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About Study Course

Credit points / ECTS:4 / 6
Course supervisor:Rudīte Koka
Study type:Full time
Course level:Master's
Target audience:Dentistry
Language:English, Latvian
Branch of science:Biology; Molecular Biology

Objective

To develop an understanding of the molecular processes in the cell, the connection of cell functions with the provision of homoeostasis in the human body, as well as an understanding of the principles of human genome structure and the role of genomic function disorders in the aetiology of genetic pathologies, to develop students’ skills in learning molecular biology methods, to help understanding the use of acquired theoretical knowledge in medical practice, to help understanding the role of science in the development of medicine and the possibilities of applying scientific insights in physician’s practice.

Prerequisites

Knowledge of biology acquired within the framework of general secondary education.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge

• Students analyse the correspondence of the cell structure of various eukaryotes to its functions;
• Substantiate the relationship between cell structure and the role of abnormal functions in human pathology;
• Compare the processes occurring in mitosis and meiosis;
• Know the main regularities of genetics;
• Evaluate the significance of Mendel’s experiments in the development of genetics;
• Compare the results of monohybrid, dihybrid, polyhybrid and analytic crosses;
• Explain the types of interaction of allelic and non-allelic genes and the effect of gene interaction on the expression of traits in the phenotype, analyse gene linkage;
• Know the structure of nucleic acids, explain DNA replication, transcription, translation and regulation of gene expression;
• Know chromosomal pathologies, analyse their possible occurrence mechanisms and consequences;
• Know the factors that disturb the gene balance in the population, know the types of sampling and characterises the sampling in the human population;
• Explain the possibilities of applying the insights of population genetics in practical medicine;
• Substantiate the expression of developmental gene mutations in the early stages of ontogenesis; explain the impact of developmental genes on the structure of the organism;
• Justify their opinion by analysing specific situations regarding the inheritance of human traits;
• Use the biology concepts and terms discussed in the lecture and class.

Skills

Students use an optical microscope to identify specific cell structures of eukaryotes; different types of metaphase chromosomes; polytene chromosomes; explain the relationship between the construction of structures and functions; graphically represent the phases of mitosis and meiosis and explain the ongoing processes; form schemes of oogenesis and spermatogenesis; prepare and analyse family trees of various inheritance types; present the aetiology, possible causes of the disease of a multifactorial congenital type; use the method of molecular biology to extract and demonstrate the DNA of buccal epithelial cells; classify the types of variation and mutation; discuss the mechanisms of gene, chromosome, genome mutations; solve tasks in genetics and molecular biology.

Competence

Students analyse situations in medical cytology, genetics, evaluate the role of scientific achievements and genetics in dental practice.

Study course planning

Planning period:Year 2024, Spring semester
Study programmeStudy semesterProgram levelStudy course categoryLecturersSchedule
Dentistry, SSNSF2Master’sRequiredMiki Nakazawa (Miklasevica), Reičela Heinrihsone
Dentistry, SSNSFz1Master’sRequiredMiki Nakazawa (Miklasevica), Rudīte Koka, Loreta Briuka
Dentistry, ZF2Master’sRequiredRudīte Koka, Loreta Briuka, Sabīne Laktiņa