Course in Infection, Neurobiology, and Genetics

Infection, Neurobiology, and Genetics

The separate courses include lectures, seminars, and practical laboratory work.

Immunology covers the organization and development of the immune system, its activation upon stimulation, the various effector mechanisms involved in the innate and adaptive immune responses (cellular and humoral immunity), immunological memory, tolerance mechanisms, transplantation immunology, autoimmunity, hypersensitivity, immune deficiencies, and the defense mechanisms against different pathogens.

The Bacterial Physiology and Pathogenesis course will highlight the intriguing world of bacteria. It will give insight into the bacterial diversity and some of their distinctive habitats. It will illustrate in molecular detail the regulatory mechanisms of microbial adaptation to these varied environments. It will discuss the role of horizontal gene transfer in bacterial evolution and the acquisition of new coding potential, such as antibiotic resistance. The course will present the current state of knowledge regarding pathogenic mechanisms and the major disease-causing bacteria that use them. This will include an explanation at the molecular level of various pathogenic strategies such as motility, biofilms, quorum sensing, secretion systems, toxins, adhesion factors and immune evasion mechanisms. In the face of widespread antibiotic resistance among leading bacterial pathogens, new anti-bacterial treatment and prevention options will also be addressed. The Neurobiology course gives the student extended knowledge about how the nervous system is organized, and how it functions in order to change physiological state of neuronal circuits which underlies the generation of behavior. Thus, the nervous system is explored at molecular, cellular, systems and behavioral levels. The Genetics course aims to provide knowledge of genetic theory, methodology, and analysis. Subject matter includes genetic principles and the underlying mechanisms at a molecular level as well as at the cellular, organism and population levels. The course will provide students with an overall understanding of genome organization and how genetic changes at the molecular level are able to influence biological processes and how these changes affect organisms, populations and ultimately evolution.

General Information

30.0 ECTS

Period: Autumn Term 2012, weeks 36-03

Location: Umeå

Language: English

Study form: Daytime, 100% tempo, Normal Studies

Selection: Academic credits

Eligibility

• Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish upper secondary course English B.
• Thirty ECTS-credits in Chemistry, with a minimum of 7.5 ECTS-credits in Biochemistry; practical experience of laboratory work corresponding to a minimum of 5 ECTS-credits; 45 ECTS-credits in Biology covering classical Genetics, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, and Physiology.

Courses

• Immunology, 7.5 ECTS
• Bacterial Physiology and Pathogenesis, 7.5 ECTS
• Neurobiology, 7.5 ECTS
• Genetics, 7.5 ECTS

Immunology

The course includes lectures, seminars, and practical laboratory work. The theoretical part covers the organization and development of the immune system, its activation upon stimulation, the various effector mechanisms involved in the innate and adaptive immune responses (cellular and humoral immunity), immunological memory, tolerance mechanisms, transplantation immunology, autoimmunity, hypersensitivity, immune deficiencies, and the defense mechanisms against different pathogens. The course also includes interpretation of experimental primary data and discussion and presentation of scientific literature. The practical work includes immune-related techniques such as antibody-based detection methods. All parts of the course except lectures are mandatory.


Bacterial Physiology and Pathogenesis

Microscopic bacteria are the most abundant and varied life forms on earth. With a capacity to interact with most things on the planet 'biological and inert' they are responsible for maintaining the planet's health and promoting an enormous diversity of life. People, animals, and plants all have both beneficial and detrimental associations with bacteria. Therefore, it is no wonder that for many years bacteria have served as model systems for the study of fundamental physiological processes. In fact, much of our current knowledge about living systems has had major contributions from the study of bacteria. This bacterial-centered research continues to benefit understanding in areas of evolution, ecology, recombinant DNA technology, biotechnology, agriculture and the food industry and public health. This course, therefore, aims to highlight the intriguing world of bacteria. It will give insight into the bacterial diversity and some of their distinctive habitats. It will illustrate in molecular detail the regulatory mechanisms of microbial adaptation to these varied environments. It will discuss the role of horizontal gene transfer in bacterial evolution and the acquisition of new coding potential, such as antibiotic resistance. Although representing only a marginal fraction of the bacterial phylogenetic diversity, this course will mostly focus on the well-studied bacteria human pathogens. It will therefore additionally present the current state of knowledge regarding pathogenic mechanisms and the major disease-causing bacteria that use them. This will include an explanation at the molecular level of various pathogenic strategies such as motility, biofilms, quorum sensing, secretion systems, toxins, adhesion factors and immune evasion mechanisms. In the face of widespread antibiotic resistance among leading bacterial pathogens, new anti-bacterial treatment and prevention options will also be addressed.



Neurobiology

The course gives the student extended knowledge about how the nervous system is organized, and how it functions in order to change physiological state of neuronal circuits which underlies the generation of behavior. Thus, the nervous system is explored at molecular, cellular, systems and behavioral levels. An overview of methods used to analyze neural function is given i.e. analytical tools of genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, electrophysiology and behavioral biology. The course covers the following aspects: basic neuroanatomy, nerve cell specialization, and function at the molecular and cellular level, neural circuit formation, activity-dependent change of synapses, sensory systems incl. coding and processing of sensory information and motor control.



Genetics

This course aims to provide knowledge of genetic theory, methodology, and analysis. Subject matter includes genetic principles and the underlying mechanisms at a molecular level as well as at the cellular, organism and population levels. The course will provide students with an overall understanding of genome organization and how genetic changes at the molecular level are able to influence biological processes and how these changes affect organisms, populations and ultimately evolution.

Information about Fees

Application and tuition fees will be introduced for citizens outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, beginning with the autumn term 2011.

Tuition fee, first installment: SEK 67500
Total fee: SEK 67500