| Competences |
| Type A | Code | Competences Specific |
| Research | ||
| AR17 | Understanding the concept of Nanobiotechnology and critical evaluation of the benefits and drawbacks of its potential applications. | |
| AR18 | Understanding gene expression, function of DNA and its derived processes. | |
| AR19 | Understanding the role of proteins, enzymes and antibodies in the body and how the properties of the antibodies can be exploited for diagnostic and therapeutic use. | |
| AR20 | Understanding stem cells, differences between embryonic and adult stem cells, and their respective advantages and disadvantages. The methods used for their differentiation and clinical applications. | |
| AR21 | Understanding genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics and the tools that are used to study each one. | |
| Type B | Code | Competences Transversal |
| Research | ||
| BR2 | Treballar de manera autònoma amb iniciativa. | |
| BR3 | Capacitat de gestió de la informació. | |
| BR10 | Habilitats crítiques: anàlisi i sintesi. | |
| BR11 | Capacitat per generar noves idees (creativitat) | |
| Type C | Code | Competences Nuclear |
| Common | ||
| CC3 | Communicating effectively as a professional and as a citizen | |
| CC4 | Speaking and understanding a foreign language with complete ease and fluency | |
| Learning aims |
| Objectives | Competences | ||
| Understanding the concept of Nanobiotechnology and critical evaluation of the benefits and drawbacks of its potential applications. | AR17 |
BR2 BR3 BR10 BR11 |
CC3 CC4 |
| Understanding gene expression, function of DNA and its derived processes. | AR18 |
BR2 BR3 BR10 BR11 |
CC3 CC4 |
| Understanding the role of proteins, enzymes and antibodies in the body and how the properties of the antibodies can be exploited for diagnostic and therapeutic use. | AR19 |
BR2 BR3 BR10 BR11 |
CC3 CC4 |
| Understanding stem cells, differences between embryonic and adult stem cells, and their respective advantages and disadvantages. The methods used for their differentiation and clinical applications. | AR20 |
BR2 BR3 BR10 BR11 |
CC3 CC4 |
| Understanding genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics and the tools that are used to study each one. | AR21 |
BR2 BR3 BR10 BR11 |
CC3 CC4 |
| Contents |
| Topic | Sub-topic |
| Class 1 Introduction | Informal Movie Session: GATTACA and The Island – movies that feature future possibilities of nanobiotechnology. The objective of the class is to give an overview of the knowledge that will be gleaned from the course and the current and potential applications of the knowledge. |
| Class 2: History of Biotechnology | 1. What is Biotechnology? Definitions of Biotechnology, Timeline of Biotechnology, Techniques used in Biotechnology, Who's Who in Biotechnology 2. How is Biotechnology being used? Applications of Biotechnology, Medicines on the market today, Agriculture - GM Foods and Animals, Genomics and proteomics, Gene Therapy and Transgenic Animals, Human Embryonic Stem Cells and Cloning 3. What are some of the issues Biotechnology raises? Bioethics / "Genethics", Public attitudes to biotechnology - safety, awareness Patenting of genetically modified organisms, Theraputic uses of human genes and tissues, Social Responsibility of science as a business |
| Class 3: DNA structure & The Central Dogma | This class outlines the structure of DNA, the structure of the purines and pyrimidine bases in DNA and RNA, nucleosides, nucleotides, hydrogen bonding, DNA structure, denaturation & renaturation, gene expression, mRNA, tRNA & rRNA and the relationship between DNA and protein (the central dogma), and the consequences of this relationship. |
| Class 4: Replication, Transcription & Translation, The Triplet Code | This class looks at the processes of DNA replication, okazaki fragments, telomeres and telomerases and their role in cancer and aging, DNA packaging and chromatin, gene expression (transcription and translation), the genetic code and amino acids. |
| Class 5: Proteins and Protein Structure, Enzymes and Antibodies | This class addresses the structure and properties of amino acids, the peptide bond, protein folding and primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure. Various classes of proteins (structural, transport, motor, storage, signalling, receptor etc.) will be discussed. Two important sets of proteins will be looked at in more detail: enzymes and antibodies. Enzymes will be explained according to their classifications, and the role of antibodies in the immune system and their use in diagnostics and therapeutics will be outlined. |
