Molecular Mechanisms of Toxicology

The course will be given every second year, next time autumn 2015. The course give students an understanding of how cells and organisms respond to chemical agents: xenobiotic metabolism; oxidative stress; inflammation; nuclear receptor-mediated toxicity; DNA damage inflicted by toxic chemicals and carcinogenic compounds; the role of signal transduction systems and gene regulation; cell cycle regulation; DNA repair; apoptotic and necrotic cell death; gene – environment interactions, genetic susceptibility, epigenetics.

By the end of the course the student should:
- have current, cutting-edge knowledge in human molecular toxicology.
- understand how toxic and carcinogenic compounds may threaten
genetic integrity of the cells.
- pinpoint the most important programs that underlie
cellular stress responses and apoptosis.
- be aware of the importance of gene-environment interactions.
- explain the consequences of defects in various cellular network and
processes that aim to protect against toxicity and cancer.

Lectures / student presentations and discussion of relevant scientific articles. Intensive course 7-8 weeks in October and November.
Exam: written. In case of few students the written exam can be replaced by an oral examination.