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Content:

This module will provide a strong introduction to the principles of cellular regulation and range across molecular and cellular scales. Using key examples students will learn how molecular mechanisms orchestrate important cellular processes. In a wider context cell signalling will serve as a vehicle for students to discover how to fuse an understanding of molecular concepts with macroscopic biology.

Lectures will concentrate on the molecular properties of different classes of receptors, the structure-function relationships of kinases, small and heterotrimeric G-proteins, second messenger molecules and the enzymes that generate them, structure-function in the recognition and binding of phosphoproteins and second messengers. This will develop insights for integration of molecular-scale information into an understanding of major signalling pathways for example adrenalin, insulin and EGF systems, calcium and the FGF signalling pathways in example processes like energy metabolism, developmental processes and immune function.

Indicative lecture topics:

The following is a typical example of topics (although precise contents in any given year of study may change with module updates and development):

• the molecular properties of different classes of receptors;
• the structure-function relationships of kinases,
• small and heterotrimeric G-proteins;
• second messenger molecules and the enzymes that generate them,
• structure-function in the recognition and binding of phosphoproteins and second messengers; signalling through polyphosphoinositides;
• integration of molecular-scale information into an understanding of major signaling pathways; adrenalin, insulin and EGF and the FGF signalling pathways in example processes like energy metabolism, cancer biology, tissue differentiation and lymph function.

Students should note that this module does not specifically cover broad-based cell biology. For detailed coverage in this area, students are recommended to take CELL0009.Ìý

Both the module leader and module organisation is shared: Professor Geraint Thomas (g.thomas@ucl.ac.uk) and Prof. Julie Pitcher (julie.pitcher@ucl.ac.uk).