Courses > Elective courses during the 7th & 9th Semester

Enzyme Biotechnology and Nanobiotechnology

Theory

  • Βiotechnological Enzymes –General characteristics
  • Production and purification of enzymes
  • Biocatalysis in non-conventional media
  • Factors affecting catalytic behaviour of enzymes
  • General principles of some catalytic mechanisms
  • Enzyme engineering
  • Molecular design of enzymes
  • Structural analysis of enzymes
  • Biocatalysis and White Biotechnology-Green bioprocesses
  • Application of enzymes in food and pharmaceutical industries
  • Biocatalysis in Environmental and Agricultural Biotechnology
  • Introduction in Nanobiotechnology
  • Visualization at the Nanoscale
  • Nanoparticles and Their Uses
  • Nanoparticles for Labeling
  • Nanoparticles for Delivery of Drugs
  • Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapy
  • Nanotubes
  • Nanobiocatalysis

Laboratory exercises

  • Molecular modelling of enzymes
  • Methods for determination of enzyme activity
  • Immobilization of enzymes onto nanotubes
  • Experimental determination of enzyme thermostability
  • Biocatalysis in non-conventional media Enantiomeric resolution
  • Determination of enzymes structures in nanodroplets with spectroscopic techniques
  • Preparation and application of cross-linked enzyme aggregates
  • Use the Expasy data base for the investigation of structural characteristics of enzymes

From Genome to Proteome

1. Genome Projects

Foreward: Why sequencing whole genomes?

1.1. Mapping strategies
1.2. Human genomic landscape
1.3. Evolution of the genome

2. Identification of genes and gene products

Foreward: How many genes in human?

2.1. Gene discovery – Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs)
2.2. Transcriptome analysis – DNA microarrays
2.3. Gene families

3. Proteome analysis

Foreward: Why Proteomics?

3.1. Mapping the proteome - 2-D Electrophoresis, Mass Spectrometry
3.2. Protein structures and structure-function analysis
3.3. Protein-protein interactions - 2-hybrid systems

4. Biomedical applications

Foreward: What is of interest in the mapping of genetic polymorphisms?

4.1. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) - Genotyping
4.2. On the molecular mechanisms and genes of human diseases
4.3. Strategies of prognostics and therapy – Current perspectives

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Histology

Intercellular Communication

Theory

Courses combine lectures (26 hours) and analysis of recent original articles (13 hours).

Training seminars

Students are invited to present two 30min seminars on specific topics.

Syllabus

  1. Introduction to Intercellular Communication
    a. Mechanisms and various types of intercellular communication
    b. Types of receptors
    c. Basics of signal transduction
  2. Organization of signaling
    a. Introduction to main signaling pathways
    b. Signaling complexes
    c. Crosstalk between signaling pathways
    d. Signaling networks
    e. Positive and negative feedback in signaling
  3. Physiological role of mediators
    a. Hormones
    b. Cytokines
    c. Growth factors
    d. Neurotransmitters
  4. 2nd messengers, activation pathways, mechanisms of activation, role in signal processing.
  5. Small G proteins, mitogen-activated protein kinases pathways (MAPK)
  6. Signaling by G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR), heterotrimeric G-proteins
  7. Signaling by receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs)
  8. Receptors with associated tyrosine kinase activity
    a. The Jak-STAT pathway
    b. Protein tyrosine phosphatases as negative regulators
    c. SOCS (Suppressors of cytokine signaling)
  9. Receptors with intrinsic Ser/Thr kinase activity
    a. TGF-β receptors
    b. SMADS
  10. Signaling by nuclear receptors
    a. Regulation of transcription by nuclear receptors
    b. Nongenomic functions of nuclear receptors
  11. Receptor endocytosis
  12. Regulation of gene expression by transcription factors

Textbooks

  • Biochemistry of signal transduction and regulation, G. Krauss, Wiley-VCH, 2008.
  • Structure and function in cell signaling. J. Nelson, John Willey & Sons, 2007

