Cell and tissue homeostasis is tightly regulated by complex signaling networks at intracellular, intercellular and interorgan levels, and its dysfunction often leads to disease development and progression.
In this course, we will review the basic knowledge of biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, immunology and physiology, and further learn high-level biological and pathophysiological processes, such as 1) allergic diseases and the effect of circadian rhythm regulation, 2) cancer development and acquisition of malignant progression of cancer cells, and 3) the role of intercellular and interorgan communication in disease progression.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1)explain the basic knowledge of biochemistry, molecular/cell biology and physiology, such as homeostasis, metabolism, signal transduction and ubiquitination.
2)explain the basics in immunology and learn the mechanism of allergy development.
3)explain the mechanism of circadian system and learn about its impact on the immune system.
4)explain the basic concepts of cancer development and progression and its application for cancer medicine.
5)explain the importance of cell-cell communication for progression of diseases such as cancer metastasis and obestric disease.
6)explain the importance of mitochondrial dynamics and ubiquitination for mitochondrial homeostasis.
Cell biology, Physiology, Immunology, Allergy, Circadian rhythm, Cancer (Carcinogenesis, Invasion and metastasis, Diagnosis and therapy), Molecular biology and human disease, Cell-cell communication, Ubiquitination, Mitochondria
✔ Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | Communication skills | Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
This course will be organized by five lecturers and given in English.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Mechanism of allergy development (Orihara) | Learn the basics in immunology and students will become able to explain the mechanism of allergy development. |
Class 2 | Circadian control of the immune system (Orihara) | Students will become able to explain how circadian rhythm works, and learn about the impact of the system on the immune system. |
Class 3 | Homeostasis(Ogura) | Students will become able to explain homeostasis. |
Class 4 | Metabolism and its control(Ogura) | Students will become able to explain metabolism and its control. |
Class 5 | Signal transduction(Ogura) | Students will become able to explain signal transduction. |
Class 6 | Mechanism of cancer development (Koshikawa) | Students must be able to explain the molecular mechanism of tumor development (Carcinogenesis). |
Class 7 | Mechanism of cancer malignant progression (Koshikawa) | Students must be able to explain the molecular mechanism of cancer malignant progression (Invasion and metastasis). |
Class 8 | Cancer dignosis and therapy (Koshikawa) | Students must be able to explain cancer dignosis and therapy based on scientific basis. |
Class 9 | Cancer metastasis (organotropic metastasis) (Hoshino) | Students will be asked to explain the mechanism underlying cancer metastasis. |
Class 10 | Neurodevelopmental disorder and intercell communication (Hoshino) | Students will be asked to explain the possibility of cell communication for progression of neurodevelopmental disorder. |
Class 11 | Pregnancy and cell-cell communication (Hoshino) | Students will be asked to explain how maternal-feto communication are linked to pregnancy and obsteric disease. |
Class 12 | Cell Biology:Ubiquitination (1) (Nakamura) | Students will become able to explain ubiquitination and learn its role in viral immune evasion. |
Class 13 | Cell Biology: Mitochondrial dynamics (Nakamura) | Students will become able to explain the mechanism of mitochondrial dynamics and learn its role in mitochondria homeostasis. |
Class 14 | Cell Biology:Ubiquitination (2) (Nakamura) | Students will become able to explain the role of ubiquitination in mitochondrial biology. |
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
N/A
Handouts will be distributed in advance via the OCW-i system when necessary.
【Book】The Biology of Cancer (Garland Science)
Academic assessment will be done by the scores of quizes and/or reports assigned by each lecturer .
Students are expected to have successfully completed Biochemistry I & II, Molecular Biology I & II, and Molecular Genetics, or have equivalent knowledge (Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Genomic Biology).