Taught section (5 months)
The initial 5-month taught section will concentrate on basic leading to advanced concepts of molecular and cellular biology. The lectures will progress to cover gene expression and Disease, and molecular genetics and disease. This allows approximately 2 weeks in February for revision, followed by 1 week of examinations. During the 5 month period students will have the opportunity, in supervised practical’s, to try or see demonstrated important molecular biology techniques. There will also be demonstrations of instrumentation and relevant computer programs for research.
Topics covered include:
- Nucleic acids
- RNA transcription
- protein synthesis and processing
- gene expression
- recombinant DNA
- vectors
- transfer of genetic information
- polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing
- genetic engineering
- immunochemistry
- protein structure and X-ray crystallography
- mass spectrometry
- glycobiology
- molecular biology databases and computation
- basic immunology
- gene mapping technologies
It is not intended to comprehensively cover all aspects of the diseases mentioned but rather to concentrate on the application of molecular biology to the discovery, diagnosis and management, and also to concentrate on areas of expertise at Hammersmith and Imperial College.
Topics covered include:
- Gene structure and expression of complement
- growth factors
- differentiation factors
- cytokines
- hormones and regulatory peptides
- viral gene expression
- oncogenes
- tumour suppressors
- cell cycle control
- signalling pathways
- apoptosis
- bacterial pathogenesis
- genetic basis of cancer
- viruses in cancer
- leukaemia
- haemophilia
- G6PD deficiency
- breast cancer
- colon cancer
- invasiveness
- multiple drug resistance
- cancer vaccines and gene therapy
- diabetes
- cystic fibrosis
- muscle cell disease
- infertility and in vitro fertilisation
- lipoprotein metabolism
- endocrine disorders
- genome structure and inherited disorders
- gene targeting
- viral diseases
Practical techniques
These will cover basic methods leading to more advanced cDNA and expression library construction and analysis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques, introduction of foreign DNA into E.coli and expression of proteins in mammalian cells, and siRNA interference in insect cells.
