Checking date: 23/05/2022


Course: 2022/2023

Synthetic and systems biology
(14162)
Bachelor in Biomedical Engineering (Plan: 419 - Estudio: 257)


Coordinating teacher: LEON CANSECO, CARLOS

Department assigned to the subject: Bioengineering Department

Type: Electives
ECTS Credits: 6.0 ECTS

Course:
Semester:




Requirements (Subjects that are assumed to be known)
It is strongly advised to have completed Cell and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics.
Objectives
Fundamental knowledge and capabilities developed by cellular engineering scientists allows us to move beyond toward systematic mechanisms for predictable modulation of cell proliferation, migration, communication, and the production of small molecules and biologics. Modern biomedical science includes Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology, two new and complementary fields that constitute the basis of innovation. In this course, students will learn about the foundational technologies and theory behind engineering biology. Students will study strategies for engineering cellular and molecular systems as well as, will explore current and future applications for synthetic biology and system biology approaches. Students will study how to build novel synthetic biological systems that solve practical biomedical problems. They will incorporate elements from many different disciplines including chemistry, biology, mathematics, physics and engineering.
Skills and learning outcomes
Description of contents: programme
Gene and protein sequencing, gene expression analysis, protein expression and interaction analysis, genomic and proteomic analysis . protein-protein Interaction networks, metabolic networks and disease networks, quantitative tissue analysis, modeling biological systems: synthetic biology circuits, data analysis techniques and clinical computing interfaces. The course is divided mainly in two parts: SYSTEMS BIOLOGY AND OMIC TECHNOLOGIES: - Fundamentals of genomics, proteomics and metabolomics - How do normal cellular functions such as cellular division, cell activation, differentiation, and apoptosis emerge from the interaction of genes - How to examine whole cell functions corresponding to observable phenotypes. - How to generate network reconstructions, followed by the synthesis of in silico models describing functionalities. - Systems Analysis of Complex Diseases. - Systems Pharmacology: Understanding Drug Action from a System Perspective. - Systems Pharmacogenomics: Personalized medicine. SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY: - Design and construction of new biological parts, devices, and systems, and the re-design of existing natural biological system for better application. - Build artificial biological systems for engineering applications. - Draw powerful techniques for the rapid assembly of DNA. - Engineer biological system: modify the behaviour of organisms and engineer them to perform new tasks. Create bioengineered microorganisms that can produce pharmaceuticals and repair damaged genes.
Learning activities and methodology
The program will be divided into master classes and computer practical classes (cases). Students are required to read or resolve assigned chapters, articles, problems, etc., before the corresponding classes. The seminars will contain the discussion of relevant scientific articles and problems that will be presented by the students.
Assessment System
  • % end-of-term-examination 50
  • % of continuous assessment (assigments, laboratory, practicals...) 50
Calendar of Continuous assessment
Basic Bibliography
  • Natalie Kuldell PhD., Rachel Bernstein, Karen Ingram, Kathryn M Hart. Synthetic Biology in the Lab. BioBuilder. June 2015
  • Uri Alon. An Introduction to Systems Biology: Design Principles of Biological Circuits . Chapman & Hall/CRC Mathematical and Computational Biology. Jul 2006

The course syllabus may change due academic events or other reasons.