Admission requirements
Advice: elementary knowledge of Cell Biology, Cell Signaling and Molecular Biology.
Description
The aim of this course is to get a good understanding of the molecular mechanisms of human disease, in particular cancer, infectious and inflammatory diseases, neuronal-stress disorders, and developmental disorders.
Course objectives
After completion of the course, students are able to:
Explain how specific signal transduction events and molecular mechanisms underlie various pathological processes, and how this knowledge can be applied to develop better treatment strategies for human diseases.
Understand, critically evaluate and discuss lectures given by scientists on their current research within a variety of biomedical fields ranging from cancer, infectious and inflammatory diseases, diabetes, and stress-related disorders to developmental disorders.
Integrate the information provided by specialists in the field during the lectures with knowledge gained from the scientific publications to formulate questions and propose the best scientific approach to solve an important biomedical question.
Present the designed research plan on the selected topic to the group and have a discussion about this plan.
Formulate personal interests in biomedical research fields for possible further exploration during their Master studies.
Timetable
In MyTimetable, you can find all course and programme schedules, allowing you to create your personal timetable. Activities for which you have enrolled via MyStudyMap will automatically appear in your timetable.
Additionally, you can easily link MyTimetable to a calendar app on your phone, and schedule changes will be automatically updated in your calendar. You can also choose to receive email notifications about schedule changes. You can enable notifications in Settings after logging in.
Questions? Watch the video, read the instructions, or contact the ISSC helpdesk.
Note: Joint Degree students from Leiden/Delft need to combine information from both the Leiden and Delft MyTimetables to see a complete schedule. This video explains how to do it.
Mode of instruction
A series of obligatory lectures provided by invited specialist speakers will be combined with own literature self-study. The students will have to write three questions on the topic of the lecture before and subsequently formulate a three questions further after the lectures, which will be the starting point for a class discussion. If possible, experts will be contacted during the class discussion.
Assessment method
PowerPoint presentation.
Written examination requesting knowledge of lectures and the following pages from Alberts VI: 813-880, 965-973, 1o12-1018-, 1075-1081-1091-1141, 1251-1260, 1276-1290, 1297-1318, 1322-1339.
The final grade consists of the following partial grades:
60% examination
30% powerpoint presentation and participation in discussion
10% assignments
Minimum grade:
Courses require a minimum, unrounded 5.5 grade to complete.
If a course has 2 or more written partial exams, the minimum grade only applies to the weighted average of the exams.
For partial grades from components other than exams (e.g. practicals, seminars, writing assignments), the bottom grade does apply to the individual components.
Please refer to the Student Charter for an overview of regulations.
Reading list
Lectures
Recommended: Alberts et al, Molecular Biology of the Cell, 6th edition, ISBN 9780815344643
Additional literature required for the lectures and own power point presentation on a chosen topic.
Registration
As a student, you are responsible for enrolling on time through MyStudyMap.
In this short video, you can see step-by-step how to enrol for courses in MyStudyMap.
Extensive information about the operation of MyStudyMap can be found here.
There are two enrolment periods per year:
Enrolment for the fall opens in July
Enrolment for the spring opens in December
See this page for more information about deadlines and enrolling for courses and exams.
Note:
It is mandatory to enrol for all activities of a course that you are going to follow.
Your enrolment is only complete when you submit your course planning in the ‘Ready for enrolment’ tab by clicking ‘Send’.
Not being enrolled for an exam/resit means that you are not allowed to participate in the exam/resit.
Contact
Coordinator: Dr. G. Forn Cuní
Email: g.forn-cuni@biology.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
Course can be followed by Biology MSc and by LST, BFW, BMW MSc students.
Note that this is a full time and difficult course asking your interest and commitment - make sure you are available to attend the lectures.
The lectures will be given mostly in the morning, afternoons are meant for self-study on a daily basis. In the last week of the course students will give their own presentation on a chosen topic and prepare for the examination. Participation in the lectures is obligatory.
Software
Starting from the 2024/2025 academic year, the Faculty of Science will use the software distribution platform Academic Software. Through this platform, you can access the software needed for specific courses in your studies. For some software, your laptop must meet certain system requirements, which will be specified with the software. It is important to install the software before the start of the course. More information about the laptop requirements can be found on the student website.