Molecular and Cellular Biology 2021

The central aim of this seminar series is to give you an opportunity to learn about the many fascinating and intricate mechanisms that organisms have evolved to control their cellular functions and to coordinate the many macromolecular interactions carried out in different cell types. In particular, the course aims to provide an integrated understanding of the underlying cellular and molecular biology processes and of how molecules and cells are integrated into functional systems.

 

In the first part, the seminar series aims to introduce you to the cellular context in which biochemical reactions take place by having a tour through typical cells. By engaging with this course, you will gain foundation knowledge about the organisation of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, including extracellular matrix, cell signalling, the roles of biological membranes in compartmentalisation of cell functions and the cytoskeleton. The structure and functions of eukaryotic organelles including the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and peroxisomes. Additional topics include intracellular macromolecular transport and mechanisms of transport of ions, solutes and macromolecules across membranes including the plasma membrane.

 

In part II, the latest methods for studying molecules and cells in vitro and in vivo will be discussed. Recent advances in biophysical methods led to stunning new insights into the complex inner workings of cells and the interplay between their macromolecular components. Spurred by technological breakthroughs in light and electron microscopy, tomography, biophysics, structural biology, sequencing technologies, single molecule and ensemble molecule spectroscopies and cellular in situ studies, we can now investigate at unprecedented levels of spatial and temporal resolution the biomolecular and cellular processes at the origin of life.

 

Particular attention is given to the presentation skills of the students as a fundamental learning objective of the entire PhD programme. To this end selected topics will be presented by students in the course under the guidance of the academics contributing to this series.

 

Programme

Lecture Series Part I. Introducto Lectures

Overview of the Course (Alfonso De Simone)

        10th Dec 9:00 am

A glimpse of the cell (Marcella Cesana)

        10th Dec 9:30 - 11:30 am

Biological Dogma (Davide Cacchiarelli)

        14th Dec 9:00 - 11:00 am

Protein Sciences (Alfonso De Simone)

        17th Dec 14:00 - 16:00

 

Lecture Series Part II. Cellular Biology and Differentiation

  1.  Not “The Cell” but many different cell types

        Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic cells; Cellular functions (metabolism, catabolism, anabolism);

        Cellular anatomy. Cellular functions of proteins

        Student: Vincenzo Aievola Tutor: Russo

        26th Jan 2021 14:00 - 15:00 

  1.  From genes to functions

        Genes; gene structures; regulation of gene expression

        Student: Valentina Brancato & Antonio De Falco Tutor: Chiusano

        28th Jan 2021 14:00 - 16:00 

  1.  The cell in a multicellular environment

        Signal transduction; cell-cell interactions

        Student: Melania Franchini Tutor: De Simone

        2nd Feb 2021 14:00 - 15:00 

  1.  From one cell to many different cell types

        Cell Development & Differentiation.

        Student: Antonella Sarnataro Tutor: Cacchiarelli

        2nd Feb 2021 15:00 - 16:00 

  1.  Fine tuning of cellular functions

        Post-translational regulation; splicing and regulation; small RNAs.

        Student: Carmen Biancaniello Tutor: Cesana

        4th Feb 2021 14:00 - 15:00 

 

Lecture Series Part III. Methods in Molecular Cellular Biology - How to browse around a cell

  1.  Molecular Biology

        Recombinant Protein expression and purification

        22nd Oct 2021 11:00 - 13:00

  1.  Structural Biology

        NMR

        25th Oct 2021 11:00 - 13:00

  1.  Structural Biology

        X-ray crystallography

        27th Oct 2021 11:00 - 13:00

  1.  Structural Biology

        cryoEM

        29th Oct 2021 11:00 - 13:00

  1.  Protein-Ligand Interactions

        Experimental methods and theory

        1st Nov 2021 11:00 - 13:00

  1.  Computational Drug Discovery

        3th Nov 2021 11:00 - 13:00

  1.  Computational Drug Discovery

        5th Nov 2021 11:00 - 13:00