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Cell Death and Injury

Objectives

In this Course we intend to deepen the study of the cellular and molecular processes involved in the different types of cell death, and in the cellular response to the injury. In parallel we will address methods of evaluation of different stages of cell death, as well as development of drugs and research of therapeutic targets.

It is expected that at the end of this course students will have achieved the following general competences: i) understanding the concept of oxidative stress; ii) to understand, through practical cases, the concept of cellular injury and the mechanisms activated in the endogenous response to the injury; iii) enumerate and distinguish different types and cell death, relating the inductors and mechanisms involved; iv) to identify the deregulation of the mechanisms involved in cell death as being the basis of several diseases; v) to use the acquired concepts and to understand strategies and therapeutic targets to modulate cell death in the different diseases; vi) acquisition of research skills of recent literature on subjects taught, in order to expose and critically discuss scientific works in the area; Vii) to acquire laboratory skills and contact with methodologies currently used in the evaluation of different injury and cell death parameters.

General characterization

Code

12107

Credits

3.0

Responsible teacher

Margarida Casal Ribeiro Castro Caldas Braga, Maria Alexandra Núncio de Carvalho Ramos Fernandes

Hours

Weekly - 2

Total - 34

Teaching language

Inglês

Prerequisites

For Master students only, with solid knowledge in Cellular and Molecular Biology

Bibliography

Molecular Cell Biology. Lodish et al. 7th Ed. WH Freeman & Company, NY 2012

 Molecular Biology of the Cell. Alberts et al. 5th Ed. Garland Science, NY 2007

Scientific papers

Teaching method

Theoretical and expository teaching. In the theoretical-practical classes, methods for determining cell injury and death are presented and discussed, illustrated with case studies.

Evaluation method

Course Attendance:

To obtain attendance in the course, participation in 2/3 of the theoretical-practical (TP) classes is required.
Participation in TP classes is recorded by the professor, and by signing an attendance sheet.
Arriving more than 15 minutes late to a TP class prevents the student from attending that class.
Absences on assessment days do not imply the possibility of taking the assessment on another day.
Medical certificates or other justifications for absences will only be accepted up to one week after the last day of the absence.
Students work in groups of 4-5 members, who may be from the same or different courses.


Important Information:

Unjustified absences on days when results are being produced for inclusion in an assignment will result in a deduction of 1 point from the final grade of that assignment for each absence.
Unjustified absences on presentation days will result in a grade of 0 for that assignment.
In the case of justified absences, the situation will be discussed with the group and the student on a case-by-case basis.


Evaluation:

The final grade for the course (0-20 points) is the sum of the grades from three components, which must total at least 9.5 points:

Theoretical/Practical Evaluation Component: Individual quiz during the TP class on 29.11.2024 (on Moodle), covering the content from previous classes, with a maximum duration of 20 minutes; worth 20% of the final grade (6 points). The quiz must be taken in the classroom and will not be considered if completed outside the allotted time.

Project Evaluation Component: Research project in the form of slides for oral presentation and a written guide, on one of the topics proposed by the instructors (60% of the final grade, 14 points). To be submitted by 23:59 on 2.12.2024 (via Moodle upload), with presentations on 6.12.2024.

The specific rules for presentations and assignments will be available on Moodle at the start of the course. The project topics will be announced in the first class, and students/groups must choose the topic they want to explore during that class.

There are no exams or  tests. In the make-up period, students can redo the theoretical/practical project component or improve their grade (max score: 14 points) through an individual or group written assignment on a topic proposed by the instructors.

Deadline for submission on Moodle:

Presentation slides: Upload the slides (PDF or PPT) on Moodle on the presentation day (6.12.2024), during class. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Research project: By 23:59 on 2.12.2024, one group member must upload the slides and the guide on Moodle. Projects submitted after this deadline will incur a 50% grade penalty if submitted within the next two business days. Submissions will not be accepted after this period.
After the Moodle upload, assignments will undergo plagiarism checks using the FCT’s available software (Turnitin). "Similarity reports" of the submitted documents will be reviewed, and only documents with less than 30% similarity will be accepted (cases will be reviewed individually).

Absences on evaluation days:

The dates for presentations and completion of the project are announced at the beginning of the classes, and there are no alternative dates or repetition of any of the assessment moments.

Subject matter

Theoretical classes

1. Oxidative stress: inducers, mechanisms involved and adaptation of cells and tissues to oxidative stress; Nrf2 system and endogenous antioxidants

2. Cell death in homeostasis and deregulation of cell death in pathological processes: necrosis, apoptosis, necroptosis and other forms of cell death.

2.1. General mechanisms of activation of the cell death process

2.2. Molecular mechanisms involved in the process of cell death

2.3. Cell organelles as modulators and targets of the processes involved in cell death

2.4. Cellular response to injury and reversibility of the cell death process

2.5. Deregulation of cell death in several pathologies: cancer, autoimmune diseases and infections

2.6. Deregulation of cell death in several pathologies: degenerative diseases.

3. Role of autophagy in the regulation of cell death.

3.1. Cell organelles as modulators and targets of the processes involved in autophagy.

4. Modulation of cell death. Development of drugs and research of therapeutic targets.

 

Practical classes

1. Evaluation of oxidative stress

2. Evaluation of cell death (apoptosis/necrosis)

3. Cell death and immune response - case studies

4. Carrying out a group research work. Presentation and discussion of the evolution of the work.