5 ECTS credits
150 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 1022196BNR for all students in the 1st semester
at
a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.
- Semester
- 1st semester
- Enrollment based on exam contract
- Impossible
- Grading method
- Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
- Can retake in second session
- Yes
- Taught in
- English
- Faculty
- Faculteit Ingenieurswetenschappen
- Department
- Bio-Engineering Sciences
- Educational team
- Jo Van Ginderachter
(course titular)
Kiavash Movahedi
Sophie De Buyl
Leonardus van Grunsven
- Activities and contact hours
- 30 contact hours Lecture
30 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
- Course Content
1) Introduction to Cell Biology
This part aims to introduce the students to the main basic principles of Cell Biology. The focus lies on the theoretical knowledge of these fundamental cell biology principles.
Following aspects of cell biology will be discussed:
- Universal features of eukaryotic cells
- The plasma membrane
- The cytoskeleton
- Compartmentalization of the cell: The nucleus, The endoplasmic reticulum, The Golgi apparatus, The mitochondrion
2) Important cell biology techniques and their applications
This part aims to introduce the students to 3 main cell biology techniques, which are amply used in research (both in academia as in industry). The focus lies on both the theoretical knowledge of these fundamental cell biology techniques and an understanding of their applications.
Following techniques will be discussed:
- Manipulating DNA and proteins. This chapter includes: techniques for the fractionation of cell components, techniques for the isolation of proteins, techniques to isolate genes (PCR, reverse transcription, gene cloning, plasmid expression vectors, construction of transgenic mice)
- Light microscopy. This chapter includes: light as electromagnetic waves, light refraction, basis of a compound microscope, introduction to bright-field microscopy, introduction to dark-field microscopy, introduction to fluorescence microscopy (basics of fluorescence, filter sets, photodetectors), using fluorescence to visualize cells or cellular structures (functional dyes, immunofluorescence, fluorescent proteins, FRAP, FLIP, FRET), introduction to laser scanning confocal microscopy, introduction to two-photon microscopy.
- Flow cytometry and cell sorting. This chapter includes: the flow cytometric set-up, electrostatic cell sorting, compensation
3) Mathematical modelling of complex cell biology systems (Enzyme kinetics and biochemical reaction networks)
This part aims to introduce the students to mathematical modelling of exemplary biological problems. The focus lies on applicability, rather than theoretical knowledge.
Following aspects will be discussed:
- Modelling chemical reaction networks (law of mass action, numerical simulations, separation of time scales and model reduction
- Modelling biochemical reactions (enzyme kinetics)
- Modelling gene regulatory networks (modelling gene expression)
4) Tissue techniques. This part aims to introduce the students to the principle techniques for studying and manipulating tissue.
The following aspects will be discussed:
- Cell and tissue culture techniques
- Histology and histological techniques
- Electron microscopy
- Additional info
PowerPoint presentations discussed during the lectures and a list of exercises available in Canvas. The recommended handbook is 'Molecular Biology of the Cell (Alberts et al, Garland Science).
- Learning Outcomes
-
Learning outcomes
1. Understand the working principles of techniques to culture cells and tissues
2. Understanding of histology and histological techniques and being able to interpret histological coupes
3. Understand various quantitative techniques for the quantitative analysis of cell morphology, cell properties, structure and function and be able to apply quantitative analysis
4. Understand the relation between cell composition and cell function as inferred from the above-mentioned techniques
- Grading
-
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Other Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
- Exam
with a relative weight of 1
which comprises 100% of the final mark.
- Additional info regarding evaluation
Attendance to the practicals of the course are compulsory.
The students will be given (by drawing) questions from each part of the course (from Introduction to Cell Biology, Cell Biology Techniques, Mathematical Modeling and Tissue Biology Techniques).
The students will have approximately 1 hour for a written preparation (the written preparation will not be marked, it only serves to allow the students to reflect on the questions), followed by approximately 1 hour oral exam.
Each lecturer will interrogate the student about the question dealing with his/her part of the course and will provide a separate mark, which will only be based on the oral exam.
The final mark for Quantitative Cell Biology will be the average of the three marks given by the individual lecturers.
In case the student fails (overall average score <10/20), he/she will only have to retake the part(s) for which he/she failed.
- Allowed unsatisfactory mark
- The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.
Academic context
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Engineering: Biomedical Engineering (only offered in Dutch)
Preparatory Programme Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering: International Students