3 ECTS credits
75 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 4023861ENR for all students in the 1st semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.
Toxins represent an important ecological adaptation in a large number of amphibian and reptile species. While in amphibians, toxins are secreted through skin glands as a passive defense weapon (a poison) against predators or pathogenic microorganisms, reptile toxins are actively administered through a bite (a venom) to serve either predation or antipredator defense. Despite these fundamental differences, amphibian poisons and reptile venoms share many functional, structural, and genetic characteristics that allow new insights in the fields of molecular biology, evolutionary biology, ecology and pharmacology. This course introduces students into the fascinating field of amphibian and reptile toxinology and illustrate its multidisciplinary nature, with affinities to research fields as diverse as herpetolology, ecology, evolutionary biology, genetics, biochemistry and pharmacology. By means of numerous recent case studies, it presents a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of: (1) the taxonomic range of the poisonous amphibians and venomous reptiles (e.g. poison arrow frogs, monitor lizards and pit vipers); (2) the structural and functional diversity of toxins found in both groups (e.g., alkaloids, steroids, peptides and proteins); (3) their targets in a prey’s or predator’s physiological processes (e.g. in neural signal transduction, inflammation and hemostasis); (4) genetic, ecological and evolutionary phenomena, patterns and hypotheses related to toxicity (e.g., evolutionary convergence, aposematism, toxin resistance, and evolutionary arms races between prey and predator); (5), snake bite treatment and the application of toxins in disease modeling, diagnostics and drug design.
Study Material:
By covering an important and widespread ecological adaptation, this course broadens a herpetologist’s general knowledge of amphibian and reptile natural history. Furthermore, the course represents an excellent preparation for any biologist interested in pursuing a research carrier in toxinology, either from a fundamental scientific perspective or from an applied clinical one. After following the 15-hours course, students are expected to:
- have a broad knowledge of the taxonomic diversity of amphibians and reptiles that use toxins for predation, defense or competition;
- know the major molecular classes of toxins in amphibian poisons and reptile venoms, their synthesis, functioning, and similarities to other animal toxins;
- be aware of important genetic and ecological aspects of toxicity and be capable to discuss these in an evolutionary context that extends beyond the field of herpetology.
- be aware of the medical problems of snake envenomation and treatment worldwide, and understand the potential of amphibian and reptile toxins in various clinical application fields.
- be capable to understand and critically analyse any literature published on the various aspects of toxinology, including discovery, pharmacology, and evolutionary genetic and ecological implications.
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
A written exam determines 100% of the final mark.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Biology: Ecology and Biodiversity (only offered in Dutch)