Cell and Molecular Biology

A Biomedical Engineer needs to integrate knowledge from different fields in order to analyze and solve problems in biology and medicine to provide an overall enhancement of health care. The human body is an elegant devise that requires inputs for sustained operation. The processes responsible for that input rely on proteins, the leitmotiv of biochemistry and the ultimate cell micro-machines. Students will partake of the excitement of understanding the complex problems of biochemistry. After being introduced to the fundamentals of Cell and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry students will become acquainted with multiple protein and enzyme functions. Students will get familiar with various state-of-the-art methodologies to analyze proteins and their modifications. We will make a strong emphasis on the malfunction of proteins as the leading cause of disease and on the ways to study and tackle these problems. Students will be led through the subject text books and journal papers promoting interactive scientific discussion and team work.

RA1: Acquire knowledge and understanding of the basic general fundamentals of engineering and biomedical sciences. RA2: Be able to solve basic engineering and biomedical science problems through a process of analysis, identifying the problem, establishing different methods of resolution, selecting the most appropriate one and its correct implementation. CB1: Students have demonstrated possession and understanding of knowledge in an area of study that builds on the foundation of general secondary education, and is usually at a level that, while relying on advanced textbooks, also includes some aspects that involve knowledge from the cutting edge of their field of study. CB2: Students are able to apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and possess the competences usually demonstrated through the development and defence of arguments and problem solving within their field of study. CG1: Adequate knowledge and skills to analyse and synthesise basic problems related to engineering and biomedical sciences, solve them and communicate them efficiently. CG3: Knowledge of basic scientific and technical subjects that enables them to learn new methods and technologies, as well as providing them with great versatility to adapt to new situations. CG4: Ability to solve problems with initiative, decision-making, creativity, and to communicate and transmit knowledge, skills and abilities, understanding the ethical, social and professional responsibility of the biomedical engineer's activity. Capacity for leadership, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. CG8: Ability to solve mathematical, physical, chemical and biochemical problems that may arise in biomedical engineering. CG13: Knowledge of the fundamental principles of molecular, cellular, structural and biochemical biology applied to human beings. ECRT5: Ability to solve basic biochemistry problems that may arise in biomedicine. CT1: Ability to communicate knowledge orally and in writing to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.

Proteins act both as building blocks and molecular machines orchestrating cell and tissue function. Our Biochemistry course will cover a variety of normal and pathological protein functions in processes such as metabolism, cell signaling, cancer and others. 1. Introduction 2. Enzymes 3. Protein analysis I 4. Protein analysis II 5. Metabolic routes I 6. Metabolic routes II 7. Metabolic routes III. Biosynthetic and degradation pathways 8. Signal Transduction 9. Signal Transduction 10. Cancer 11. Clinical biochemistry I 12. Clinical biochemistry II (diabetes and obesity). LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS a. protein extration quantification and analysis b. electrophoresis c. western blot analysis d. enzyme kinetics

The program will be divided into master (lectures) and discussion/problem classes and, laboratory. Students may be required to read assigned chapters/articles, or solve problems before the corresponding classes. For specific subjects there may be invited lectures given by prestigious professionals in the field. In the discussion and problems sections, relevant scientific articles and problems will be presented and discussed by the students and the teaching team. In the laboratory classes, students divided in small groups will perform the described experiments with the help of a supervisor and Lab guide prepared by the teaching team. Students will be required to pass an exam at the end of the practices.