Medical Biotechnology MSc

The knowledge to be attained
The storage, maintenance and expression of genetic information, as well as their molecular mechanisms are fundamental topics of the course. DNA replication, DNA damage and repair, RNA synthesis and processing, protein synthesis, maturation and targeting, and different ways of regulation of gene expression are discussed. Regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis, in the light of the molecular background of tumor development is also part of the subject. Some of the lectures provide insights into molecular biology research.

Midterm tests and Students’ presentation
Two oral midterm examinations are held during the semester. In each occasion, a random topic should be picked from the list and answered verbally. The student’s performance is evaluated from 1 to 5 in each of the two tests.
Students who miss a test due to illness (with a medical certificate presented) will be provided with a retake opportunity within one week.

Requirements for the signature
The course of the subject will not be recognized in case of more than 3 absences during the semester.

Examination
The semester ends with an oral terminal examination.
Students draw from two sets of topics, so the grade is based on two parts. The partial grades are offered in advance if marks of 3, 4 or 5 have been obtained at each of the two evaluations held during the term. The grade of the first oral midterm (better than 2) is counted as the first, and that of the second oral midterm (better than 2) is counted as the second partial grade. Midterm marks worse than 3 do not yield such exemptions, and the student must draw a topic from the given set at the terminal exam.

What to learn for the terminal examination?
– The material of all lectures during the semester.
– Medical Pathobiochemistry (eds. Mandl J and Machovich R) ISBN: 978 963 226 407 3
– Molecular Biology of the Cell (Alberts B, Johnson A, Lewis J, Raff M, Roberts K and Walter P) ISBN: 978-0815341055

Location: ITK-C Jedlik lecture hall
Duration: 2 x 45 min (Mondays 9:15 – 11:00 & Tuesdays 14:15 – 16:00)

	Date	Time	Lecture	Lecturer
1	14 February	09:15	Basics of molecular biology	Csala
2	15 February	14:15	DNA replication	Zámbó
3	21 February	09:15	DNA damage, mutation, repair	Zámbó
4	22 February	14:15	Transcription	Csala
5	28 February	09:15	RNA processing	Csala
6	1 March	14:15	Control of gene expression at mRNA level	Csala
7	7 March	09:15	Translation	Mészáros
8	8 March	14:15	Control of translation	Mészáros
9	21 March	09:15	Post-translational modifications	Mészáros
10	22 March	14:15	Intracellular protein trafficking	Mészáros
11	28 March	09:15	Protein degradation (proteasome and autophagy)	Mészáros
12	29 March	14:15	Methods of protein generation	Mészáros
13	4 April	09:15	Studies on protein-protein interactions	Mészáros
14	5 April	14:15	ORAL MIDTERM I
15	11 April	09:15	--- Spring holiday ---
16	12 April	14:15	--- Spring holiday ---
17	19 April	14:15	--- Spring holiday ---
18	25 April	09:15	Molecular biology of viruses	Csala
19	26 April	14:15	Control of cell cycle I	Csala
20	2 May	09:15	Control of cell cycle II	Csala
21	3 May	14:15	Apoptosis	Csala
22	9 May	09:15	Molecular background of cancer	Csala
23	10 May	14:15	Vesicular transport, endocytosis, exocytosis	Kereszturi
24	16 May	09:15	Genetic polymorphysm and human diseases	Kereszturi
25	17 May	14:15	ORAL MIDTERM II

Topics for the 1st midterm

1. Structure of DNA in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, histones, topoisomerism
2. Proteins involved in prokaryotic DNA replication
3. Initiation of replication and the replication fork
4. Special features of eukaryotic DNA replication, the telomerase
5. The most important types of DNA lesion, DNA damage and mutation
6. Formation and repair of “mismatch damage”
7. Ways to repair pyrimidine (Thymine) dimer
8. Structure and function of E. coli RNA polymerase
9. Initiation and termination of transcription in prokaryotic cells
10. Initiation and termination of transcription in eukaryotic cells
11. Processing of mRNA and the structure of mature mRNA
12. Regulation of transcription in prokaryotes
13. Regulation of transcription in eukaryotes
14. Mechanisms for influencing eukaryotic gene expression (other than transcriptional control)
15. Structure and function of RNAs involved in translation
16. Mechanism of aminoacyl-tRNA formation
17. Structure and function of prokaryotic and eukaryotic ribosomes
18. Initiation of translation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
19. Elongation and termination of translation
20. Post-translational modifications and functional consequences
21. Eucaryotic cell organelles and the nuclear protein transport
22. Protein transport to mitochondria and the ER
23. Possible mechanisms for the control of translation

Topics for the 2nd midterm

1. Intracellular proteolysis, ubiquitination, proteasome
2. Intracellular proteolysis, types and mechanisms of autophagy
3. Protein production by using prokaryotic organisms
4. Characteristics of eukaryotic and in vitro protein production systems
5. The yeast two-hybrid system
6. Fluorescence-based studies on protein-protein interactions
7. Vesicular transport between the organelles, the role of SNARE proteins and Rab proteins
8. Vesicular transport, endocytosis and exocytosis, the role of coat-forming proteins
9. Vesicular protein transport
10. Grouping of animal viruses according to their replication mechanism, effect of double-stranded RNA in the eukaryotic cells
11. Replication cycle of retroviruses, acutely transforming retroviruses
12. Genetic background of human diseases, methods for allele analysis
13. The eukaryotic cell division cycle – phases and checkpoints
14. Cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases and their inhibitors
15. Control of cell cycle in G1 and S phases
16. Control of cell cycle in G2 and M phases
17. Handling DNA injuries and ongoing replication during the cell cycle
18. Structure and function of apoptosome, DISC, and PIDDosome
19. Types of Bcl-2 proteins and their role in apoptosis pathways of different origin
20. Properties of caspases and their role in regulating apoptosis
21. Components of the “survival signal” and its connection with the regulatory proteins of apoptosis
22. The endoplasmic reticulum stress and the UPR
23. Control of the level and activity of p53 protein
24. Effects of p53 protein on cell cycle and apoptosis
25. The concept of tumor suppressor genes, the functions of some representative tumor suppressor proteins
26. Genetic modifications leading to tumor cell formation

Lecture slides are available here.

The passwords to download pages can be obtained from the laboratory teachers personally.