Imperial College London (ICL)

Lecture notes from Imperial College London, Medical Biosciences BSc, 2nd year, genetics and genomics (GEN) module. Focus on nuclear chromosomes: learn how 2 metres of DNA is somehow packaged into these tiny chromosomes and understand some key features of chromosomes that determine their structure and function. Understand the differences between autosomes, sex chromosomes and mitochondrial chromosomes, and their association with disease. learning objectives: - Recall the changes in numbe...

Lecture notes from Imperial College London, Medical Biosciences BSc, 2nd year, genetics and genomics (GEN) module. How is genomic DNA expressed, and how is it that different cell types with the same genome receive different instructions? In these notes, I delve deeper into transcription, and how it is affected by the arrangement of chromatin in the nucleus. I review the process of transcription itself as well as the epigenome - the set of DNA and histone modifications that regulates gene expr...

Lecture notes from Imperial College London, Medical Biosciences BSc, 2nd year, genetics and genomics (GEN) module. Description of genome engineering methods, particularly in mammals, and the principles underlying them. Nowadays, we can now modify genotypes of most organisms directly, quickly and radically, using a growing array of genome engineering methods. Most of these involve introducing DNA into cells where it integrates into the genome using DNA repair pathways. The latest methods also ...

Lecture notes from Imperial College London, Medical Biosciences BSc, 2nd year, genetics and genomics (GEN) module. These notes describe the ways in which genetic linkage maps and physical maps are generated and combined. I describe Genome-Wide Association Studies, which compare the genome sequences of many individuals in distinct populations, in order to locate regions that determine multi-genic phenotypes such as height or diabetes. learning objectives: - Explain the principles of link...

Lecture notes from Imperial College London, Medical Biosciences BSc, 2nd year, genetics and genomics (GEN) module. "In this last session we will review new and emerging methods, such as single cell sequencing and CRISPR-based genome engineering, and see how they are set to transform areas such a gene therapy, personalised medicine, ageing and the use of non-human organisms. We will also touch on the potential risks and ethical issues raised by these developments." learning objectives: ...

Lecture notes from Imperial College London, Medical Biosciences BSc, 2nd year, cardiovascular and thoracic biology (CTB) module. Lecture 9 on respiratory and cardiovascular diseases: investigate what happens when homeostatic processes break down, thereby leading to disease. We will be looking at two respiratory diseases, namely asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and two cardiovascular diseases, namely atherosclerosis and pulmonary hypertension. Learning objectives: ...

Lecture notes from Imperial College London, Medical Biosciences BSc, 2nd year, cardiovascular and thoracic biology (CTB) module. Lecture 3 on ventilation and gas transport: fundamental processes required to achieve effective breathing and gas transport. These processes enable oxygen to get from the atmosphere to the human cells using it for aerobic energy production, and for carbon dioxide (a waste product) to go the other way. Learning objectives: LO1: Differentiate between different f...

Lecture notes from Imperial College London, Medical Biosciences BSc, 2nd year, cardiovascular and thoracic biology (CTB) module. Lecture 5 on some of the techniques that we can use to evaluate the way the heart and lungs are working. These techniques are routinely used in the clinical evaluation of patients, and also in a performance setting where athletes are trying to make small gains in performance. In particular, we’ll explore exercise and how control of cardiopulmonary function changes...

Lecture notes from Imperial College London, Medical Biosciences BSc, 2nd year, cardiovascular and thoracic biology (CTB) module. Lecture 7 on cell biology of the cardiovascular system: how cellular components of the cardiovascular system help maintain vascular homeostasis. Homeostasis is a healthy state that is maintained by the constant adjustment of biochemical and physiological pathways. An example of homeostasis is the maintenance of a constant blood pressure in the human body. lear...

Lecture notes from Imperial College London, Medical Biosciences BSc, 2nd year, cardiovascular and thoracic biology (CTB) module. lecture 6 on cell biology of the respiratory tract (airways and lungs): how the tract protects itself from inhaled insult, and is able to control the calibre of the airways to limit penetration by larger objects. learning objectives: LO1: Describe the structure and function of the main cell types in the respiratory tract (aka airways and lungs). LO2: Describe...