| Teaching Method: |
Face to face-Lectures
The teaching of the course consists of lectures and laboratory exercises.
Laboratory exercises (in 2 student groups of students,2 instructors per group of 10 students) composing the students' practical are complementary to the lectures and they aim to familiarize the student with the operation of simple laboratory instruments and the experimental procedures that are often used in diagnosis as well as to help the students comprehend concepts that are not easily presented theoretically (learning based on practical experience).
Attending the lectures is not compulsory. Attending the laboratory exercises is mandatory.
Information and Communication Technologies are used for the preparation of lecture materials, electronic information and the provision of supplementary learning materials to students.
In particular: The lessons are taught using the means used to teach the lessons:
– Common software (eg MS powerpoint) is used to prepare lecture material and display slides and videos.
– The study guide (detailed supplementary material & additional bibliography), the theory and protocols of laboratory exercises, the slides of each lecture as well as related videos and scientific articles are available electronically and online to students through the e-class system of our university.
– Information about the course, the lecturers and their research interests and in general the Biology Laboratory of the School of Medicine is available online through our university's e-class system.
– Common software (eg MS excel) is used for the statistical processing of student evaluation.
Announcements, information, etc. are available online through e-class. Communication is also done via email and MS-TEAMS. |
| Evaluation Method: |
The evaluation language is Greek.
Evaluation methods.
- For the laboratory practice: Lab Papers, Written exam at the end of the semester with multiple choice questions and problem solving.
The participation of the students in the laboratory exercises as well as the written report of the results of the exercises is mandatory. The report includes the results (presented in tables and graphs, as well as the conclusions (e.g. whether the results were as expected, if not why, sources of possible errors in the experiments) as requested by each exercise. At the end of each exercise, the written report is checked by the instructors. At the end of the semester, the students are examined in the content of the laboratory exercises. The examined material consists of the theory, the methodology and the methods of processing the results, as included in the Laboratory Practice Guide or presented by the teachers. during the exercises. Only students who have successfully completed the laboratory exercises can participate in the written laboratory examinations. Success in the laboratory examination is a prerequisite for participation in the course examinations.
- For the lecture material: The course exams are written, last 2 hours, and consist of multiple choice questions and critical or short answer questions. The exam material is the lectures as described above. Only those students who have successfully passed the laboratory exams have the right to participate in the course exams.
Final grade:
The final grade of the course is calculated as the sum of the 80% grade of the written course exams and the 20% grade of the written laboratory exams. |
| Objective Objectives/Desired Results: |
The course material aims to highlight the role of Molecular Biology in modern Medicine. It focuses on the investigation of the nature, structure and properties of the genetic material, on mutagenic factors (endogenous and exogenous) responsible for DNA damage, on the mechanisms for repairing the damage and also on diseases that arise as a result of malfunctioning of these mechanisms. Particular importance is given to the analysis of the flow of genetic information and the mechanisms of regulation of gene expression, in prokaryotic and mainly eukaryotic organisms. The properties of chromatin (euchromatin and heterochromatin), chromosomes, the genome and the mechanisms through which genetic diversity arises, as well as the evolution of genes and genomes, are analyzed. In addition, epigenetic modifications of the genome (DNA methylation, histone modifications, short and long non-coding RNA molecules) and their involvement in homeostasis and diseases and malignancies are analyzed and new data are provided for their use in therapeutic interventions. Particular emphasis is placed on the new technologies of genome analysis and their role in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases and neoplasms, cloning and its applications in gene therapy. The basic molecular mechanisms that regulate aging, the biology of stem cells and their use in modern cell therapies for diseases and neoplasms are described. Finally, the basic principles of tumorigenesis, oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, the role of cancer stem cells in cancer transformation and new cancer treatments are analyzed.
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- He has an understanding of the biology of self-replicating macromolecules and their interactions with proteins
- He has knowledge of the basic functional structures of the human genome
- Has knowledge of basic mechanisms of disruption of genetic stability (Carcinogenesis Hereditary cancer/Aging)
- He has knowledge of modern methods of molecular biology and their applications in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and malignancies
- He is able to distinguish the sick person from the normal one by interpreting the results of laboratory analyzes (e.g. PCR)
- Uses a variety of laboratory instruments and equipment (pipettes, PCR apparatus, nucleic acid electrophoresis devices, etc.)
General Skills
- Search, analysis and synthesis of data and information, using the necessary technologies
- Autonomous work
- Teamwork
- Generating new research ideas
- Respect for the natural environment
- Respect for diversity and multiculturalism
- Demonstrating social, professional and ethical responsibility and sensitivity to gender issues
- Exercise criticism and self-criticism
- Promotion of creative, inductive and free thinking
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| Course Description: |
The course material includes the following sections:
• Molecular Biology in Medicine
– Molecular Biology and Personalized Medicine or Precision Medicine, Results of the Human Genome Project.
• Genome structure and organization
– Nucleosomes (structure, organization, function), Interactions with proteins at centromeres and telomeres, Chromatin structure in the interphase nucleus, Organization of genes in the genome, Types of genes, Repetitive sequences, Interspersed repeats, Transposable elements, Non-coding DNA.
• Physicochemical properties of nucleic acids
– Nucleic acids, DNA/RNA Structure, DNA/RNA Differences-Similarities, RNA Types, Transcriptome
• DNA replication
– DNA polymerases, Replication errors and proofreading activity of DNA polymerase, Replication machine and enzymes that make it up (primases, helicases, topoisomerases), Telomeres and telomerase.
