Molecular Cell Biology

This advanced course provides in-depth knowledge of the molecular workings of important aspects of the life of cells and organisms, with an emphasis on eukaryotic cells. We will be dealing with cell signalling (receptor types and signal pathways through which hormones, neurotransmitters and growth factors act), the flow of information in gene expression and the intracellular targeting of proteins and membranes. Another subject is the regulation of cell growth, division and apoptosis, and how defects in this can lead to cancer. The final topic is the molecular mechanisms that underlie the shape and cohesion of cells and tissues: the cytoskeleton, cell adhesion receptors and the extracellular matrix. Many proteins and their functional dynamics are today known in structural detail at atomic resolution and this is an important feature of the course. Computer labs are conducted in order to practice the use of bioinformatics tools to understand protein structure.