Experimental Techniques in Molcular Biology and Biomedicine

- To know the basic and advanced techniques in the fields of molecular biology, cell and research with laboratory animals.
- To know the possible applications of the different techniques of manipulation of the coding capacity of the cell in industry and research.
- To understand the bases of the methodology of research with animals in laboratory
- To understand the relevance that the choice of organism may have in the research and / or production.

Theoretical and interactive contents (8 lectures and 2 seminars)

- Topic 1: Useful microorganisms in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. Microbiological cultures. Basic Microbiology techniques.
- Topic 2: Cell culture. Basic techniques in cell culture. Types of cultures and growth media. Stem cells, cell cloning. Clonic organisms.
- Topic 3: Genetic Engineering techniques. Handling and purification of nucleic acids.
- Topic 4: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Variants and practical applications.
- Topic 5: Expression of recombinant proteins. Fusion proteins: uses. In vitro expression methods. Protein expression in bacteria. Protein expression in eukaryotes. Creation of cell lines expressing a protein of choice.
- Topic 6: Basic techniques of protein purification and analysis.
- Topic 7: Control of gene expression. Genome edition of cultured cells. siRNA and CRISPR.
- Topic 8: Animal models. Transgenics animals. Handling and imaging of live animals: techniques and applications.

Practical Contents

- Session 1: Protein purification and analysis by SDS-PAGE. Molecular cloning. Genotyping by PCR.
- Session 2: Nucleic acids purification and analysis. DNA restriction digestion and analysis by agarose gel electrophoresis.

1.- Molecular Biology of the Cell, 5th ed, B. Alberts et al., Garland Science, 2014.
2.- Wilson and Walker´s Principles and Techniques of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 8th ed, A. Hofmann and S. Clokie, Cambridge University Press 2018.

Additional resources: All resources provided by the teachers will be available at the virtual classroom of this subject at the Virtual Campus of USC.

It is worth noting that among the electronic resources of the USC library (BUSC) there are two collections from McGraw-Hill (Access Engineering and Access Medicine) and one from Wiley (Wiley Online Library – Books), where textbooks, manuals and other volumes of interest can be accessed by students. Additionally, the electronic book lending service PRELO also offers a number of books from various disciplines.

Basic

CB6: Possess and understand the knowledge that provides a basis or an opportunity for being creative and unique in the development and/or implementation of ideas, often in a research context.
CB7: Students should know how to use the knowledge acquired and their problem-solving capacity in new or little known environments within wider (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their field of study.
CB8: Students should be able to integrate knowledge and deal with the complexity of making judgements from information which – being incomplete or limited – includes reflections on the social and ethical responsibilities linked to the use of their knowledge or judgements.
CB9: Students should know how to communicate their findings and the knowledge and underlying reasons underpinning them to specialised and non-specialised audiences in a clear and unambiguous way.
CB10: Students should have the learning skills that allow them to carry on studying in such a way that should be mainly self-directed or autonomous.

General

CG1: Know how to use the knowledge acquired for practical problem solving in the field of research and innovation, in the multidisciplinary context of biological chemistry and molecular materials.
CG2: Know how to apply the scientific method and acquire skills for developing the necessary protocols for the design and critical assessment of chemical experiments.
CG3: Be able to discuss and communicate ideas, in both oral and written form, to specialised and non-specialised audiences (congresses, conferences, etc.) in a clear and reasoned way.
CG4: Be able to understand the social and ethical responsibilities linked to the use of knowledge or judgements in research, development and innovation in the field of biological chemistry and molecular materials.
CG5: Have the skills that allow students to develop an autonomous method for studying and learning.
CG6: Have leadership, creativity, initiative and entrepreneurship abilities.
CG7: Be capable of working in multidisciplinary teams and collaborating with other specialists, both nationally and internationally.
CG8: Be able to use scientific literature and develop the judgement needed for its interpretation and use.
CG10: Be able to develop the different research stages (from the conception of an idea and the literature search through to target setting, experiment design, analysis of the results and drawing conclusions).


