Entry requirements

Required previous knowledge is decided by the Curriculum Committee of the Medical Faculty.

Aims

The overall objective of this block is to provide knowledge of the biological function of human beings and to create a basis for continued theoretical and clinical studies in medical school and for future work in the medical profession. The students are taught, in molecular and cellular terms, about the structure and function of viruses, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, the interactions between cells and their functions in tissues and organs and about the cellular mechanisms for early human development. They will also acquire basic knowledge about biochemical and cellular processes that lead to pathological disorders. A further aim is to introduce the students to scientific theorising and medical research. The course shall prepare the students for their own work projects by teaching them the fundamentals of statistics, library organisation, computers, and questions pertaining to laboratory animals. Clinical sections of the course are designed to show the relationship between theoretical and practical medical knowledge. Laboratory teaching will give the students practice in experimental thinking and provide training in biochemical and cell biological methods.

Content

The teaching will include the following areas:

Fundamental biochemistry

Eukaryotic cell structure and function

Virogy

Bacteriology

Cellular and molecular structure and function of tissues and

organs

Metabolism and metabolic regulation

Nutrition

Immunology

Developmental biology

Genetics

Cancer biology

Theory ofscience

Developmental biology

Genetics

Cancer Biology

Instruction

The cell biological block is divided into 5 courses with

integrated instruction co-ordinated between the

Departments of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology,

Medical Cell Biology, Genetics and Pathology,

Neuroscience, Medical Sciences, and Physiology. The

teaching covers a total of 36 weeks and takes the form of

lectures, group seminars, demonstrations, laboratory

exercises, calculation exercises and light microscopy

exercises, and of continuous longitudinal group work. The

subjects of the courses are presented in such an order that

the relationship between the structure and function is

emphasised, which reflects the ambition to gradually build up

an understanding of cell biology, by going from molecular

and (sub)microscopic structures to the different structures

and functions of the organs. Thus, the cell biological block

(CBB) begins with CBB1, which for 8 weeks deals with

fundamental biochemistry, metabolism and genetics. CBB2

(7 weeks) encompasses cell organelles (including their

molecular biology), cellular functions, and the structure and

function of viruses. During CBB3 (8 weeks) cell clusters,

tissues, and the metabolism in different organs and organ

systems are studied. CBB4 (5 weeks) consists in studies of

the structure and function of blood cells, the immunological

system, and the structure and function of bacteria. CBB5 (8

weeks) ends the block by integrating the teaching on the

urogenital apparatus, embryology, developmental biology,

medical genetics, and cancer biology. A course in the theory

of science is included at the end of this block.

Assessment

Every part in the integrated cell biology course requires

satisfactory participation in all group seminars,

demonstrations, and laboratory exercises and a pass mark

for all the light microscopy and oral tests.

A written examination takes place after each part (CBB1

through CBB5). In order to sit this examination the

corresponding part must have been completed satisfactorily.

The assessment also includes a summarised light microscopy

test and an oral presentation of the longitudinal group work.