BMB809: Advanced Molecular Biology (10 ECTS)

STADS: 01010501

Level
Master's level course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the spring semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: jens.andersen@bmb.sdu.dk

Additional teachers
bragea@bmb.sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Comment:
Samlæses med BMB508 – kurset kan afholdes som individuel studieaktivitet.

Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
Passed BSc. Students who have passed BMB508 or BM114 cannot participate in this course.

Course introduction
The course is a continuation of the course ”Fundamental Molekylær Biologi” and the aim is to provide a coherent understanding of the transmission and exchange of biological information as well as differences in molecular-biological processes in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Selected examples comprising a diverse range of organisms, including man, will be used to illustrate cellular functions and the development of organisms.

Expected learning outcome
Having completed the course the student is expected to be able to:

• describe the general structure of eukaryotic genes and the transcriptional control of gene expression in eukaryotic cells
• describe how posttranscriptional processes, including nuclear-cytoplasmic transport, are regulated and control gene expression
• describe how different classes of membrane bound receptors are activated and how signals are transduced from the cell membrane to nucleus
• describe how different cell types are specified, how the early development is regulated in different eukaryotic organisms, and how terminal differentiation of cells is controlled
• describe how anti-apoptotic and apoptotic signals regulate survival and apoptosis
• describe how the cell cycle is regulated in eukaryotic cells
• describe how proto-oncogenes, oncogenes and tumour suppressors control the normal cell cycle and development, and how changes in these genes contribute to the development of cancer
• describe how carcinogenic substances can result in formation of cancer cells
• analyse results from research articles and on this basis formulate new hypotheses
• Critically evaluate experimental, molecular-biological methods

Subject overview
The course will cover the following topics:

1. Regulation of transcription in eukaryotic organisms.
2. Posttranscriptional regulation, RNA modification, processing, splicing, catalytic RNA and nuclear-cytoplasmic transport
3. Translation of mRNA in eukaryotic organisms.
4. Control of gene activity via cellular signalling.
5. Cellular signal transduction and integration of cellular signalling in the control of gene activity and development.
6. Control of the cell cycle in eukaryotic organisms
7. Development, differentiation and programmed cell death in eukaryotic organisms.
8. Cancer at the molecular level, oncogenes, tumour suppressors, DNA damage and repair, signal transduction, hormones and receptors.
9. Selected examples of molecular genetics of diseases.

New technology in molecular biology, including recombinant technology and DNA analyses by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), will be tested during laboratory exercises.

Literature

• Lodish: Molecular Cell Biology, Seventh Edition 2013. (ISBN 978-1-4641-0981-2).

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:
(a) Approval by teacher of report on laboratory exercises (passed/not passed) and internal examination by teacher.
(b) Written examination (4 hours) with no examination aids, marks according to the Danish 7-point grading scale with external examiner.

Re-examination after second quarter.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.

Undervisningen vil bestå af forelæsninger (40 timer), som suppleres med eksaminatorier (24 timer), laboratorieøvelser (15 timer) og studiekreds med artikel gennemgang (4 timer). Kommunikation mellem lærerne og de studerende med hensyn til forelæsningsnoter, opgaver m.m. vil foregå via SDU’s e-learning system.
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.