BB807: Molecular Toxicology (5 ECTS)

STADS: 04014801

Level
Master's level course approved as PhD course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: klp@biology.sdu.dk

Additional teachers
hol@biology.sdu.dk

Timetable
There is no timetable available for the chosen semester.

Comment:
AFLYST E2016

Prerequisites:
A Bachelor’s degree in life sciences.

Academic preconditions:
Students taking the course are expected to:

• Have knowledge of basic toxicology, chemistry and biochemistry
• Be able to use basic chemical and biochemical knowledge to recognise chemical and cellular structures

Course introduction
The aim of the course is to enable the student to understand, at the molecular level, the mechanisms behind toxicity and the relations between the cellular defence systems against toxicity. This is important in regard to reading and understanding advanced original literature on toxicological subjects.

The course builds on the knowledge acquired in the course BB524: Elementary Ecotoxicology and gives an academic basis for studying toxicology.

In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:

• Give the competence to understand advanced toxicological original research papers
• Give skills to generalise about the fate of chemicals from their chemical structure
• Give practical skills in planning experiments  from original literature
• Give knowledge and understanding of molecular mechanisms of toxicity and defence systems against toxicity

Expected learning outcome
The learning objectives of the course is that the student demonstrates the ability to:

• Describe the biochemical pathways leading to the bioactivation of selected chemicals
• Predict the metabolic fate of compounds from their chemical structure
• Describe the molecular mechanisms behind the deleterious effects of selected chemicals on membranes, proteins and DNA
• Discuss impact and timing of toxic manifestations in the cell
• Describe the molecular mechanisms behind the deleterious effects of selected chemicals on energy production and metabolism
• Discuss toxic effects on the organ level as a consequence of molecular events
• Describe the cellular defence systems against oxidative stress, metals and lipophilic compounds
• Discuss the interrelation between defence systems and the consequences of suppression of sub-systems

Subject overview
The following main topics are contained in the course:

• Cellular transport of xenobiotics; selective accumulation and organ specific toxicity.
• Bioactivation of compounds by the Phase-I and Phase-II systems
• Oxidative stress, free radicals and lipid peroxidation of cell membranes
• Covalent binding of chemicals to biological macromolecules
• Nuclear receptor mediated toxicity

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
Lab. work. Pass/fail, internal marking by teacher.

Assessment and marking:
Written exam, 4 hours. Danish 7-mark scale, external marking. Allowed IT-aid: ChemBioDraw.

Reexamination in the same exam period or immediately thereafter. The mode of exam at the re-examination may differ from the mode of exam at the ordinary exam.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 20 hours
Skills training phase: 30 hours, hereof:
 - Tutorials: 14 hours
 - Laboratory exercises: 16 hours

Educational activities

Educational form
Activities during the study phase:

• Preparation for laboratory work

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.