Neurotransmitters and Behavior (Brain Function)

A. Basic aspects of Neurotransmitter function

  1. An overview of neurotransmitters systems and function
  2. Synaptic function (fast and slow events, ion channels and 2nd messengers, methodology)
  3. Neurotransmitter receptors (classification, structural analysis)
  4. Neurotransmitter release (mechanisms, measurement, control)

B. Neurotransmitters and Synaptic transmission, including, location, pathways, neurochemistry, receptors, effects, and drug modification

  1. Acetylcholine
  2. Dopamine
  3. Amino acids: excitatory
  4. Amino acids: inhibitory
  5. Noradrenaline
  6. 5-Hydroxytryptamine
  7. Peptides
  8. Other transmitters and mediators

C. Neurotransmitters in drug action and Disease states

The possible role of different neurotransmitters in the aetiology of disease states and the mechanism of action of clinically effective drugs, including symptoms, therapy and animal models.

  1. Alzheimer’s Disease
  2. Diseases of the Basal ganglia (Parkinson’s)
  3. The Epilepsies
  4. Depression & Anxiety
  5. Pain and Analgesia

D. Neurotransmitters and Behavior

  1. Sleep and Waking
  2. Drug Dependence and Abuse

Suggested Textbooks

  1. "Neurotransmitters, Drugs and Brain Function", edited by RA Webster, 2001, Published by J Wiley & Sons Ltd
  2. "The Biochemical Basis of Neuropharmacology, by JR Cooper, FE Bloom & RH Roth, 8th edition, 2002, published by Oxford University Press

Applied Genetics

Contents


Quantitative Genetics

The nature of continuous traits; continuous phenotypes; questions studied in quantitative genetics; statistic tools; polygene inheritance; heritability; response to selection.

Genomics: basic elements

Principles of genomics; construction of genomic maps; correlation between genomic maps and RFLPs, cytogenetic maps & genomic clones; gene detection methods via genomic maps; analysis of bacterial, viral, plant and animal genomes; detection of the genome expression in the transcriptional and translational level; DNA microarrays; genomics application in the environmental, ecological, cellular, molecular research and human genetics.

Behavioral Genetics

The definition of behavior and the contribution of genetics; correlation between genes and environment in behavior; relation of single genes and behavior: examples in animals and humans; polygenic correlation and behavior, instinct and learning ability: examples in animals and humans; genetic approach of behavior in humans: pedigree data, molecular approach, polygenic disorders, examples.

Oncogenes - carcinogenesis

Genetic regulation of cell number (natural and cancer cells); the genetic basis of cell multiplication and the programmed cell death; cancer: the genetics of the uncontrolled cell number; oncogenes; the genomic approach in cancer research, diagnosis and treatment.

Pharmacogenetics - ecogenetics

Genotypes and factors that influence the action of certain medicines; pharmacogenetic polymorphisms; polygenic control; the pharmacogenomic field.

Application of genetics in humans.

Genetic charge; genetic diseases; genetics applications in familial programming; genetic selection and negative eugenics.

Indicative lab courses

Measurenet of a quantitative trait in Drosophila melanogaster.
Geotaxis in Drosophila melanogaster.
Bevavioral study of Drosophila melanogaster fru mutant.
Exercises related to genomics.
gfp reporter gene.
Getting used to various karyotypes. Human karyotype analysis.

Environmental Chemistry

  1. Environmental compartments
    • Water
      • Ground water
      • Surface water
      • Drinking water
      • Legislation about surface and drinking water
    • Soil  Soil characteristics  Soil pollution  Legislation about soils
    • Air
      • Air composition
      • Anthropogenic and biogenic emissions
      • Troposphere, stratosphere, ionosphere
      • Ozone (formation and destruction)
      • Hydrocarbons in the atmosphere
      • Reactions in the atmosphere
      • EU guidelines on atmospheric pollutants
      • Indoor air pollution
  2. Greenhouse effect
    • Greenhouse gases
    • Contribution to the greenhouse effect
    • Climate change
  3. Xenoniotic compounds
    • Cadmium
    • Phenols with emphasis to pentachlorophenol (PCP)
    • Chlorinated dioxins and furans (PCDDs and PCDFs)
    • Phthalic esters
    • Chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
  4. Pesticides
    • Chlorinated pesticides
    • Parathion and metabolites
    • Atrazine and metabolites
    • Toxaphene

Microbial Genetics

Introduction.

