Science of Living Systems (BS20001)
Broad areas covered:
Nucleic acids: structure, replication and technical applications
Transcription, translation and regulation of gene expression
Protein structure
Enzyme: mechanism, kinetics and inhibition
Bioenergetics: Photosynthesis and Respiration
Cellular architecture
Cell division and its regulation
Immunology: Host defense and vaccines
Neurobiology
Genetic Engineering
Nucleic acids: structure, replication and technical applications
Transcription, translation and regulation of gene expression
Protein structure
Enzyme: mechanism, kinetics and inhibition
Bioenergetics: Photosynthesis and Respiration
Cellular architecture
Cell division and its regulation
Immunology: Host defense and vaccines
Neurobiology
Genetic Engineering
Advances in Protein Structure and Function (BS41004)
Syllabus:
Primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures; Motifs, super-secondary structures and fold types; forces that stabilize protein fold, folding pathways; Protein dynamics – timescales of motions, computation and experimental methods to study protein dynamics; intrinsically disordered proteins and their functions.
Directed protein evolution – phage display, cell surface display, cell free display systems; mutagenesis studies; Alternative scaffolds, combinatorial enzyme engineering; Protein engineering using non-canonical amino acids; Knowledge based protein design; Selected case studies.
Primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures; Motifs, super-secondary structures and fold types; forces that stabilize protein fold, folding pathways; Protein dynamics – timescales of motions, computation and experimental methods to study protein dynamics; intrinsically disordered proteins and their functions.
Directed protein evolution – phage display, cell surface display, cell free display systems; mutagenesis studies; Alternative scaffolds, combinatorial enzyme engineering; Protein engineering using non-canonical amino acids; Knowledge based protein design; Selected case studies.
Structure Determination of Biomolecules (BS41002)
Syllabus:
Introduction to quantum spin states; Energy levels and transitions; Basic one-dimensional NMR experiment; Vector model; Product operators; Multi-dimensional NMR experiments; Relaxation; Fourier transformation and data processing; Spectrometer basics; Application to biological problems.
Diffraction theory - waves, interference and complex numbers; Atoms, crystals and reciprocal space; X-ray sources: from generators to synchrotrons; Crystallization, data collection, processing, complications; The phase problem: introduction to phasing methods; Introduction to fitting, refinement and validation.
Introduction to quantum spin states; Energy levels and transitions; Basic one-dimensional NMR experiment; Vector model; Product operators; Multi-dimensional NMR experiments; Relaxation; Fourier transformation and data processing; Spectrometer basics; Application to biological problems.
Diffraction theory - waves, interference and complex numbers; Atoms, crystals and reciprocal space; X-ray sources: from generators to synchrotrons; Crystallization, data collection, processing, complications; The phase problem: introduction to phasing methods; Introduction to fitting, refinement and validation.
Infection and Immunity (BS40004)
Syllabus:
An overview of immune system; Infectious organisms: viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, helminths, prion etc.; Virulence factors and host susceptibility, entry and exit of pathogens; How pathogens escape innate and adaptive immune systems; Control of infectious diseases: vaccination, chemotherapy and public health measures
Viral pathogenicity and antiviral agents; Case studies: HIV, influenza, swine flu etc., and recent viral outbreaks: Zika, Ebola, Chikungunya, bird flu etc.; bacterial diseases (Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Staphylococcal infection etc) and immunity; Fungal (systemic and opportunistic infections) and protozoal (Malaria, Leishmaniasis etc.) diseases and immunity; Cancer immunology
An overview of immune system; Infectious organisms: viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, helminths, prion etc.; Virulence factors and host susceptibility, entry and exit of pathogens; How pathogens escape innate and adaptive immune systems; Control of infectious diseases: vaccination, chemotherapy and public health measures
Viral pathogenicity and antiviral agents; Case studies: HIV, influenza, swine flu etc., and recent viral outbreaks: Zika, Ebola, Chikungunya, bird flu etc.; bacterial diseases (Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Staphylococcal infection etc) and immunity; Fungal (systemic and opportunistic infections) and protozoal (Malaria, Leishmaniasis etc.) diseases and immunity; Cancer immunology
Molecular Microbiology (BS40002)
Syllabus:
Introduction to molecular microbiology; Health/economic significance of microorganisms; vertical and horizontal transfer of genetic materials in microbes; Transformation, conjugation and transduction; Culture-based and culture-independent molecular detection of microorganisms. Morphology and cellular architectures of microorganisms; Molecular basis of bacterial growth and division; Solute transport in bacteria: ABC transporters, amino acid transport, drug export systems etc.; Microbial interactions: environmental and quorum sensing. Microbe-host interactions. Biofilm formation and its implication, bacterial adhesion to host and pathogenesis; targeting strategies against cell wall biosynthesis, and other fundamental processes of bacteria; Mechanism of antibiotic action and resistance; Multidrug resistance, progress and challenges; Structure, function and virulence of viruses, and others microorganisms including fungus, protozoa and parasites. Comparative and environmental genomics.
