CBI-20306 Cell Biology and Health

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

CBI-10306 Cell Biology.

Continuation courses:

CBI-30306 Human and Veterinary Immunology; CBI-30806 Immunotechnology; TOX-30306 Food Toxicology; TOX-30806 Environmental Toxicology; VIR-30306 Molecular Virology; VIR-30806 Fundamental and Applied Virology.

Contents:

Each organism lives in a continuous interaction with its environment. This interaction is of vital importance for the organism, but at the same time can be a threat. Therefore each organism must have the right strategy to survive different abiotic and biotic threats. In this introductory course several mechanisms important for the damage to or recovery of mammalian cells will be discussed and a variety of human and animal health problems (in particular different forms of cancer) will be considered. Special attention will be paid to the cell biological, immunological, toxicological and virological aspects of these health problems.

Learning outcomes:

- understand the normal regulation of proliferation, differentiation and death of mammalian cells;
- understand the basic principles in immunology and mechanisms modulating the immune response, among which suppression by viruses and toxic agents, stimulation by vaccines and toxic agents and immunological disturbances;
- understand the basic principles in virology and mechanisms underlying viral infections and the subsequent diseases, among which influenza, hiv, classical swine fever and cancer;
- understand the basic principles in toxicological risk assessment and mechanisms underlying adverse health effects caused by toxic agents with emphasis on cancer, immunotoxicity and developmental and reproductive toxicity;
- critically read and summarize the provided literature and finally draw recommendations and clarify your opinion with respect to the given topic in written and oral form;
- understand key immunological, toxicological and virological aspects of cell biological health problems in humans and in animals;
- apply cell biological techniques including immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry and measurement of respiratory burst activity with the aim to understand the basic principles of immunology;
- apply cell biological techniques including cell culture, light microscopy, cytochemistry, electrophoresis and Western blot analysis with the aim to understand the basic principles of virology;
- apply cell biological techniques including in vitro cell culture and bio-assay analysis with the aim to understand the basic principles of toxicology.

Activities:

The course can be divided in 3 parts:
- 24 lectures (3 credits);
- a scientific case, in which small groups compose a poster and pitch on an individual subject related to cancer for final presentation (1.8 credits);
- a practical course, in which a variety of techniques will be applied (1.2 credits).

Examination:

- computer-based exam with 60 multiple choice questions (80%);
- groupwork (poster, abstract, presentation) (20%);
- each component requires a minimum mark of 5.0 to pass;
- a final minimal mark of 5.5 is required.

Literature:

A reader for the lectures and the practical course will be for sale of the WUR-shop.
For the case studies literature will be supplied.