Bioengenharia de Sistemas

Objectives

The course will introduce the student to Systems Bioengineering focusing on mammalian cells, their constituents and their functions. As knowledge of the genome and gene expression deepens, and the number of new biomolecules involved in cellular processes increases, it becomes necessary to understand how these molecules interact with each other forming complex functional systems. These systems underlie subcellular processes such as signal transduction and transcription, which in turn are in the genesis of complex cellular functions such as secretion, proliferation and differentiation. The course will develop several lines of reasoning to analyze the properties of such cellular systems, and to understand the types of experiments needed to study these systems. The main objective is to provide an overview of a variety of experimental techniques, focusing on obtaining the quantitative data necessary for the computational modeling of these cellular systems.

Syllabus

The course covers the concepts and methodologies used in the analysis of biological systems. Students will learn various experimental, computational and mathematical methods in systems bioengineering, as well as use them in a variety of relevant applications. Specifically, the course content addresses:

1. Components of biological systems; 2) Molecules, pathways and signaling networks; 3) Mathematical representation of cellular systems; Simulation of biological systems; 4) Experimental technologies: mRNA sequencing (RNAseq), proteomics based on mass spectrometry, flow / mass cytometry and live cell imaging. 5) Network building and analysis; 6) Modeling; 7) Emerging properties in biological systems; 8) Case Studies: systems bioengineering, pharmacology and therapeutic systems;

Cross Competence Component

The course allows the development of transversal competences of the Critical Thinking and Innovative groups (creativity - in the scope of the project, seminar presentation and individual work); Interpersonal Skills (oral, organizational and teamwork skills - within the project, seminar presentation and abstract essay); Global Citizenship (Professional Ethics and Deontology, tolerance and intercultural understanding - within the project, seminar presentation and abstract essay) and Information and media literacy (ability to locate and access information, as well as to analyze and evaluate the contents of media - as part of the project, seminar presentation and individual work). The assessment percentage associated with these skills should be in the order of 20%.

Laboratorial Component

No laboratory component.

Programming And Computing Component

The course addresses the use of computers (spreadsheets and specific data processing software) in the context of graphical representations, simple numerical analysis, data manipulation, implementation of calculations and mathematical modeling.

Ethical Principles

All members of a group are responsible for the group’s work In any assessment every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used. In an oral assessment, every student shall be alble to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.