Introduction to molecular microbiology; Health/economic significance of microorganisms; vertical and horizontal transfer of genetic materials in microbes; Transformation, conjugation and transduction; Culture-based and culture-independent molecular detection of microorganisms. Morphology and cellular architectures of microorganisms; Molecular basis of bacterial growth and division; Solute transport in bacteria: ABC transporters, amino acid transport, drug export systems etc.; Microbial interactions: environmental and quorum sensing. Microbe-host interactions. Biofilm formation and its implication, bacterial adhesion to host and pathogenesis; targeting strategies against cell wall biosynthesis, and other fundamental processes of bacteria; Mechanism of antibiotic action and resistance; Multidrug resistance, progress and challenges; Structure, function and virulence of viruses, and others microorganisms including fungus, protozoa and parasites. Comparative and environmental genomics.
Epigenetics and Epigenomics (BS60005)
Syllabus:
1. Genetics vs Epigenetics
2. Basic overview of Epigenetics
3. DNA compaction and chromatin
4. Mechanisms of chromatin modification (DNA methylation, Histone tail-modifications, Histone Variants, Chromatin remodelling complexes and non-coding RNAs)
5. How chromatin modification affects transcription
6. Regulation of transcription by Epigenetic mechanisms (chromatin modificaitons, Polycomb and Trithorax Group proteins, Heterochromatinization)
7. Developmental Epigenetics (X-inactivation, Dosage compensation, Nuclear transplantation & genomic reprogramming, Germ-line and Pluripotent Stem Cells Genomic Imprinting)
8. Neuro-epigenetics
9. Heritability of Epigenetic marks (during cell division and Transgenerational inheritance)
10. Human disorders with Epigenetic link
11. Brief overview of Genomics
12. Genomic Techniques- Principles and overview (Next Generation Sequencing techniques)
13. Epigenomic techniques (RNA-Seq, Bisulfite-seq, CHIP-Seq, MNase-seq, FAIRE-seq, ATAC-seq, DAM-ID); Analysis of epigenomic data
14. Chromosomal conformation; HiC, 4C methods and data analysis
1. Genetics vs Epigenetics
2. Basic overview of Epigenetics
3. DNA compaction and chromatin
4. Mechanisms of chromatin modification (DNA methylation, Histone tail-modifications, Histone Variants, Chromatin remodelling complexes and non-coding RNAs)
5. How chromatin modification affects transcription
6. Regulation of transcription by Epigenetic mechanisms (chromatin modificaitons, Polycomb and Trithorax Group proteins, Heterochromatinization)
7. Developmental Epigenetics (X-inactivation, Dosage compensation, Nuclear transplantation & genomic reprogramming, Germ-line and Pluripotent Stem Cells Genomic Imprinting)
8. Neuro-epigenetics
9. Heritability of Epigenetic marks (during cell division and Transgenerational inheritance)
10. Human disorders with Epigenetic link
11. Brief overview of Genomics
12. Genomic Techniques- Principles and overview (Next Generation Sequencing techniques)
13. Epigenomic techniques (RNA-Seq, Bisulfite-seq, CHIP-Seq, MNase-seq, FAIRE-seq, ATAC-seq, DAM-ID); Analysis of epigenomic data
14. Chromosomal conformation; HiC, 4C methods and data analysis
NMR Spectroscopy: Applications in Biology and Chemistry (BS61001)
Basic concepts and principles of NMR spectroscopy: quantum spin states, energy levels, vector model; 1D NMR techniques: pulse NMR, chemical shifts, scalar coupling; Two-Dimensional NMR: correlations between homonuclear and heteronuclear spins, COSY, TOCSY, HSQC, HMBC; Relaxation: transverse and longitudinal relaxation, nuclear Overhauser enhancement, NOESY; Assignment strategies for small molecules; Assignment strategies for biological macromolecules; Structure determination by NMR spectroscopy.
