Cell Regulation

Objectives

Students will acquire critical knowledge and concepts related to several aspects of cell regulation, in particular how cell regulation is involved and can be applied in Health and Life Sciences. Students will learn the main experimental approaches used in research of various areas of Molecular and Cell Biology. At seminars student will learn about the most recent development for each specific area, by using recent and relevant scientific publications as base material.

For each specific subject, student will be able to identify the main concepts and emerging scientific questions.

At practical classes (laboratory) students will acquire knowledge and skills allowing them to design and execute experimental protocols, including several experimental tasks, commonly used in biomedical research and that will be related with the topics of the seminar.

General characterization

Code

1091002

Credits

Responsible teacher

Rita de Oliveira Teodoro

Hours

Weekly - Available soon

Total - Available soon

Teaching language

English

Prerequisites

N/a

Bibliography

The main bibliography or other relevant learning resources will be provided by the various scientists that participate in the teaching activities.

Whenever applicable bibliography should consist in scientific papers that are available in open access or in specific repositories accessible by the students. In each edition of the course the most updated and current bibliography will be provided. Students are encouraged to share notes and other relevant information concerning the UC in virtual forum or virtual blackboards.

Teaching method

The fundamental concepts associated with syllabus will be taught at theoretical classes, which will take place in parallel with practical classes, in which students will develop and use experimental protocols related to the subjects presented at theoretical classes.

Theoretical classes are organized as series of seminars done by national and international experts (working in Portugal). The programme is developed in collaboration with other Master and PhD programs, including similar advanced courses.

Practical classes will be done at CEDOC;

Laboratories and will be supervised by researchers from those laboratories.

Evaluation method

Evaluation is based on a written exam (60% of final mark), 20% will take into account the practical part of the course: planning, design and execution of the proposed experimental protocol and 20% will take into account data presentation and discussion. Written exam will have 20 opened question and 2h of duration.

Subject matter

Students will acquire and learn how to apply, in a research context, basic concepts on the following areas of cell regulation:

Gene expression and DNA repair;

Cell structure and function (cytoskeleton and movement, adhesion cell-cell and cell-matrix);

Intracellular trafficking (endocytosis, exocytosis and related diseases);

Cell signalling (signalling molecules and their receptor, intracellular signal transduction);

Development Biology and cell differentiation;

Cell death modulation;

Proteostasis regulation (Protein turnover in the cell - the proteasome);

Protein quality control and autophagy;

Protein conformational stability and misfolding;

Cellular redox responses (oxidative stress and ROS signaling);

Mitochondrial modulation of cell death and cell metabolism;

General concepts of immunology and the underlying cellular mechanisms.

At practical (laboratory) classes, students will learn how to design a protocol for a specific experimental task related to the previously described areas of cellular regulation. Classes will take place at CEDOC FCMs laboratories.

Programs

Programs where the course is taught:

NOVA Biomedical Research Master