| Class 6: Recombinant DNA technology | This class will look at the history of Recombinant DNA technology and the techniques involved. The use of vectors (plasmids, bacteriophages etc.), restriction enzymes, ligases and antibiotic resistance in the process of permeation, transformation and selective enrichment for DNA cloning will be described. Case studies of commercial success stories, such as the production of recombinant insulin, will be outlined. |
| Class 7: Electrophoresis, Sequencing, PCR, Molecular Beacons, Real time PCR |
The discovery of DNA polymerase and its use in the polymerase chain reaction for the amplification of DNA will be described. The steps involved, the role of primers and the use of molecular beacons for real time PCR will be explained. Nested, multiplex, shot start, asymmetric and touchdown PCR as well as other PCR formats will be looked at in details. The use of electrophoresis for DNA and protein separation will be outlined and the processes of manual and automated DNA sequencing discussed |
| Class 8: Dining & Sleuthing with DNA | The class will focus on the genetically modified foods, and DNA forensic science. The property of totipotency and the use of the vector Agrobacterium tumefaciens will be described. Specific applications of genetically modified foods will be described using case studies. Various questions will be posed: What are GM crops and how do you make them? Why do we need GM crops? What biotech companies are at the forefront of Ag-Biotech Crop production? What regulatory processes exist for GM Crops? What are the issues surrounding GM Foods - real or imagined? The second half of the class will start with a brief overview of the history of DNA forensics and will explain polymorphisms, short tandem repeats, CODIS, RFLPs and the use of these to obtain a DNA fingerprint. Applications to criminal investigations, cadaver recognition, paternity testing, microbial identifications, molecular paleontology will be examined and finally the use of mitochondrial DNA for use in evolutionary analyses discussed. |
| Class 9: Stem Cell Therapy and Gene Therapy | This class will be divided into two parts – stem cells and gene therapy. The first half will introduce adult and embryonic stem cells, sources and properties of stem cells, generation of embryonic stem cells and differentiation, stem cell therapy, clinical applications and will compare the advantages and disadvantages of adult and embryonic stem cells, respectively. Biotechnology companies working in the field will be discussed and the policy of various countries with respect to stem cells, outlined. The associated ethical issues will be debated. In the second half of the class, gene therapy will be looked at, starting with the history, the types of gene therapy and the various delivery systems available. Viral vectors (integrating and non-integrating viruses) will be described as well as electroporation/liposomic delivery. The limitations and applications of gene therapy will be outlined and case studies of various monogenic diseases and gene therapy of cancer will be discussed. |
| Class 10: The Human Genome Project Genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics | This class will look at the Human Genome Project (HGP) and the post-genomics era. The history and objectives of the HGP, the objectives of the project, low and high resolution mapping, chromosome walking, shotgun sequencing, automated DNA sequencing, DNA microarrays, bioinformatics and the results of the HGP, as well as the associated ethical, legal and societal issues will be discussed. The importance of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) will be looked at. Functional genomics will then be explained and the tools (aptamers, mass spectroscopy and 2D-differential gel electrophoresis) will be required to monitor gene expression using metabolomics (transcriptomics) and proteomics will be outlined. |
| Class 11: Nanotechnology: History, definitions and major milestones | This class sees the start of the second half of the course where the focus will shift to nanotechnology, starting with a brief overview of the history of nanotechnology starting with the pushing force for nanotechnology – use of integrated circuits in computers and will go on to give examples of current research and applications, such as materials, energy, computing and biomedicine. The bottom up vs top down approaches as well as carbon nanotubes, buckyballs, MEMS, quantum dots, nanoelectronics, nanomechanisms, lithography, nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine will be discussed as preparation for further classes. |
