Farmaceutski-biokemijski fakultet

University of Zagreb
Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry
since 1882

Molecular basis of diseases and therapy

Study year: 5th year
Semester: 9.
Number of ECTS points: 2.5
Aim of course: To acquire knowledge and understand the mechanisms of genesis and development of inherited and acquired diseases on the molecular level, as the basis of a rational approach to the development of new therapies. To understand and consider the principles of new therapeutic strategies such as gene therapy and stem cells therapy.
Prerequisite: enrolment requirements for this subject – Molecular Biology with Genetic Engineering completed, passed examination in Pathophysiology and Pathology; conditions for taking an examination in this subject – passed examination in Molecular Biology with Genetic Engineering.
Course content: Genetic, molecular biological and biochemical bases of the following diseases: Cancer. Diabetes / Obesity. Atherosclerosis / Stroke. Emphysema / Asthma / Cystic fibrosis. Rheumatoid arthritis / Systemic lupus erythematosis. AIDS / Prion diseases. Muscular dystrophies / Epilepsy / Multiple sclerosis. Alzheimer’s disease / Parkinson’s disease / Huntington disease. Depression / Schizophrenia / Anxiety. Inherited metabolic diseases / Storage diseases / Congenital disorders of glycosylation. Diseases caused by disorders of signal transduction pathways. / Diseases caused by keratin mutations. Molecular pathology / pathophysiology of the listed diseases. Molecular physiology of stress. Molecular basis of aging. Molecular basis of behaviour. Epigenetics. Complex genetics. Medical application of molecular biology and medicinal engineering in clinical practice. Rational approach to the development of new therapeutic strategies based on the knowledge of molecular mechanisms of genesis and disease development (Rational drug design). Vectors for targeted delivery of DNA in cells and tissues. Anti-sense oligonucleotides therapy. Application of small siRNA in targeted posttranslational gene silencing. Genetic immunisation. Stem cells and their application in therapy. Cellular and genetic therapy of vascular diseases and cancer. T-cell therapy and immunotherapy. Signal transduction molecules as targets for pharmacological action. Designer drugs: the therapeutic potential of new genetics. Multidrug resistance. Analysis of the examples from primary scientific literature.
Literature:
  1. K. Barišić I J. Dumić: lectures on CD
  2. Principles of Molecular Regulation, P.M. Conn, A.R. Means, Humana Press, 2000, ISBN: 0-89603-630-8, selected chapters
  3. Molekularna biologija u medicini, T. M. Cox, J. Sinclair, Medicinska naklada, 1995, ISBN: 9531761205, selected chapters
  4. Principles of Molecular Medicine, J. J. Jameson, Humana Press, 1998, ISBN: 0-89603-529-8, selected chapters
  5. Cell Therapy: Stem Cell Transplantation, Gene Therapy, and Cellular Immunotherapy (cancer: Clinical science in Practice), G. Morstyn, W. P. Sheridan, K. Sikora (Eds), Cambridge University Press, 1996.
  6. Human molecular genetics, T. Strachan, A. P. Read BIOS Scientific Publishers, 1999, ISBN: 1-872748-69-4
  7. Selected primary scientific literature
Teaching manner: lectures and seminars
Assesment: written exam
Teaching language: Croatian; teaching also possible in English

Lecturers and associates

Tit. Name
prof. dr. sc. Karmela Barišić Full professor with tenure Course leader
prof. dr. sc. Jerka Dumić Full professor with tenure Course leader