DSMolM01 Molecular Medicine

Faculty of Medicine
autumn 2023
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. RNDr. Ondřej Slabý, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Monika Stanková, Ph.D. (assistant)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Ondřej Slabý, Ph.D.
Department of Biology – Theoretical Departments – Faculty of Medicine
Contact Person: Mgr. Monika Stanková, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Central European Institute of Technology
Prerequisites
Advanced knowledge in molecular biology, basics in cancer biology.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
At the end of the course students should be able to essentials of theoretical and methodical principles of molecular medicine with special view on molecular pharmacology, new drug development and precision medicine.
Learning outcomes
powerpoint presentations
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction – history, concept and definition of molecular medicine, content of the course – introduction to the methods and principles of molecular medicine based on the diagnostics and therapy of cancer, translational research, essentials of molecular biology and genetics
  • 2. Molecular pathology of cancer – cell cycle, apoptosis, genetic instability of tumors, risk factors, angiogenesis, metastasis development, microRNAs, tumor as a complex tissue, histopathological classification of tumors, mechanism of action of selected drugs – as example therapy of colorectal cancer, breast cancer and glioblastoma
  • 3. Modern methodical approaches in molecular medicine I – preparation of biological material (tissue, blood, stool, FFPE) and extraction of nucleic acids (importance of quality control), genomics (Real-Time qPCR, DNA microarrays, Next Generation Sequencing, long-read sequencing – comparison of technological principles and review of the most widely used microarrays and sequencing platforms.
  • 4. Modern methodical approaches in molecular medicine II – introduction to proteomics (2D electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, protein arrays), usage of proteomic methods in the diagnostic oncology
  • 5. Molecular epidemiology – concept and definition of molecular epidemiology, identification of molecular risk factors, analysis of interactions between molecular and environmental factors, significance of molecular epidemiology in lung cancer and colorectal cancer prevention
  • 6. Molecular pharmacology I – targeted therapy – development of new drugs = identification of new molecular targets, high-throughput screening, tissue cultures, transgenic animal models, risk/benefit ratio, economical and ethical aspects in the development of new drugs
  • 7. Molecular pharmacology II – principles of biological therapy – monoclonal antibodies – preparation of monoclonal antibodies and recombinant proteins, small inhibitors – rational drug design, siRNA, microRNA – augmentation of gene expression on the post-transcriptional level, drug transport (liposomes, immunoglobulins, nano-technologies and supramolecular systems)
  • 8. Molecular pharmacology III – precision medicine – pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics
  • 9. Precision oncology – concept and definition of precision oncology, individualized medicine for oncological patients based on the biological characteristics of their tumors, prognosis, prediction, survival terms, therapy response, early detection of progression
  • 10. Cancer immunotherapy – essentials and basic principles, immune checkpoint inhibitors, cancer antigens peptides, dendritic cells vaccine, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes
  • 11. Stem cell therapeutics, gene therapy of inherited diseases, prenatal diagnostics
  • 12. Molecular medicine in the light of law, ethics and society
Teaching methods
block of lectures
Timetable for autumn 2023 semester:
18. 1. 2024 and 25.1.2024, 8:30 - 11:30, seminar room E35/211
Assessment methods
oral exam
Language of instruction
English
Follow-Up Courses
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Note related to how often the course is taught: Timetable for autumn 2022 semester:

Thursday 13 January 2022 8:00 – 12:00, C03/117

Thursday 20 January 2022 8:00 – 12:00, C03/117.

Teacher's information
Ondrej Slaby, email:ondrej.slaby@ceitec.muni.cz, http://slabylab.ceitec.cz/
The course is also listed under the following terms autumn 2019, autumn 2020, autumn 2021, autumn 2022, autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (autumn 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/med/autumn2023/DSMolM01