FA802: Mechanistic Toxicology
Study Board Pharmacy
Teaching language: Danish, but English if international students are enrolled
EKA: N570002102
Assessment: Second examiner: External
Grading: 7-point grading scale
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Autumn
Level: Master
STADS ID (UVA): N570002101
ECTS value: 5
Date of Approval: 25-04-2019
Duration: 1 semester
Version: Archive
Comment
Entry requirements
Bachelor degree. The course is only offered students of Pharmacy.
The course cannot be chosen by students, who have passed BB807.
Academic preconditions
Students taking the course are expected to:
- Have knowledge of basic toxicology, chemistry and biochemistry
- Be able to use basic chemical and biochemical knowledge to recognise chemical and cellular structures
Course introduction
The aim of the course is to enable the student to understand, at the molecular level, the mechanisms behind toxicity and the relations between the cellular defence systems against toxicity. Further, the long-term adaptions of the cellular response to chemical stress through epigenetic mechanisms will be introduced.
The course builds on the knowledge acquired in the courses BB523 and BB524.
In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:
- Give the competence to understand advanced toxicological original research papers
- Give skills to generalise about the fate of chemicals from their chemical structure
- Give knowledge and understanding of molecular mechanisms of toxicity and defence systems against toxicicity
Expected learning outcome
The learning objectives of the course are that the student demonstrates the ability to:
- Describe the biochemical pathways leading to the bioactivation of selected chemicals
- Predict the metabolic fate of compounds from their chemical structure
- Describe the molecular mechanisms behind the deleterious effects of selected chemicals on membranes, proteins and DNA
- Discuss processes leading to necrosis ad apoptosis
- Discuss impact and timing of toxic manifestations in the cell
- Describe the molecular mechanisms behind the deleterious effects of selected chemicals on energy production and metabolism
- Discuss toxic effects on the organ level as a consequence of molecular events
- Describe the cellular defence systems against oxidative stress, metals and lipophilic compounds
- Discuss the interrelation between defence systems and the consequences of suppression of sub-systems
- Describe the mechanisms and effects of epigenetic changes
- Give an oral presentation of a toxicological topic based on a study of original scientific literature
Content
The following main topics are contained in the course:
- Cellular transport of xenobiotics; selective accumulation and organ specific toxicity.
- Bioactivation of compounds by the Phase-I and Phase-II systems
- Oxidative stress, free radicals and lipid peroxidation of cell membranes
- Covalent binding of chemicals to biological macromolecules
- The energy production of the cell as a target for xenobiotics
- Apoptosis and necrosis
- Epigenetic changes
Literature
Examination regulations
Exam element a)
Timing
January
Tests
Written exam
EKA
N570002102
Assessment
Second examiner: External
Grading
7-point grading scale
Identification
Student Identification Card
Language
Normally, the same as teaching language
Examination aids
Not allowed, a closer description of the exam rules will be posted under 'Course Information' on Blackboard.
ECTS value
5
Additional information
The examination form for re-examination may be different from the exam form at the regular exam.
Indicative number of lessons
Teaching Method
Activities during the study phase: Preparation of a short talk (20 min) based on a literature study.
Teacher responsible
Additional teachers
| Name | Department | City | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johannes Lørup Buch | jbuch@biology.sdu.dk | Biologisk Institut | |
| Katrine Hulgard | khulgard@biology.sdu.dk | Biologisk Institut |