Course content

Communication between cells by way of proteins, peptides and small molecules that activate cellular receptors is crucial for the development and function of all multicellular organisms. Dysfunctional receptor signalling is the cause of a variety of diseases, and most prescription drugs target specific receptors. This advanced course will describe the most commonly used methods for studying receptor signalling and will discuss cell signalling downstream of the most important receptor classes. Examples of signalling in development, physiology and disease will be provided. Because receptor signalling is tightly coupled to the intracellular trafficking of receptors, such trafficking - and its impact on signalling - will also be discussed in depth. The course will consist of a combination of lectures (by specialists in receptor signalling and trafficking), colloquia and presentations of selected topics by the students. It should be relevant for advanced students within biochemistry, molecular/cell biology, medicine and pharmacy.

Learning outcome

After completing the course, the student...

• shall be able to describe the most important classes of cellular receptors for signalling molecules
• shall be able to describe commonly used methods for studying cellular signalling and intracellular trafficking
• shall understand the most important molecular mechanisms for cellular signalling
• shall understand the most important molecular mechanisms for regulation of intracellular trafficking
• shall be able to illustrate how intracellular trafficking regulates cellular signalling
• be able to illustrate how cellular signalling regulates intracellular trafficking
• be able to combine data from available literature and present a lecture on a given topic over cellular signalling and trafficking

Learning methods and activities

26 Lectures, 8 hours colloquims, 2 hours mandatory presentations by the student.

Compulsory assignments

• 2 hours mandatory presentations by the student.

Further on evaluation

Retake of the exam: The student must have completed mandatory activities to take the exam. If this is passed in a previous semester, it is sufficient to retake the written exam.

Recommended previous knowledge

Basic knowledge on Master Degree level in medicine, cell biology, molecular biology.

Required previous knowledge

Master's Degree in biology, chemistry or physics. Medical doctor or Medical Student at the Student Research Programme. Candidates with a lower degree will be assessed individually, compare with recommended prev. knowledge.

Course materials

Molecular Biology of the Cell (Alberts et al.) 4. edition. Chapter 13 (Intracellular vesicular traffic) and chapter 15 (Cell communication). 130 pages in total. In addition: 170 pages from review articles.