NBIK15009U Cellular Signalling in Health and Disease

Volume 2015/2016
Education

MSc Programme in Biology
MSc Programme in Biochemistry
 

Content

See under "Learning outcome"

Learning Outcome

By attending the course, the student will achieve:

Knowledge:

The course provides the student with a detailed and comprehensive knowledge on how signaling systems control specified cellular and physiological processes during development and in tissue homeostasis (see also "Criteria for exam assessment"). The course presents the latest research within selected research areas on cell-cell communication and how signaling pathways are integrated into higher order networks that dictate the biological output of pathway activity. This will provide knowledge into how aberrant regulation of cell signaling is coupled to developmental disorders as well as diseases in the adult.

Skills:

The course covers theoretical and experimental knowledge based on text books, original articles and review papers such that the student will be able to analyze, interpret and evaluate experimental data obtained from cell biological research that covers the criteria for exam assessment (please see "Criteria for exam assessment").

Competences:

The student is competent to understand, interpret and integrate the complexity of cellular communication and signaling processes in cell biology.

Literature

See Absalon

This course is intended for Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedical students at the Master’s level at the University of Copenhagen as well as for external students with comprehensive knowledge in cell biology.
It is recommended that students taking this course have a comprehensive knowledge in cell biology corresponding to the Master level for Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine students.
Morning lectures are followed by class teaching in the afternoon. Class teaching includes discussions of the lectures of the day, description of research techniques and methods, problem solving and discussions of research data. Reviews and original papers from scientific journals will accompany most lectures and class teaching.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 3
  • Lectures
  • 28
  • Preparation
  • 147
  • Theory exercises
  • 28
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination, 3 hours under invigilation
The course is evaluated with a 3-hour written open-book exam.
Aid
Written aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Criteria for exam assesment

In order to obtain the grade 12 (Top grade for excellency) the student must be able to:

  • Describe and categorize individual signaling pathways regulated by G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), including class F receptors in Hedgehog (Hh) and Wingless/Int (Wnt) signaling, Receptor and non-receptor tyrosine kinases, Transforming Growth Factor beta/Bone Morphogenic Protein (TGFβ/BMP) receptors, Receptor serine/threonine kinases (RS/TKs), cytokine receptors, and Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptors as well as pathways regulated through reactive oxygen species, Hippo signaling, adhesion molecules and the extracellular matrix.
  • Describe the specificity, activation kinetics and mechanisms of desensibilization/​downregulation of receptors in signal transduction, and explain the processes of lipid signaling and membrane microdomains in signal transduction.
  • Describe the role of reactive oxygen species in intracellular cell signaling, with emphasis on enzymes involved in their synthesis and elimination, cellular redox systems and downstream effector systems.
  • Describe mechanisms of the adaptive intracellular signaling pathways of the unfolded protein response (UPR).
  • Describe specific molecular mechanisms for viral evasion of immune detection and their relation to the ubiquitin-proteasome system.
  • Analyze, interpret and evaluate experimental data obtained from cell biological research.
  • Describe cellular signaling and pathway interactions that control specified cellular processes, and explain how dysregulation of signaling systems underlies pathophysiological conditions, including developmental disorders and disease such as cancer and ciliopathies.

 

Grading according to the Danish 7-step-scale system:

  • 12 (excellent; equivalent to “A” in the ECTS-scale). The student has demonstrated a high level of command of all aspects with no or only a few minor weaknesses.
  • 7 (good; equivalent to “C” in the ECTS-scale). The student has demonstrated a good command with some weaknesses.
  • 02 (adequate; equivalent to “E” in the ECTS-scale). The student has demonstrated the minimum requirements for acceptance.