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  1. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
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  3. Department of Physiology and Cell Biology
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  6. Graduate Molecular Cell Biology — PHYO 61044

Graduate Molecular Cell Biology — PHYO 61044

Goals

The goals of this course are to develop a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying basic processes in cell biology. This will be achieved by discussing in-depth experimental studies that lead to proposed mechanistic models. In addition, these studies will introduce you to potential experimental approaches to attack scientific questions. We encourage you to critically evaluate the experiments and to incorporate this information with that from your previous or ongoing courses and research activities.

Prerequisites

Prior course in cell biology or permission of instructor. Biochemistry / Gene Expression is recommended. The course will be taught with the assumption that you have had undergraduate courses and/or lab practice in these areas.

Course Instructors

  • Thomas Kelly (Biomed 2, KellyThomasJ@uams.edu)
  • Vladimir Lupashin (Biomed 2 261-2,Office 501-603-1170 vvlupashin@uams.edu)
  • Melda Onal (Biomed 2, Office: (501)-320-7682 Monal@uams.edu)
  • Brian Storrie (Biomed 2 262-2, StorrieBrian@uams.edu)
  • Lee-Ann Macmillan Crow (MacmillancrowLeeA@uams.edu)
  • Ryan Porter (RMPorter@uams.edu)

Course Structure

The course will be four credit hours; Class meetings: Tues/Fri from 10:00- noon in the Biomed 2 Conference Room 242-2 (the room is reserved till 12:30 PM) and/or Zoom (if necessary). The course will be a combination of lectures, weekly written work or problem sets, and class discussions.

Texts

There is no required text. Molecular Cell Biology by Lodish et al. is one of several textbooks that can be used for background information. Virtually all of the assigned readings will be on specific papers relevant to the topic being discussed.

Written Assignments

For some of the sections, there will be problem sets. For ALL sections, there will be written assignments. Please complete the assignments and send MS Word (or compatible) version at least two hours before the class.

Grading

  1. In -Class Paper Discussions (20%)
  2. Problem sets / written class assignments (30%)
  3. Exams (25% – 1st, 25% – 2nd)

General Outline and Topic Organization

DateFacultyClass PeriodGeneral Topics
Tues Jan 11Lupashin and Faculty1Course Organization/Introduction
Fri Jan 14Storrie2Using Microscopy in Cell Biology
Tues Jan 18Lupashin3ER and protein translocation
Fri Jan 21Lupashin4Protein folding and sorting at the ER
Tues Jan 25Lupashin5Vesicular trafficking – Protein machinery –vesicular coats
Fri Jan 28Lupashin6Rab cascade
Tues Feb 1Lupashin7Vesicular trafficking – protein machinery – tethers and SNAREs
Fri Feb 4Lupashin8Vesicular trafficking – pathways and regulations
Tues Feb 8Storrie9ER contact sites – non-vesicular trafficking
Fri Feb 11Storrie10Organelle Assembly and Function – the Golgi Apparatus as the prototype example
Tues Feb 15Storrie11Regulated secretion I. — Membrane dynamics in platelets
Fri Feb 18Storrie12Regulated secretion II. – Linking signaling to platelet granule secretion
Tues Feb 22Storrie13Cargo recognition in endocytosis
Fri Feb 25Exam I14Take-home exam – (Pick up on Friday, return on Mon, 11 a.m.)
Tues Mar 1No class. Exams will be returned by Thursday.
Fri Mar 4Lupashin, Storrie15Exam discussion
Tues Mar 8No class. Potential research day.
Fri Mar 11Onal16Autophagy –principle and machinery
Tues Mar 15Onal17Autophagy – specific pathways
Fri Mar 18Onal18Autophagy – model systems
Tues Mar 22Spring Break, no class
Fri Mar 25Spring Break, no class
Tues Mar 29Onal19Autophagy – role in pathophysiology
Fri Apr 1Porter20Extracellular vesicles – biogenesis
Tues Apr 5Porter21Extracellular vesicles – function in normal physiology
Fri Apr 8Porter22Extracellular vesicles – function in the pathophysiology
Tues Apr 12Kelly23Cytoskeleton
Fri Apr 15Kelly24Cytoskeleton
Tues Apr 19Kelly25Cytoskeleton
Fri Apr 22MacMillan-Crow26Mitochondria
Tues Apr 26MacMillan-Crow27Mitochondria
Fri Apr 29Exam II28Take home exam (Pick up on Friday, return on Mon, 11 a.m.)
Tues May 1No class, exams will be returned by Thursday
Fri May 6Kelly, Onal, Porter, MacMillan-Crow29Exam discussion
Tues May 10All instructors30Course evaluation. Grades are due for all sections.
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Mailing Address: 4301 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205
Phone: (501) 686-7000
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