Subject

Cellular and Molecular Pathology

  • code 13482
  • course 1
  • term Semester 2
  • type OB
  • credits 4

Main language of instruction: Spanish

Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English

Teaching staff

Introduction

In the event that the health authorities announce a new period of confinement due to the evolution of the health crisis caused by COVID-19, the teaching staff will promptly communicate how this may effect the teaching methodologies and activities as well as the assessment.

Pathology, which involves the study of structural, molecular and functional changes of cells, tissues and organs, allows us to understand the underlying causes of different disease processes. 

Before studying the physiopathology of different systems, it is essential to know about changes at the cellular and molecular level that will give rise to a certain systemic pathology. The course is designed to acquire knowledge about the molecular and cellular basis that defines the pathology, as well as the principles and types of fundamental mechanisms that cells use in responses to stress, the techniques required to study these aspects and the latest advances in this specific field of Biomedicine.

Pre-course requirements

Basic knowledge of biochemistry, cellular biology and molecular biology.

Objectives

The objective of this subject is that, at the end of it, students will understand the main molecular and cellular processes that govern the pathological state.

Learning outcomes


At the end of the course, students will have: 
  • Acquired an integrated view of cellular structures at the molecular, structural and functional level with regards to human pathology. 
  • Identified the characteristics of tissues at the cellular and molecular level in different situations of injury, adaptation and cell death.

Syllabus

Topic 1: introduction to molecular and cellular pathology.

  • Definition of pathology definition.
  • Pathology competences.
  • Historical evolution of pathology.

BLOCK II: MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY

Topic 2: Fundamentals of molecular pathology.

  • Basics of molecular pathology.
  • Macromolecules: structure and information.
  • Protein functions: Structural proteins, enzymes, receptors and transporters.
  • Monogenic, polygenic and complex diseases. Genetic susceptibility to acquired disease.

Topic 3: Types of molecular pathologies (I).

  •  Alterations of enzymes. General concepts. Recessive transmission. Phenylketonuria. Lysosomal storage diseases.
  • Structural protein alterations. General concepts. Dominant / recessive transmission. Imperfect osteogenesis. Muscular dystrophies. Heredity linked to the X chromosome
  • Membrane protein alterations: receptors, channels and transporters. General concepts. Success of the positional strategy. Cystic fibrosis. Familial hypercholesterolemia.
  • Alterations associated with damage to DNA and RNA. Germinal and somatic alterations. Mutation tumours in APC, FANC and BRCA. Splicing and microRNA alterations.
  • Pathologies associated with the depositing and degradation of proteins, lipids and sugars. Alzheimer's Gaucher's and Niemann-Pick, Gammopathies and Galactosemia.

Topic 4: Type of molecular pathologies (II)

  • Main intracellular signalling pathways. Proteins tyrosine kinase and phosphatases. Oncogenes and suppressor genes. Genomic stability. Proliferation, inhibition and response to cellular stress. Deregulation and involvement in cancer and other pathologies.
  • Control of the cell cycle. Cyclins and CDKs. Deregulation of the cycle and involvement in cancer. 

Topic 5: Molecular pathology of infectious diseases.

  •  Genomes of infectious agents. Virulence and antibiotic resistance mechanisms. Retroviral. The impact of retrotransposons on the human genome. 

BLOCK III: CELL PATHOLOGY

Topic 6: Subcellular alterations. 

  • Accumulation of biomolecules. Alterations of lysosomal catabolism; of endoplasmic, mitochondrial and cytoskeletal retinitis.

Topic 7: Cell death

  • Apoptosis, necrosis and others. Autophagy. Genetic bases of cell death. C. elegans as a study model.

Topic 8: Senescence and cellular aging. 

  • Characteristics. Theories. Stem cells.

Topic 9: Neoplasms. 

  • The characteristics of tumour cells. Types of tumours. Metastatic capacity and routes of dissemination  

BLOCK IV: TECHNIQUES IN MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR PATHOLOGY

Topic 10: Study models in cellular and molecular pathology.

In vitro studies: cell lines, 2D / 3D cultures, tumoroids and organoids. In vivo studies in animal models.

Topic 11: Cellular diagnosis. 

  • Healthy cells vs. altered cells. 

Topic 12: Molecular diagnosis (I). 

  • Molecular marker evaluation techniques. Massive sequencing techniques (NGS). 

Topic 13: Molecular diagnosis (II). 

  • Molecular markers. Basic concepts of sensitivity and specificity, ROC curves, survival curves (HR, OS, DFS and Kaplan-Meir).

 

Teaching and learning activities

In person

Totally fpresential  in the classroom
Lectures: presentation for 50 minutes of a theoretical topic by the teacher. Visual support is used in power point format to accompany the explanations.

Clinical cases or case methods (MC): Approach to a real or imaginary situation. Students work on the questions asked in small groups or in active interaction with the teacher and the answers are discussed. The teacher actively intervenes and, if necessary, contributes new knowledge. These classes can deal with content that deepens the topics covered in master classes or new topics. MCs have the same importance and the same weight of questions in the final exam.

Virtual education (EV): Online material located on the Moodle platform that the student can consult from any computer, at any time and that will contribute to the self-learning of concepts related to the subject. The virtual material is part of the content of the subject and will be evaluated in the final exam.

Laboratory Practices (PL): Practical sessions where experimental techniques related to the syllabus worked in the theoretical classes are worked. Familiarization with the most common experimental resources in a Biochemistry laboratory. Attendance is mandatory and the content of the practical sessions will be assessed directly in the final exam.

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person

1) Students in first call for examinations:

  • participation and laboratory tests: 20%
  • Mid-course exam: 30%
  • Final exam: 50%

 

 2) Students in the second or subsequent calls for examinations: the mark for participation and attitude in class will be carried over, although should they wish, students may repeat their class attendance and obtain a new mark. 

General points to bear in mind about the evaluation system:

1) To be able to apply an average overall mark, it will be necessary to obtain a minimum mark of 5 in the final exam.

2) Attendance for case methods is Optional.

3) Class participation is understood as the contribution of interesting ideas or the posing of pertinent questions that help to improve the quality of the session, be it a master class or case method.

4) The exams will be in a multiple choice format with  4 response options; correct answers count as +1 and errors as -0.25.

5) Attending theoretical classes is not compulsory, but attendees must follow the rules laid down by teaching staff. In the event of not arriving on time, enter in silence without disturbing or interrupting the class.

6) The use of mobile devices during the class is prohibited

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