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BB807: Molecular Toxicology (5 ECTS)

STADS: 04012401

Level
Master's level course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.

Teacher responsible

Email: klp@biology.sdu.dk

Timetable

Group	Type	Day	Time	Classroom	Weeks	Comment
Common	I	Thursday	14-16	U23a	36-41
Common	I	Thursday	08-10	U147	37	Eksaminatorie
Common	I	Thursday	14-16	U156	44-45
Common	I	Friday	12-14	U23a	36,38-39,41,44-45	Eksaminatorie
Common	I	Friday	14-16	U10	46	Eksaminatorie
H1	TL	Monday	08-12	Yellow lab	46-49
H2	TL	Wednesday	08-12	Yellow lab	50
H2	TL	Thursday	08-12	Yellow lab	51
H2	TL	Friday	08-12	Yellow lab	48-49
H3	TL	Wednesday	08-12	Yellow lab	48-49
H3	TL	Friday	08-12	Yellow lab	46-47
H4	TL	Thursday	12-16	Yellow lab	46-47,49
H4	TL	Thursday	14-18	Yellow lab	48

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Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
The curriculum from bachelor in biology or similar must be known.

Course introduction
The aim of the course is to explain, at the molecular level, why some chemicals are toxic to living organisms. We will study the most important processes and cellular structures that are attacked by man-made chemicals as well as the defence mechanisms that living organisms possess.

Expected learning outcome
At the end of the course the student is expected to be able to:

Describe the biochemical pathways leading to bioactivation of selected chemicals.
Predict the metabolic fate of chemicals from their molecular structure.
Describe the molecular mechanisms behind damages to membranes, enzymes and DNA caused by selected chemicals.
Discuss the relative importance and temporal succession of toxic events in the cell.
Describe the molecular mechanisms behind damages to cellular transport of compounds and energy production caused by selected chemicals.
Discuss organ-level effects based on events on the molecular level.
Describe the molecular mechanisms behind disruption of the endocrine system by selected chemicals.
Discuss the contribution of different endocrine disrupting mechanisms to observed effects.
Describe the defence systems that organisms possess against oxidative stress, metals and lipophilic compounds.
Discuss interactions between different defence systems and the consequences of suppression and activation of sub-systems.

Subject overview
Cellular transport of xenobiotics; selective accumulation and organ specific toxicity.
Bioactivation of compounds by the P450-system, especially carcinogens.
Oxidative stress, free radicals and lipid peroxidation of membranes.
Covalent binding of xenobiotics to biological macromolecules.
Nuclear receptor mediated toxicity with special emphasis on endocrine disrupting chemicals.
The cellular energy production as a target for xenobiotics.

Literature
There isn't any litterature for the course at the moment.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:
a) Lab. work. Pass/fail, internal evaluation by teacher.
b) Written exam. Danish 7 mark scale, external examiner

Reexamination in the same exam period or immediately thereafter

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 20 hours
Skills training phase: 30 hours, hereof:
- Tutorials: 15 hours
- Laboratory exercises: 15 hours

Educational activities

Language
This course is taught in English, if international students participate. Otherwise the course is taught in Danish.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.