COURSES

Goals

To inform the students about: - recent experimental methods and techniques for purification of protein toxins, - recent experimental methods and techniques for biochemical and patho-physiological characterization of protein toxins, - selected examples of application of protein toxins as research tools, - selected examples of the use of protein toxins in medical applications. General Competences: - The student will learn about the methods and procedures to isolate protein toxins and to characterize them, - will develop the skill to critically asses his research activities, - will develop the skill to transfer ideas from the basic knowledge pool into applications, - will develop the skill to communicate scientific results to broader community with particular emphasis on communication in the international environment, - will learn to work in a team (and in international environment). Course Specific Competences: The student will learn to pick an appropriate protein toxin to use it as a tool in his scientific work.

Curriculum

- Survey of the most important sources of protein toxins, - proteomic characterization of venoms – venomics and antivenomics, - survey of recent experimental methods and techniques for purification of protein toxins, - survey of recent experimental methods and techniques for characterization of protein toxins, their physico-chemical characteristics, structure and biochemical features, - survey of recent experimental methods and techniques for characterization of pathophysiological characteristics of the main protein toxin groups; the use of cell cultures, - molecular mechanisms of action of selected protein toxins, - use of protein toxins in research, - use of protein toxins in therapeutic applications.