• DNA damage and repair
– Types of DNA damage, Mutagenic agents (radiation, chemical agents), Basic damage repair mechanisms (NHEJ, homologous recombination), Damage to repair mechanisms: the example of xeroderma pigmentosum and classic progeria syndromes.
• RNA transcription and processing
– Structure and function of RNA polymerase- types of RNA and RNA polymerases, Differences between eukaryotes and prokaryotes in transcription, Mechanism of transcription, Transcription factors (general, specific), Mitochondrial gene transcription, Processing of RNA molecules, Splicing and alternative splicing: alternative splicing in familial hypercholesterolemia, mRNA degradation and exonuclease activity.
• Translation
– Transfer of genetic information from RNA to proteins, Redundant genetic code and the wobble hypothesis, Translation initiation factors (elFs), Controlled protein degradation-structure and function of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and diseases: autoimmune diseases , Parkinson's disease, viral infections, cancer, Lysosome-dependent protein degradation, Post-translational modifications of proteins, RNA and the origin of life, RNA-DNA evolution.
• Regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes
– Response to exogenous components and modification of gene expression, Molecular switches, Basic structure and function of the operon in prokaryotes (activators and repressors), Regulation of the lactose operon and the action of the CAP protein, Regulation of the tryptophan operon and the concept of the co-repressor, Secondary mechanism of operon regulation - attenuation of transcription.
• Regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes
– Checkpoints during the transfer of genetic information from DNA to proteins, Transcriptional regulatory factors and regulatory sequences - steroid hormone nuclear receptors and tamoxifen action, Activators and repressors of expression, Enhancers, Combinatorial control of gene expression and development.
• Epigenetic regulation of gene expression
– DNA methylation, histone modifications, large and small non-coding RNA molecules, Dysfunction of epigenetic mechanisms and disease pathogenesis, Small interfering RNAs (RNA interference/RNAi).
• Mutations and Polymorphisms
– Types of mutations and their involvement in diseases: the example of sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis, Polymorphisms (SNPs, STRs, VNTRs, CNVs), Polymorphisms as predisposing factors for diseases: apolipoprotein E genotypes and Alzheimer's disease, Polymorphisms and forensics (DNA fingerprinting), Mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms, Polymorphisms and drug response: an example of cytochrome P450 isoenzyme polymorphisms and antithrombotic therapy.
• Stem cells and tissue homeostasis
– Types and properties of stem cells, Method of reprogramming differentiated cells and production of induced stem cells, Cell cycle of adult stem cells, Damage to tissue signaling and induction of proliferation of adult stem cells, Stem cells and cell therapy of diseases: neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, spinal cord injury, cancer, etc. .a).
• Molecular mechanisms of cell and organism aging
– Aging in response to accumulation of damage, Milestones of aging, Aging as a barrier mechanism to carcinogenesis and as a risk factor for carcinogenesis.
• Molecular Biology Technologies
– Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Southern blotting, Northern blotting, Sanger method, Role of Molecular Biology technologies in Biomedical research and their importance in clinical practice – molecular diagnosis.
• New technologies and applications in disease diagnosis
– Next-generation sequencing (NGS) method, Comparative genome analysis, Gene identification and function prediction, DNA and RNA-seq microarrays, Applications in the diagnosis of genetic diseases (cystic fibrosis, etc.) and malignancies (solid tumors and hematological neoplasms).
• Modern recombinant DNA technology
– Recombinant DNA technology, Genetic engineering, DNA manipulation and analysis techniques (restriction nucleases).
• Cloning
– DNA cloning in bacteria - use of plasmids and bacterial transformation, DNA library creation (genomic library and cDNA library).
• Laboratory animals as model organisms
– Model organisms (Drosophila, C.elegans, mouse), Ways of creating transgenic, conditional transgenic and knock out mice, Contribution of transgenic organisms to the elucidation of biological processes in the etiology and treatment of diseases. Animal models of human diseases (Huntington, progeria, Zucker rats and obesity).
• Evolution of genomes
– Ways of creating genetic diversity, genetic change, Natural selection pressure, evolution: lactose intolerance, The example of horizontal gene transfer and antibiotic resistance, Homologous genes (highly conserved genes), Genetic drift, Segments of conserved synteny ( conserved synteny), Tolerable and non-tolerable changes in the genome - purifying selection.
• Carcinogenesis
– Mechanisms of carcinogenesis, Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes: the example of retinoblastoma, Loss of heterozygosity and microsatellite instability (MSI), Cancer stem cells and tumor transformation, New therapies in cancer.
Laboratory Exercises (Two modules (part A and B) carried out in 5 laboratory exercises)
Part A: Diagnosis of Sickle Cell Anemia by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLP)
• Use of micropipette – Isolation of genomic DNA from peripheral blood using columns
• Amplification of part of the β-globin gene through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique
• Fragmentation of PCR product using restriction endonucleases
• Preparation of agarose gel and gel electrophoresis of digestion products
• Evaluation of result - Diagnosis of sickle cell anemia
Part B: Serological Diagnostic method-ELISA
• Basic Principles of Immune Response-Antibodies/Humeous Immunity
• ELISA method (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay) - Detection of antibodies (e.g. against the measles virus)
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