Applied genoproteomics and immunology

Duration

54h Th, 6h AUTR

Number of credits

Lecturer

Benjamin G. Dewals, Patrick Fickers, Laurent Gillet, Laurence Lins, Sébastien Massart, Micheline Vandenbol, Alain Vanderplasschen, Hervé Vanderschuren, Luc Willems

Coordinator

Micheline Vandenbol

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This course is focused on the molecular approaches currently developed by a bioingenior in the study and the cellular characterization of the procaryotes and the eucaryotes for their exploitation and valorization. These approaches include genetics and genomics, bioinformatics and proteomics, as well as immunology.
The theoretical concepts will be divided according to 3 main axes.
1. General methods of molecular biology
- Development of the tools of the molecular genetics, genomics and post-genomics;
- Concepts of biological research in "omic"/"ome";
- Aspects of reverse genetics, gene transfer and reporter genes, double hybrid, heterologous expression;
- Cellular cultures and immunochemical techniques;
- Overview of the bioinformatic analysis of sequencing data (DNA, RNA) including NGS sequencing;
- Overview of the bioinformatic analysis of proteins.
2. Model organisms: their specificities and use
Among these model organisms, a priority will be given to micro-organisms.
- The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as unicellular model eucaryote: approaches of classical genetics and reverse genetics, genomics and biochemistry.; a link with certain parts of the first teaching axis (gene tranfert, reverse genetics, double-hybrid..., bioinformatic data processing) will be realized;
- A procaryotic model, such Bacillus sp, and nonconventional yeasts will be studied. The bacteriophages will be also introduced in relation to the industrial use of the bacteria;
- The metagenomic of procaryotic and eucaryotic organisms (especially fungi) will be also approached in ecosystems with agronomic, environmental and gastro-intestinal interest;
- The plant system will be also studied with the Arabidopsis thaliana model and also cassava;
- Other model organisms with biological interest will be potentially studied by the way of seminars with invited speakers (algae, nematodes, zebrafish, mouse, cow, etc ...).
3. Immunology : from the mouse to the human
The fundamental principles of the immune system will be overview : innate immunity, specific immunity, antibody, cytokines and other humoral components, interactions observed between all these elements and mechanisms of activation of the system.
The course will be focused on the applications of this science in the bioingenior activity domains :
- Immunochemical diagnosis
- Vaccinology
- Immunobiology, e.a the relation host-immunity-intestinal microbiota
- Plant Immunology.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

Objectives of training
To introduce (by theoretical way) all molecular approaches currently developed by a bioingenior in order to study the cellular characterization of the procaryotes and the eucaryotes for their exploitation and valorization. These approaches include genetics and genomics, biochemistry, bioinformatics, transcriptomics and proteomics, with a component in immunology.
The practical aspects of these concepts will be realized in an option module of Master degree II - "Gene to protein".
Competences concerned
At the end of this multidisciplinary module, the students must be able to integrate all the molecular approaches in complex biological problems concerned with agronomic sciences and biological engineering.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

BIOL 2015-3 - Molecular biology
BIOL 2045-1 - Basis of Biology
BIOL 2013-2 - General microbiology

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The teaching will be given entirely by lectures with Power Point files. Those will be illustrated by videos and eventually by seminars from experts invited for certain specific scientific themes.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

Lecture: 51 H
Visit of the GIGA-ULg research centre: 6 H

Recommended or required readings

- Text notes and publications from recent literature. PowerPoint will be available on MyULg.

Assessment methods and criteria

Written examination on all the parts of the teaching

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

Contacts

Professor Micheline Vandenbol
Microbiology and Genomics
081/622353  m.vandenbol@ulg.ac.be