Entry requirements

A Bachelor's degree including 60 credits in biology and 30 credits in chemistry. Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6.

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, the student should be able to:

• describe basic toxicological principles and describe how different chemicals are taken up by, processed in and eliminated from the body
• describe the importance of different organs for detoxification/ toxification of chemicals, and describe mechanisms for chemically induced neurotoxicity and endocrine toxicity
• describe different behaviour tests and their importance to discover of different neurological and endocrinological disturbances
• describe when different chemicals are most toxic, and mechanisms behind the effects. Be able to discuss when and how different chemicals can interact under the development to induce effects
• describe different genetic testing methods and injuries after various types of ionising radiation
• apply different toxicological frameworks within the professional disciplines and have awareness about different risk assessment criteria
• discuss the potential and limitations of biology and its role in society.

.The course includes the module Generic competences. After passing this module, the student should be able to:

• account for ethical aspects of research and development, including questions of plagiarism and equal opportunities/equal treatment.

Content

General toxicological principles and overview of toxic substances: The part includes basic description how substances are absorbed by, distributed and eliminated from the body. The part contains awareness about toxicokinetic models and the processes of biotransformation.

Toxicity in specific target organs - effects and mechanisms: The part includes basic toxicological knowledge of the effect of chemicals on central organs that are of significance for the uptakes/elimination and detoxification/toxification. Basic knowledge about how the communication systems of the body, the nervous system and the endocrine system is influenced of chemicals.

Behaviour toxicology: The part includes basic behaviour toxicological knowledge, how behavioural techniques can reveal chemicals that give functional disturbances

Development toxicology: The part includes basic knowledge of different developmental phases; embryonic and embryonic development, development during the neonatal period. Critical developmental phases then teratogenic injuries and functional disturbances are induced.

Genetic toxicology and ionising radiation: The part includes basic knowledge about genetic injuries and general genetic testing methods and mechanisms behind chemically induced injuries and injuries after ionising radiation.

Toxicology in the society: Environmental toxicology, food toxicology, clinical toxicology, epidemiology, risk assessment.

Ethics, plagiarism and equal opportunities/equal treatment.

Instruction

Lectures, group tuition, seminars and laboratory sessions. Attendance at the laboratory work and connected lessons

is compulsory. Participation in seminars, literature assignments and laboratory sessions is compulsory.

Assessment

Modules: Theory 8 credits; Laboratory sessions 4 credits; Literature assignment 1 credit; Generic competences 1 credit; Seminar series Biology's role in society 1 credit.

The module theory is examined through written examination.

The module laboratory sessions require implemented laboratory sessions and written laboratory reports.

The module literature assignment requires written and oral presentation of literature assignment.

Generic competences are examined through written tests.

Seminar series Biology's role in society requires active participation.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.

Other directives

This course can not be included, for the purposes of credits, with 1BG209 Toxicology or 1BG042 Toxicologi L.