Cellular and Molecular Biology

10th and 11th grade biology.

The theoretical contents of the curricular unit will be presented through lectures, illustrated whenever possible with practical case-studies (PBL-Problem-based learning) in which students are encouraged to apply the competences acquired.
In the theoretical-practical framework, the application of acquired contents will be promoted. Students will develop bibliographical research work, promoting critical capacity, autonomy and scientific communication.

The student must acquire knowledge:

1. To have a Holistic understanding of the cell’s functioning, to identify of the organelles, and relate structure/function;
2. To understand the importance of the interactions drug-cell target;
3. To understand the processes of cell death;
4. To know analytical methodologies for the characterization of nucleic acids and proteins;

At the end of this curricular unit, students should be able to:

• Globally understand the cell functioning (eucaryotic cell), know the cellular organelles, identify their relevance and the relationship structure-function;
• Understand the mode of action of drugs versus the respective cellular targets;
• Choose the analytical molecular technique for a specific purpose;
• Identify and explain functional contexts, their implications and possible ways of pharmacological intervention.

The student should acquire the expertise to:

• Mobilize knowledge for the interrelation of cell biology with applications in pharmacy and biomedicin
• Undertake advanced search in databases of scientific literature and critically review it.

Theoretical contents -T (40h+5h assessment)

A-CELL (3h)

B-CELL MEMBRANE (6h)

• Organization, function and composition; Membrane specializations; Types of transport; Membrane transporters as drug targets; Drug nanocarriers;

C-CYTOPLASM/CYTOSKELETON (5h)

• Structure/function
• Cellular traffic; Signaling
• Cytoskeleton structures as drug targets

D-ENDOMEMBRANE SYSTEMS (5h)

• Structure/function; RER and SER; Golgi apparatus; Lysosomes; Protein synthesis and sorting (UPR and ERAD)

E-MYTOCHONDRIA (4h)

F-NUCLEUS(3h)

G-CELL DEATH (4h)

• Subcellular targets for drug therapy

H-ANALYTICAL METHODOLOGIES IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (6h)

• Nucleic acid and protein characterization

I-BIOINFORMATICS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (4h)

Theoretical-Practical framework (TP) 30h

– ADVANCED DATABASE RESEARCH
-Research, analysis, oral discussion and evaluation of case studies and scientific papers in the field of expertise.

NAO

Bibliografia primária:

Azevedo C, Sunkel CE (2012). Biologia Celular e Molecular, 5ª edição, LIDEL
Alberts, B. et al. (2017). Fundamentos de Biologia Celular, ed. Artmed

Bibliografia secundária:

Alberts, B. et al. (2018). Essential Cell Biology, 5 nd edition. ed. Garland Science
Lodish et al. (2015). Biologia Celular e Molecular, ed. Artes Médicas (PT_Brasil) ou Panamericana
Lodish, H., Berk A., Lawrence S. (2007) .Molecular cell biology. 6th ed. New York. W.H. Freeman and Company.
De Robertis E. & Hib J. (2014). Biologia Celular e Molecular, 16ª ed. Guanabara Koogan S.A., Rio Janeiro, Brasil
Hoffman A . & Clokie S..(Eds.). (2020). Wilson and Walker’s Principles and Techniques of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (8th ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Scientific papers.