Transversal

CT1: Develop teamwork skills: cooperation, leadership and good listening skills. Adapt to multidisciplinary teams.
CT2: Draft scientific and technical reports and defend them publicly.
CT3: Perform day-to-day research or professional activity in an independent and efficient manner.
CT4: Apply the concepts, principles, theories and models related to Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials to new or little-known environments within multidisciplinary contexts.
CT5: Appreciate the value of good quality and continuous improvement by acting rigorously, responsibly and ethically.
CT6: Be capable of adapting to changes by being self-motivated when applying new and advanced technologies and other relevant developments.
CT7: Show critical and self-critical reasoning when seeking scientific rigour and quality. Handle IT tools and information and communication technology (ICT), as well as on-line access to databases.

Specific

CE1: Know the impact of chemistry, biological chemistry and molecular materials on the industry, environment, health, agrofood and renewable energies.
CE4: Know and understand the chemical tools and analytical techniques used for biological chemistry and molecular materials.
CE5: Know how to analyze and use the data obtained autonomously in complex laboratory experiments by relating them to the suitable chemical, physical or biological techniques.
CE6: Know the physicochemical bases of biological processes.
CE7: Students should acquire knowledge on advanced techniques for the structural characterization of macromolecules, supramolecules and colloids which are relevant in the field of biological chemistry and molecular materials.
CE8: Gain technical skill for carrying out the structural characterization of molecules, biomolecules, supramolecules and nanoparticles and interpreting the experimental data obtained.
CE9: Use advanced instrumentation related to research on biological chemistry and molecular materials.
CE11: Be familiar with the basics of biological and cellular chemistry.
CE12: Understand the weak interaction forces that control supramolecular processes and know how to apply them for obtaining new materials and biological functions.
CE20: Know how to plan and carry out new laboratory experiments in an autonomous and independent manner.

The competences that students are expected to acquire with this will remain unchanged independently of the scenario in which the course takes place.

ATTENDANCE TO ALL CLASSES IS CONSIDERED MANDATORY AS A GENERAL RULE.

- Interactive classes encouraging student participation.
- Combined use of computer and blackboard methods.
- Use of fast and anonymous response methods in class (clickers) to know the degree of following-up of the subject.
- Promotion of self-learning of the student by proposing challenges and posing questions.
- Resolution of practical exercises (problems, questions type test, interpretation and processing of information, evaluation of scientific publications, etc.).
- Oral presentations of previously prepared topics, including the debate with their classmates and teachers.
- Work in the laboratory: sample preparation and observation.

- The evaluation process will not only serve to know if the student has acquired the programmed competences but also to review the teaching methodology.
- Written test on theoretical and practical basic contents of the subject.
- Continuous evaluation associated with active participation and autonomous learning.

Weightings between evaluation methods: minimum weighting (MiW) - maximum weighting (MaW)
Written exam: 50% -70%
Classroom questionnaires: 0% -20%.
Lab work / activities: 15% -30%
Tutoring: 0% -10%

Important: In those cases of fraudulent performance of tasks or test, the “Normativa de evaluación del rendimiento académico de los estudiantes y de revisión de calificaciones” (a specific USC set of guidelines to deal with academic misdeeds from students), will apply.

Face-to-face activities
Theoretical face-to-face classes: 10
Seminars and workshop classes: 4
Scheduled tutoring: 1
Practical laboratory or computer classes: 6
Oral exhibitions of students supported by audiovisual material or lectures by invited professors: 2
Evaluation and / or examination: 2
SUBTOTAL: 25

Individual work
Preparation of tests and directed works: 10
Study and personal work of the student: 36
Bibliographic searches and use of databases: 5
SUBTOTAL: 50

TOTAL: 75 h

- Attendance to the proposed activities, daily study, prepare interactive classes in advance and use the seminars and tutorships to solve any doubts about the subject. Additionally, students may set physical or (preferentially) virtual appointments with teachers to solve any doubts related to the subject.
- It can be useful for the students to reinforce some basic concepts of microbiology, biochemistry and molecular and cell biology if they do not have any previous background on these areas.

1) This subject is accompanied by a virtual classroom in the Virtual Campus of USC, where students may find all the resources provided by the teachers to prepare this subject.

2) Students must employ their institutional USC email account of the Virtual Campus to contact teachers. Attention or replies to emails or messages received through other channels is not guaranteed.