1. komponenta

Lecture type	Total
Lectures	30
Practicum	15
Seminar	15

* Load is given in academic hour (1 academic hour = 45 minutes)

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The goal of this advanced course in molecular virology is to understand molecular mechanisms enabling viral replication, transcription and translation. Also, the goal is to present and integrate the latest advances in virus research, vaccines and antivirals, to master some of the molecular techniques in virus detection and investigation, as well as develop independent literature search skills and and presentation.

COURSE CONTENT:

LECTURES
1- 2) The replication of viruses from different taxonomic groups (studies of genome types and replication mechanisms).
3) Viral transcriptomes;
4) Viral proteomes, translation mechanisms and functions of proteins;
5) Viruses and RNA silencing (VIGS);
6) Viruses as cloning vectors and research tools;
7) Virus diversity (molecular mechanisms and concepts);
8) Virus origin and evolution, RNA virus quasispecies;
9) Emerging viruses, virus epidemiology;
10) Retroviruses (molecular mechanisms of the pathogenesis, new insights, evolution and origin of HIV);
11) Immune responses to viral infection;
12) New insights into vaccine development (recombinant vaccines, DNA, RNA vaccines, etc.);
13) Interferon and the treatment of viral diseases.
14) Chemotherapy of viral diseases;
15) Molecular phylogeny of viruses.

LABORATORY

1-3) Virus genomes (nucleic acid) isolation and purification methods;
4-6) Electrophoretic analysis of viral RNAs;
7-11) Different methods for the detection and identification of virus nucleic acids after gel electrophoresis (RTPCR, PCR, isothermal amplifications e.g. LAMP);
12) Virus proteins extraction;
13-14) Electrophoretic analysis of viral proteins (SDS-PAGE);
15) Viral proteins detection in polyacrylamide gels, determining their molecular weight.

SEMINAR
Literature study of a virological topic related to the course contents (decided through consults with the lecturer) with oral presentation (seminar) carried out in pairs.
1-2) Choosing the topic through preliminary literature search (in consultation with a lecturer) and pairing up in teams;
3-11) Literature search and analyses for a general introduction to the subject (e.g. virus species or a family, discovery) and in depth analysis of a particular aspect (problem in a disease etiology, virus evolution, genome structure and function, etc.);
12-13) Creating a power point presentation and an outline for its (ten minutes) oral execution plus the discussion preparation (with a partner);
14) Preparation and execution of a presentation and discussion within the group of peers and a teacher;
15) Feedback and final presenttaion archiving in the repository of study material for the student whole group.

1. Carter J.B, Saunders V.A. Virology, Principles and Applications (2nd ed.), Carter J. B. & Saunders V. A. Virology, Principles and Applications. 2013, Wiley, 2nd edition, Carter John B., Saunders Venetia A., Wiley, 2013.
2. Revijalni znanstveni članci (s besplatnim pristupom na internetu) prema odabiru nastavnika.
3. Interna skripta (pdf verzija predavanja).
4. Strauss J. H. & Strauss E. G. Viruses and Human Disease. 2nd edition, 2008, Academic Press.
   Znanstveni članci (s besplatnim pristupom na internetu) prema odabiru nastavnika.
5. Flint et al. Principles of Virology (2015), Flint S. J., Enquist L. W., Racaniello V. R., Skalka A. M., Principles of Virology (4th edition), ASM Press, Washington DC, USA, Flint S. J., Enquist L. W., Racaniello V. R., Skalka A. M., American Society for Microbiology, 2015.

Izborni kolegiji - Regular study - Molecular Biology