Biological Sciences

This course provides the skills needed to critically evaluate brain-related information from diverse sources and engage in evidence-based discussions. This knowledge and ability to analyze complex neuroscientific concepts can be highly valuable for you as a future leader, enabling you to make informed decisions, understand human behavior, and effectively communicate with others in areas related to neuroscience and its implications.

This course presents the cellular basis of plant growth and development for undergraduate students in the major of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology. The course provides students with an up-to-date understanding of the plant cell cycle, cell enlargement and cell differentiation processes, which is fundamental for improving plant growth and the production of special plant products. Thorough descriptions on the plant cellular compartments, cell division, dynamic growth and specialization are presented alongside the principles of advanced molecular techniques in genetics and visualization of the plant cell. 

Topics include Molecules and membranes, Nucleus, Protein sorting and transport, Cytoskeleton and cell movement, Plasma membrane, Cell wall, Cell cycle and cytokinesis, Regulation, Stem cells and meristems, Cell differentiation, Cell death.  

This course provides students with a solid understanding of the key aspects in energy metabolism, and the effects of nutrients on (muscle) metabolism during exercise of different types. The course requires prior knowledge on some basic biochemical concepts (e.g. the structure and function of macromolecules, common forms of chemical reactions, basic cell structure, and metabolism of macromolecules). The course builds around a practical case study. With a group of students, develop a cohesive and evidence-based recommendation regarding nutrition and exercise for a client sports team. The first part of the course provides a theoretical foundation on the basics of exercise physiology and biochemistry. In the form of tutorial groups, discuss the physiology of muscles, the metabolism of macronutrients, the hormonal regulation of metabolism, the biochemical and physiological role of macro- and micronutrients in relation to exercise and fatigue, and adaptations of the body to endurance, and resistance training. You are expected to conduct a further search of the literature, as the theoretical foundation covers only part of the concepts important for developing a cohesive recommendation regarding nutrition and exercise. Prerequisite SCI2035 Biochemistry. Recommended SCI2009 Human Physiology and/or, SCI2037 Cell Biology.

Human immunity plays an important role in biological defense and the control of various diseases, and this course covers the specific role and function of immune cells. In addition, this course covers the application principles of vaccine development, cancer treatment, and organ transplantation using immunomodulation. In addition, various experimental techniques that are essential in immunology are introduced to promote a broad understanding of applied immunology. 

Topics include Immunological strategies against various infections, Infectious diseases: pathological response and therapeutic options, Vaccine development and practical applications, Immunodeficiency diseases, Hypersensitive responses/allergy, Atopic diseases and practical application, Transplantation and adaptive immunity, Technical advancement in transplantation, Tumor immunology, Immunotherapy for cancer, Autoimmunity and autoimmune diseases.  

This course introduces the general technical/methodological requirements, problems/challenges, and application possibilities of brain-computer interfacing. Besides attending lectures, in which course participants are provided with basic relevant knowledge by local BCI researchers, students study seminal papers of recent BCI work. Further, discuss the pros and cons of different functional brain imaging methods employed for BCIs as well as ethical implications and future directions. The practical part of this course includes a demonstration of an fNIRS-BCI experiment. At a later stage of the course, students perform an fNIRS-BCI experiment themselves.

This course covers the principles of neuroscience with a focus on neural circuits and systems. It begins with the structure and function of neurons, including action potential propagation and synaptic communication, followed by sensory systems such as olfaction, hearing, and vision, exploring how external signals are converted into neural activity and processed in the brain. The course then examines motor control and memory systems. Emphasis is placed on modern research techniques, including functional imaging, optogenetics, and connectomics. Through group projects, participants develop skills in reading, evaluating, and presenting scientific literature, preparing them for research careers or applications in public health and technology.

This course provides a broad overview of the field of bioinformatics, with a focus on practical application and interpretation of results from tools used in everyday biological research. Assumed Knowledge in MAT15403 Statistics 2.

This is a general nutrition course that addresses the relation between nutrition and human health and is primarily aimed at food technology students. The course addresses study design process, nutrient metabolism, micronutrients, and targeted nutrition. Basic knowledge on Nutrition (FCH11306 Nutritional Aspects of Foods) required.

This course focuses on the functions of the animal cell integrated into tissue, covering and discussing regulation of Cell-to-Cell Junction, Cell-Cell Communication, Cell Signaling Pathways, Cell Division and Cell Death.  

Recommended course prerequisites at ICU: Foundation of Biology and Basic Concepts in Cell Biology. 

At the end of the course, the student possesses in-depth knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying genome editing methodologies in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells and the main applications in biotechnology. In particular, the student is able to: 1) analyze and discuss topics concerning the basic mechanisms and applications of these methodologies; 2) understand and critically analyze the biomolecular literature.

This course covers: basic concepts concerning nucleic acids in the cell; chemical structure of nucleic acids; physical structures of DNA and RNA molecules; genetic code, genes and genomes; physical structure of genetic material: bacterial chromosomes (chromatin), eukaryotic chromatin, higher order chromatin structures; DNA recombination; the biological role of homologous recombination; molecular mechanisms of homologous recombination in bacterial cells and in eukaryotic cells; non-homologous recombination; site-specific recombination; mechanisms of DNA repair; types of DNA lesions; pathways and mechanisms of DNA repair: DNA photolyase, Nucleotide Excision Repair, Base Excision Repair, Mismatch Repair; repair mechanisms of DNA double-strand breaks: Nonhomologous end-joining and homologous recombination repair; conventional approaches used for genome-editing: homologous recombination, chemical methods and approaches based on homing endonucleases; genome-editing approaches based on modern methodologies using sequence-specific all-protein nucleases: mega-nucleases, zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs) and Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases (TALENs); and genome-editing approaches based on methodologies using RNA-guided nucleases: Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR-CAS systems).

The course includes an individual laboratory activity where the CRISPR-Cas9 system is used to specifically target and cleave a gene sequence of interest. The aim is to evaluate how introduced mutations affect target recognition and cleavage efficiency by the endonuclease.