BIO-105 (2023) Cellular Biology and Biochemistry for engineers

BIO-411 Life Sciences engineering: genome to function

BIO-413 Planetary health

BIO-449 Understanding statistics and experimental design

Hello everyone,

We have made an update to Lecture 7 slides (a correction to slides 47-48). In your preparation for the exam, please refer to these updated slides.

Many thanks,

your TAs

BIO-482 Neuroscience: cellular and circuit mechanisms

This course focuses on the biophysical mechanisms of mammalian brain function. We will describe how neurons communicate through synaptic transmission in order to process sensory information ultimately leading to motor behavior.

The brain processes information through the concerted activity of many neurons, which communicate with each other through synapses organised in highly dynamic networks. The first goal of this course is to gain a detailed understanding of the structure and function of the fundamental building blocks of the brain, its synapses and neurons. In considering this goal, we will also examine some basic methods including cellular electrophysiology and optical imaging. This will enable the student to critically evaluate how neurons are studied. The second goal is to learn how synaptic input is integrated and processed in single neurons based on the active and passive properties of axons and dendrites. Students will assemble their knowledge of synapses and neurons into a coherent picture of neuronal network function, with specific emphasis on the interactions of excitatory glutamatergic and inhibitory GABAergic neurons, plasticity and neuromodulation. The third goal, will be to place neuronal networks in the context of how they contribute to associative learning and sensory processing ultimately leading to behavioural decisions and motor output. These topics will be examined during Week 9 of the semester in a written exam.

In the second part of the semester, students will carry out a miniproject analysing a neurophysiological dataset. Each student must submit their miniproject report by the last Friday of the semester.

BIO-493 Scientific project design in integrative neurosciences

BIO-494 Scientific project design in drug discovery

Modulating Hepatic Lipid Metabolism in NAFLD


BIOENG-421 Basics in bioinstrumentation


Course BIOENG-421 will start on Friday September 12th at 8.15am in room PHH 331

Summary
This combined practical and theoretical course will provide the basics in bioinstrumentation, including the construction of a droplet-microfluidic workstation for high-throughput, single-cell analysis. Many of the learned concepts are equally applicable to other widely used lab instruments.

Content
The course is based on lectures covering the theoretical aspects and introducing common design principles in bio instrumentation.
In parallel, the students work in teams to present the basic working principles of an instrument of their choice (to be approved) and to build a droplet microfluidic work station from the ground up. A detailed and comprehensively illustrated protocol (including animations) will help to successfully implement all practical tasks.

Keywords
• High throughput fluorescence analysis
• Single-cell assays
• Microfluidics
• System engineering
• Hands-on practice
• LabVIEW control software

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, the student must be able to:
• Design an instrument converting a cellular feature (e.g. an enzymatic activity or the presence of a surface receptor) into an electric signal that can be quantified and processed to provide active feedback loops (e.g. to trigger cell sorting)
• Conduct microfluidic experiments
• Construct a prototype and characterize the performance• Have basic knowledge about other types of lab equipment
• Describe the basic working principles of other lab equipment

Transversal skills
• Collect data.
• Make an oral presentation.
• Plan and carry out activities in a way which makes optimal use of available time and other resources.
• Set objectives and design an action plan to reach those objectives.
• Communicate effectively with professionals from other disciplines.
• Write a scientific or technical report.

Teaching methods
• Teaching is done through interactive lectures, including case studies presented by the students
• In parallel, the students go through a hands-on practical session every week ("learning by doing"), comprising the construction of a fully functional bio instrument

Expected student activities
Prepare a blueprint for a droplet microfluidic workstation, based on a comprehensive protocol
Present a bioinstrument of your choice (to be approved), based on comprehensive literature search
Construct a functional bioinstrument, collect data, present results in oral and written form

Assessment methods
Presentation of a bioinstrument of your choice (to be approved; Group activity, 30%)
Construction of a fully functional microfluidic instrument, presentation of experimental results (Group activity; 30%), submission of a written report (20%)
Q & A sessions with individual students to initiate a discussion about the performed work (Individual activity, 20%)

Protocols, slides and literature will be made available on Moodle

BIOENG-455 Computational cell biology

Computer modelling is increasingly used to study dynamic phenomena in cell biology. This course shows how to identify common mathematical features in cell biological mechanisms, and become proficient in selecting numerical algorithms to model them and predict their behaviour.