Because research and development in neuroscience is based on molecular research, student have the option to specialise in protein and gene technology with special attention for medical cell biology. Two courses during the first semester and a third course during the second semester are organised.

• Protein technology and proteome analysis (6 ECTS) – 1^st sem
• Gene and genome technology (6 ECTS) – 1^st sem
• Medical cell biology: stem cells and gene therapy (6 ECTS) – 2^nd sem

This course is offered by Laboratory of Protein science, proteomics and epigenetic signalling (PPES)   
Coordinator: Sylvia Dewilde
Lecturers: Sylvia Dewilde, Xaveer Van Ostade
ECTS: 6

Goal and content
This course will give you insight in the most frequently used techniques to study proteins and proteomes, on a theoretical level on a practical level.
After this course, you should know/be able to discuss the function-relationship of proteins, make a good, motivated choice out of the different techniques seen, to reach a certain goal or to solve a certain problem, gain insight in the different techniques to isolate and analyze protein profiles (proteomics), set up a protein-purifying protocol, and gain the ability to turn theory into practice.  
Following theoretical aspects for the study of proteins and proteomes will be discussed:

• chemical modification of proteins
• purification of protein mixtures with limited complexity using ion-exchange and reversed phase chromatography.
• making a strategy for cleaving proteins
• separation of limited complex peptide mixtures using reversed phase chromatography and separation techniques of complex protein mixtures using gelelectrophoreses or chromatography
• N-terminal sequencing of proteins and peptides by Edman degradation
• identification techniques based on mass-spectrometry
• discussion of different strategies for comparing protein-profiles (ICAT, iTRAQ, DIGE, O16/O18 labelling)

These theoretical lectures will be followed by practica: i) labwork (sample handling and gelelectrophoreses), ii) demonstrative practical work (2D-microcapilliary chromatography and mass-spectrometry).

Prerequisite knowledge: Relevant BA.
Teaching method: general lectures by instructors; demonstrations; practical sessions; individual assignments.
Place/time/frequency: weekly classes over a twelve-week period. Practica will be 5 days, during 5 weeks
Assessment: theoretical part: written examination; practica: continous assessment (exercises, assignments  and participation), laboratory notes
Literature: Own notes, notes on Blackboard

This course is offered by the Centre for Medical Genetics and the Department of Molecular Genetics of the VIB (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology)
 
Coordinator: Guy Van Camp
Lecturers: Guy Van Camp, Wim Van Hul, Marc Cruts, Frank Kooy
ECTS: 6

Goal and content
This course will treat advanced aspects and techniques for studying the human genome.
The following subjects are treated:

• Anatomy of the genome
• Amplification of DNA via PCR and cell based cloning
• Principles and applications of nucleic acid amplification
• Genetic techniques for DNA sequencing, real-time quantitative PCR and mutagenesis
• Human Genome project and related genome projects
• Techniques aiming at the study of gene structure, expression, function, using cell extracts and cell cultures
• Gene expression in human cells
• Techniques aiming at identification of genes for Mendelian and multifactorial diseases
• Functional genomics, transcriptomics and bioinformatics

Prerequisite knowledge: Relevant BA with good knowledge of molecular biology. Students have to have a good understanding of the structure of biomolecules, the flow of genetic information (DNA replication, transcription, translation), and basic knowledge of genetic techniques such as PCR, DNA sequencing and cloning.
Teaching method: general lectures by instructors; personal assay, feed-back sessions; bio-informatic exercises.
Place/time/frequency: weekly classes over a twelve-week period.
Assessment: oral examination after written preparation, presentation of the personal assay
Literature: Textbook: Strachan T. & Read A.P.: Human Molecular Genetics, fourth edition. Garland Science, 2011.

This course is offered by the Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute VAXINFECTIO and the Translational Pathophysiology Research platform of the Faculty of Medicine
Coordinator: Zwi Berneman
Lecturers: Zwi Berneman, Viggo Van Tendeloo mmv Peter Ponsaerts, Katrien Vermeulen, Dirk Van Bockstaele, Christiaan Vrints, Johan Bosmans, Marc Van der Planken, Dirk Ysebaert, Ludo Muylle
ECTS: 6

Goal and content
This course serves two purposes. Firstly, this course will provide contemporary and new directions of medical cell biology, in particular in the field of cell therapy, gene therapy and regenerative medicine. Much attention will go to the rapidly evolving field of stem cell biology and therapy. Secondly, a number of recent biomedical applications in the diagnostic/research lab will be discussed. The different topics of the course are:

• Blood cells: interactions and differentiation (hematopoiesis).
• Hematopoietic stem cells.
• Adult and embryonic stem cells.
• Self-renewal of stem cells: biological and molecular aspects.
• Introduction to hematological malignancies: classification, physiopathology and treatment.
• Gene therapy: principles and clinical applications
• Cell therapy / Blood transfusion.
• Endothelial progenitor cells / stem cell therapy for the heart.
• Chimerism and tolerance in solid organ transplantations.
• Implementation of molecular amplification and flow cytometric methods in the clinical diagnostic/pharmaceutical laboratory.

Prerequisite knowledge: relevant BA with knowledge of cellular and molecular biology.
Teaching method: general lectures by instructors; student presentations of research paper
Place/time/frequency: weekly classes over a twelve-week period.
Assessment: oral examination after written preparation, oral presentation.
Literature: reader and handouts of the presentations.