| Class 12: ‘Bottom-down’ – Nanofabrication Techniques | This class focuses on the ‘bottom-down’ approach to producing nanostructured surfaces and will look at microfrabrication techniques for the realisation of microsystems, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), microsensors, microactuators and their applications for automotive operation & safety, medical diagnostics and treatment, nanoelectronics, and nanomechanisms- The advantages of Microsystems in terms of reduced energy requirements, parallelisation and cost will be outlined. Anisotropic and isotropic wet and dry bulk and surface micromachining technologies, deep reactive ion etching, LIGA, UV-lithography and advanced lithographic techniques (extreme Uvm e-beam, ion beam and x-ray lithography as well as deposition (chemical & physical vapour deposition, thermal evaporation and sputtering) will be described in detail. |
| Class 13: ‘Top-up’- Biological self assembly | This class will address the ‘top-up’ approach to producing nanostructures via biological self-assembly. Self-assembled monolayers of thiols on gold and mixed selfassembled monolayers of tailored- esigned hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity will be described. The use of amphiphiles on water created via Langmuir Blodgett films, and the use of lipid monolayers and ligand stabilised nanoparticles will also be discussed. The possibility of the self assembly of DNA superstructures using branched DNA as a scaffold or nanoparticles functionalised with DNA, as well as layer by layer electrostatic based approaches will be explored and finally the growing field of dendrimers will be addressed. |
| Class 14: Nanotools: Microsopic techniques for characterisation and manipulation on a nanoscale | This class focuses on nanotools for the characterisation and manipulation of nanostructured forces. The fundamentals of the field ion microscope, the scanning electron microscope (SEM), the transmission electron microsope (TEM), the scanning probe microscope, the scanning tunnelling microscope (STM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and lateral force microscopy (LFM) will be explained in detail. The use of STM for manipulation of atoms and the use of AFM for the characterisation of biological elements and elucidation of forces in and between proteins. |
| Class 15: Nanoparticle fabrication and biofunctionalisation | This class will address the various methods of nanoparticle fabrication, stabilisation and biofunctionalisation. The size-related properties of nanoparticles will be described. The techniques to produce nanoparticles of tailor designed properties for selective catalysis, electronics, optics and magnetic applications will be outlined – for example, methods to produce metallic and bi/multi-metallic nanoparticles, semiconductor nanoparticles, organic nanoparticles, polymer nanoparticles. Approaches of techniques such as citrate reduction, plasma vaporisation, electrostatic spray assisted vapour deposition, laser ablation, sol-gel synthesis, nanosprays, electron beam lithography, photolithography patterning, nanosphere lithography, microcontact printing etc. will be explained in detail and the issues of stabilisation, the DLVO theory and routes of biofunctionalisation will also be addressed. The applications of these nanoparticles for magnetic, optical, catalytic, electrochemical and medical uses will be outlined. |
| Class 16: Carbon Nanotubes | This class focuses on the production, properties and applications of carbon nanotubes. A background to the history of carbon nanotubes, fullerenes and buckyballs will be provided. The properties of carbon nanotubes dependent upon their method of production, the difference and advantages and disadvantages of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT). Different synthesis routes such as chemical vapour deposition, arc discharge and laser ablation as well as methods for purification will be discussed in detailed. Functionalisation and application of both SWNTs and MWNTs will be discussed. |
| Class 17: Nanobiotechnology Applications: Diagnostics | The use of nanobiotechnology for diagnostic applications will be outlined. Biosensors based on nanostructured and functional surfaces will be described in details. New advances in biosensor technology using magnetic, optical and electrochemical transduction will be outlined for use in catalytic and affinity sensor systems using enzymes, antibodies, cDNA, aptamers, aptazymes, catalytic antibodies, diabodies and tailor designed biological components. The integration of biosensors into Microsystems for multiplexed detection will be described where simultaneous detection of proteins and nucleic acids is facilitated with micro system based ample treatment, micro-PCR/capillary electrophoresis /dielectrophoresis FACS /MACS and biosensoric detection. Methods for site-selective deposition as well as commercially available biochips from Nanogen, Affymetrix will also be looked at. Finally, biofunctionalised nanoparticles for imaging of tumours in vivo will be discussed. |
