mutations happen (important genetic mechanisms and the meaning of natural selection and carcinogens).
• Know central oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes and DNA repair genes, and explain how mutations of these genes may lead to cancer development (possibly in specific cancer diseases).

Skills:

• Use experimental methods in molecular biology and bioinformatic tools to solve simple issues in molecular biology.
• Present data from laboratory experiments in a written report.
• Interpret and present experimental data, and give examples of experiments and bioinformatic analyses to solve specific problems.
• Control concepts and common language in the field eucaryotic molecular biology, sufficiently well to apply it in discussions.

General competence:

• Critically evaluate general information in the field eucaryotic molecular biology, that is received via media or internet.

Recommended prerequisites

KJE-1001 Introduction to chemistry and the chemistry of biology, MBI-1002 Cell- and molecular biology, MBI-2001 Biochemistry

If you pass the examination in this course, you will get an reduction in credits (as stated below), if you previously have passed the following courses:

• MBI-2011 Molecular Cell Biology – Genetics and Cell Signaling 5 ects
• MBI-2012 Molecular cellbiology - cellstructure 5 ects

Course activities consist of different teaching methods. It consists of 30 hours of lectures, that gives the students theoretical knowledge in selected topics. In addition, there will be seminars and colloquiums enabling discussions with teachers and other students.

A practical laboratory course (18 hours) gives the students practical experience in selected modern molecular biology methods, microscopy and bioinformatics.

Language of instruction and examination

Schedule

This course is open to incoming exchange students.

Study Level: Bachelor's

International applications must have Higher Education Entrance Qualification and certified language requirements in English.

Admission prerequisites: To join this course, you should have prior knowledge in cell biology, chemistry and biochemistry. This means you must have completed introductory-level university courses in these subjects and received passing grades.

More info about the coursework requirements

Re-sit examination