Course catalogue doctoral education - VT24

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Title The Basics of Skeletal Biology: from Evolutionary Origins to Translational Research
Course number 5538
Programme Utveckling och regeneration (DevReg)
Language English
Credits 3.0
Date 2022-01-17 -- 2022-02-02
Responsible KI department Institutionen för kvinnors och barns hälsa
Specific entry requirements KI's Laboratory safety test for laboratory Staff: https://staff.ki.se/kis-laboratory-safety-test
Purpose of the course The course aims to enable doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows to acquire a comprehensive knowledge in different aspects of skeletal biology, from development to function in health and disease, as well as the most recent advances in regenerative medicine of bone and cartilage tissues. The course will cover basic cell biological, developmental and clinical aspects of skeletal physiology in health and disease. This course will also give students a glimpse of skeletal-related practical work, as well as the opportunity to develop their critical thinking by discussing the topics and connecting the learned concepts to students' respective study plans.
Intended learning outcomes At the end of the course, the student will be able to:

-understand the biology of bone and cartilage tissue, including different cell types, extracellular matrix components, their function during development and in maintaining homeostasis

-connect processes in cellular biology to clinical manifestations

-understand the mechanisms of regulation of skeletal functions in health and disease conditions

-describe novel technologies in bone and cartilage regenerative medicine

-take part in the practical session of staining and imaging of skeletal tissue sections

-process and implement the acquired knowledge by daily discussion session with other students and organizers addressing discussion points formulated by the lecturers

-integrate the obtained knowledge in the student’s own doctoral project
Contents of the course The course will cover key theoretical and experimental knowledge in skeletal biology from function to clinical applications. The content is divided by interlinked theoretical modules: 1) introduction and origins, 2) Bone tissue and cells, 3) Extracellular influences – matrix and circulating factors, 4) Functions of the skeleton, 5) Diseases and aging, 6) Regulation of skeletal functions in health and disease, and 7) implications for regenerative medicine that together with student’s participation will advance the importance and relevance of the topics for future challenges and needs in this biomedical field. Moreover, the combination with “hands on” in the experimental environment as well as observations in a clinic when having a meeting a with patient, will bring together classical and advanced methods in skeletal biology research and applications of available methods and technologies that could be utilized at present and in the future.
Teaching and learning activities There are several activities with specific outcomes:

- Lectures: Lectures will be conducted by world leading researchers in their fields. Students will gain theoretical knowledge about the given research area

-Students will get to meet one of the former patients of one of the lecturers of the course, to see how molecular biology techniques can be used to make real world impacts to a patient's lives.

- Break-out discussions: Students will discuss questions provided by the most recent speakers in groups of 3-4, with each session lasting for 12 minutes. Students will frequently be re-allocated into new discussion groups. The remaining time will be used to have a group discussion and summarise the day.

- Laboratory work: Histochemical staining of mouse bone sections. Students will take sections of mouse bones (prepared in advance by the organisers) and conduct safranin O/fast green staining, allowing a distinction between bone, cartilage and bone marrow tissues. Imaging and quantification of the stained tissue sections. Students will capture images of their stained slides and be shown how to recognise different structures and to quantify the growth plate height at two different ages. Students will submit this quantification and representative images as a course assignment.
Compulsory elements Participation in group discussions: Students will be expected to participate in the group discussions both virtually and in-person.

Practical session: Students will conduct histochemical staining and collect their own data. Each student will submit a one page piece of coursework including representative images and quantification.

Attendance: Students should not miss more than 4 hours of the course. For each lecture missed, a half-page summary of the topic should be submitted. Practical sessions are mandatory, although if absent with justified reason, the course organizers will tailor the individually design assignment for participant's benefit.

Examination: Presentations and answering questions from the audience and the course organizers linking the course to one's own project.
Examination Students will be asked to prepare a 10 minutes presentation linking one of the course's scientific themes, but including the major points from intended learning outcomes (ILOs), to their own project. In addition, the aspects of ILOs in each presentation will be followed by 5-10 minutes of questions from the audience (other students and examiners). This activity will encourage the students to think about what they have learnt and apply it to their own and future research.
Literature and other teaching material Recommended literature:
Bones and Cartilage
Developmental and Evolutionary Skeletal Biology
Brian K Hall (2005)
Available via KI library (ISBN: 1-280-64135-5, ISBN: 9786610641352, ISBN: 0-08-045415-1, OCLC: (OCoLC)475999795, OCLC: (OCoLC)162572612, ISBN: 0-12-319060-6)
Chapter 2 - Bone
Chapter 3 - Cartilage (up to and including pg. 38)
Chapter 29 - Repair of Fractures and Regeneration of Growth Plates (up to and including pg. 380)

Osteoporosis and Bone Mass Disorders: From Gene Pathways to Treatments.
Rivadeneira F, Mäkitie O. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2016 May;27(5):262-281. doi: 10.1016/j.tem.2016.03.006. Epub 2016 Apr 11. PMID: 27079517

Genetics of osteoporosis.
Ralston SH, Uitterlinden AG. Endocr Rev. 2010 Oct;31(5):629-62. doi: 10.1210/er.2009-0044. Epub 2010 Apr 29. PMID: 20431112

Osteoarthritis.
Martel-Pelletier J, Barr AJ, Cicuttini FM, Conaghan PG, Cooper C, Goldring MB, Goldring SR, Jones G, Teichtahl AJ, Pelletier JP. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2016 Oct 13;2:16072. doi: 10.1038/nrdp.2016.72. PMID: 27734845

How many rare diseases are there?
Haendel M, Vasilevsky N, Unni D, Bologa C, Harris N, Rehm H, Hamosh A, Baynam G, Groza T, McMurry J, Dawkins H, Rath A, Thaxon C, Bocci G, Joachimiak MP, Köhler S, Robinson PN, Mungall C, Oprea TI. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2020 Feb;19(2):77-78. doi: 10.1038/d41573-019-00180-y. PMID: 32020066

Additional literature may be suggested by the speakers.
Number of students 8 - 16
Selection of students Selection will be based on 1) the relevance of the course syllabus for the applicant's doctoral project (according to written motivation), 2) start date of doctoral studies (priority given to earlier start date)
More information The course puts emphasis on translational research bringing patient in focus, from bed to bench and vice versa.
Additional course leader Tuomas Näreoja, tuomas.nareoja@ki.se, Department of laboratory Medicine. Giedre Grigelioniene, griedre.grigelioniene@ki.se, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery. Marta Baroncelli, marta.baroncelli@ki.se, Department of Women's and Children's Health.
Latest course evaluation Not available
Course responsible Phillip Newton
Institutionen för kvinnors och barns hälsa

phillip.newton@ki.se
Contact person Tuomas Näreoja
Institutionen för laboratoriemedicin

tuomas.nareoja@ki.se


Marta Baroncelli
Institutionen för kvinnors och barns hälsa

marta.baroncelli@ki.se


Giedre Grigelioniene
Institutionen för molekylär medicin och kirurgi

giedre.grigelioniene@ki.se