Advanced molecular biology

The Advanced Molecular Biology course aims to provide detailed insight into the mechanisms that control cell division and proliferation, and how the cell cycle mechanisms are integrated with processes required to maintain genome integrity. These topics will be discussed in model organisms and in mammalian cells, with a particular focus on human pathologies linked to alterations in the molecular mechanisms of these processes.

After this course, the student will have built a solid theoretical background in the mechanisms underlying cell proliferation and its regulatory circuits and the molecular mechanisms responsible for preserving genome integrity and their role in counteracting tumorigenesis. Moreover, the student will have learned to critically evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of model systems applied to molecular processes and will have gained competences in applying the best experimental strategy to answer a specific scientific question.