| Class 18: Nanobiotechnology Applications: Therapeutics | The use of nanobiotechnology for therapeutic applications will be outlined. The use of antibody linked liposomes for site selective delivery of drugs to cancerous tumours, magnetic nanoparticle linked antibodies for magnetic fluid hyperthermia for localised treatment of cancerous tumours, nanosprays for efficient drug delivery for asthma as well as nanoparticle linked drug carrying vesicles for crossing the blood-brain barrier as well as aptamers for prevention of viral transcription for HIV, HCV etc. will be discussed in detail. |
| Class 19: Nanobiotechnology Applications: Tissue Engineering / Artificial Organs | Artificial implants have limited lifetimes, and the clinical results of transplanting procedures are often less than optimal. Tissue engineering offers an exciting new solution based on the controlled differentiation of nanoscale cellular features. The first approach involves the ‘in vitro’ seeding of a biodegradable scaffold with donor cells and growth factors. After a period of cell growth and multiplication, the scaffold is surgically implanted into the body at the point where it is needed for the generation of healthy new tissue. Alternatively, a support can be inserted directly into the damaged area, together with the corresponding growth factors and other drugs that protect the zone and stimulate tissue regeneration. Current research in functional polymers for bone tissue engineering applications, inorganic/polymer nanocomposites for Dental restorative and bone replacement applications, bioactive nanomaterials in bone grafting and tissue engineering, nanostructured scaffolds for tissue engineering and regeneration will be discussed. |
| Planning |
| Methodologies :: Tests | |||||||||
| Competences | (*) Class hours | Hours outside the classroom | (**) Total hours | ||||||
| Introductory activities |
|
2 | 2 | 4 | |||||
| Lecture |
|
20 | 40 | 60 | |||||
| Assignments |
|
14 | 28 | 42 | |||||
| Presentations / expositions |
|
5 | 10 | 15 | |||||
| Personal tuition |
|
8 | 0 | 8 | |||||
| (*) On e-learning, hours of virtual attendance of the teacher. (**) The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students. | |||||||||
| Methodologies |
| Description | |
| Introductory activities | Two introductory sessions to work on the fundamental concepts of this work area |
| Lecture | Sessions in class to work on the theoretical topics. |
| Assignments | Continuous assessment will be based on homeworks, participation in class, presentations. Homeworks should be submitted within 14 days of the class and should be submitted in a hardcopy (paper) format |
| Presentations / expositions | The final presentation should be 10 minutes in length, (with 5 minutes for questions), and should be based on any topic related to nanobiotechnology (although the contents cannot be taken directly from the classes). |
| Personal tuition |
| Personalized attention |
|
|
| Assessment |
| Description | Weight | ||
| Assignments | Continuous assessment will be based on homeworks, participation in class, presentations. Homeworks should be submitted within 14 days of the class and should be submitted in a hardcopy (paper) format. |
80 | |
| Presentations / expositions | The final presentation should be 10 minutes in length, (with 5 minutes for questions), and should be based on any topic related to nanobiotechnology (although the contents cannot be taken directly from the classes). | 15 | |
| Others | Assistència a classe més gran del 80%. Resposta a les preguntes formulades a classe. Interès i iniciativa |
15 | |
| Other comments and second exam session | |||
| Sources of information |
| Basic |
C.M. NIEMEYER, Nanobiotechnology: Concepts, Applications and Perspectives, Wiley-VCH, 2004
J. D. WATSON, DNA: The secrets of Life, Alfred Knopf Publishers, 2003
S. J. ROSENTHAL, D. W. WRIGHT, Nanobiotechnology Protocols, Humana Press Inc., 2005
H.S. NALWA, Handbook of Nanostructured Biomaterials and Their Applications in Nanobiotechnology, American Scientific Publishers, 2005 |
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| Complementary |
M. RATNER AND D. RATNER, Nanotechnology: Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea, Prentice Hall, 2003
WILSON, M., KANNANGARA, K., SMITH, G., SIMMONS, M., RAGUSE, B., Nanotechnology: Basic sciences and technologies, Chapman & Hall/CRC, 2002
BUD, R., uses of life: A History of Biotechnology, Cambridge University Press, 1993
MICHAEL CRICHTON, Prey, Harper Collins, |
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| Recommendations |
(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.