Prokaryotic DNA metabolism.

Replication of circular and linear DNA.

Genetic exchange.

Plasmids. Conjugative and mobilizable transposable elements. Transformation. Conjugation. Approach of bacteria that lack natural systems of genetic transmission.

Quorum sensing in bacteria.

Molecular mechanisms. The genetics of quorum sensing in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Endospore formation.

Bacillus subtilis: an example of cellular differentiation in bacteria.

Extremophile bacteria.

General characteristics. Examples of genetic regulation. Applications.

Genetics of bacteriophages.

Bacteriophage λ. Single-stranded DNA phages.

Ichthyology

Ichthyology lectures

  1. Introduction into the systematic of fish
  2. Shape and movement, Navigation, General anatomy, skeleton, muscle system, circulatory system, blood, respiration, respiratory system, nutrition, digestive system, nervous system, senses, excretion, excretory system, osmosis, reproduction, reproductive system, embryology, growth, age, mortality.
  3. Biological strategies of fish
  4. Aquatic environment: Inland waters, Estuaries, Laggons, Sea
  5. Zoogeography, distribution, ethology, behaviour, adaptation, defence, protection, intraspecific relationships, interspecific relationships, parasitism, populations, migrations
  6. Fisheries: Rivers, lakes, laggons, Sea, Fisheries biology
  7. Greek fish fauna, Epirus fish faua, endemic species, threatened species, enrichments, fish populations management

Laboratory courses

  1. Μorphology, diversity of characters
  2. Teeth, scales (cyclostomes, cartilaginous fishes, bony fishes
  3. Determination of cartilaginous fishes and bony fishes
  4. Biometry, morphometric and meristic characters
  5. Bony fishes anatomy
  6. Scales, preparations
  7. Age and growth
  8. Fecundity
  9. Mortality, models
  10. Software applications in fisheries biology (FISAT, Fishbase)

Field exercises

  1. Daily exercise in lake Pamvotis. Collection of fishes, examination, preservation of specimens, fishing gears and fisheries production in inland waters, enrichments
  2. Daily exercive in Amvrakikos gulf ( Fishing gears, sea fish fauna and fish populations, fisheries production)
  3. Daily exercise in Louros river: envronment and freshwater fish fauna, river zonation and fauna, fish populations

Teaching of Natural Sciences

  • The nature of Natural Sciences
  • The purpose of the teaching of Natural Sciences
  • Problems of learning in the teaching of Natural Sciences
  • Alternative ideas for students and their impact on the teaching of Natural Sciences
  • The procedures of the scientific method and the teaching of Natural Sciences
  • The constructive learning model of Natural Sciences
  • The role of experiment in conceptual change
  • The role of concept maps
  • Misconceptions of students on concepts of Biology

Economics

Introduction to Entrepreneurship

Special Issues in Bioinformatics (9th semester)

Course Outline

  1. Commands and Data Structures in Perl
  2. Procedures and Functions
  3. Regular Expressions
  4. Dynamic Memory Allocation
  5. Data Flow
  6. Program Design
  7. Perl and Bioinformatics
  8. Complex Data Structures
  9. Object-Oriented Programming
  10. Microarrays and XML
  11. Computer Graphics and CGI
  12. Working with the Internet
  13. Modeling Networks
  14. DNA Computers

Laboratory Exercises

  1. Data I/O in Perl
  2. Biological Sequence Representation and Processing
  3. Genetic Code
  4. Using Biological Databases
  5. Bioperl
  6. Implementing Sequence Alignment Algorithms
  7. Implementing Phylogenetic Analysis