AMOLp Introduction into molecular biology and genetics - lecture

Faculty of Medicine
spring 2026
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Ing. Lívia Eiselleová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Kateřina Cetkovská, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Kateřina Francová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Kateřina Kučerová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. RNDr. Ondřej Slabý, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. MUDr. David Šmajs, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Jana Růžičková (assistant)
Guaranteed by
prof. MUDr. David Šmajs, Ph.D.
Department of Biology – Theoretical Departments – Faculty of Medicine
Contact Person: Mgr. Kateřina Francová, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Biology – Theoretical Departments – Faculty of Medicine
Prerequisites
(! VSBI0222p Biology II-lect. ) && (! VLBI0222p Biology II-lect. ) && (! ZLBI0222p Biology II-lect. ) && (! PřF:Bi1700 Cell Biology )
Knowledge of high-school biology on the level of Overview of High School Biology (https://is.muni.cz/auth/do/med/el/overview/overview_CZ.qwarp) or similar.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The main objectives of the course are:
- understanding the elementary cellular processes and the principle of intercellular communication
- understanding the principle of developing bacterial, viral and genetically determined diseases
- understanding of bacis principles of heredity
- understanding the mechanisms of cancer development
- acquaintance with the basics of genomics, gene therapy and tissue engineering in current medicine
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, the student will be able to:
- describe composition and architecture of cells, explain elementary processes taking place in cells and the human body (gene expression, intercellular communication, cell differentiation, cell division, cell death) and their purposes
- explain the difference between healthy and pathologically-working cells, and express the basic coherence between malfunctioning cellular processes and the development of diseases
- explain the general mechanism of pathogenesis in bacterial and viral diseases
- explain the principles of heredity, explain the general mechanism of pathogenesis of gene mutations and chromosome aberrations in humans, and illustrate it with examples
- explain the nature of cancers with regard to deregulation of cell division, DNA repair and cell death
- understand basic approaches of molecular diagnostics
- describe basic strategies of cell and gene therapy and gene engineering
Syllabus
  • Bacteria and viruses. Human microbiome
  • Architecture and membrane system of eukaryotic cell
  • Proteins and nucleic acids. DNA replication. Chromosome structure
  • From gene to protein - the expression of genetic information
  • Cell signalling. Cell differentiation. Stem cells
  • Cell cycle and mitosis. Cell cycle regulation
  • Meiosis and gametogenesis. Karyotype, chromosomal abberations
  • DNA damage and repair. Cell death
  • Principles of heredity
  • Molecular diagnostics and basic methods of molecular biology
  • Malignant transformation of cells. Cancer
  • Human genome and gene engineering. Gene therapy
  • Cytoskeletal system of the cell and principles of cell organization in tissues
  • substitution week
Literature
    recommended literature
  • SLABÝ, Ondřej. Lékařská biologie. 1. vydání. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2022, 268 stran. ISBN 9788028000608. info
  • SLABÝ, Ondřej; Iva SLANINOVÁ; David ŠMAJS; Jiří ŠÁNA; Vladimír ROTREKL; Pavel KREJČÍ; Stjepan ULDRIJAN; Juraj BOSÁK; Kateřina SLABÁ and Sabina ŠEVČÍKOVÁ. Lékařská biologie II. Genetika a molekulární medicína (Medical Biology II. Genetics and molecular medicine). 1st ed. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2023, 227 pp. ISBN 978-80-280-0338-8. info
  • ALBERTS, Bruce. Základy buněčné biologie : úvod do molekulární biologie buňky. Translated by Arnošt Kotyk. 2. vyd. Ústí nad Labem: Espero Publishing, 2004, xxvi, 630. ISBN 8090290620. info
  • PRITCHARD, D. J. and Bruce R. KORF. Základy lékařské genetiky. první české vydání. Praha: Galén, 2007, 182 stran. ISBN 9788072624492. info
Teaching methods
two-hour lecture per week
Assessment methods
The course is concluded with a written exam. The exam requires knowledge of the topics discussed in the lecture. For the exam, it is important to understand the individual topics and the connections between them.
A prerequisite for participation in the exam is a credit for the practises (participation in the exercises is mandatory).
More information about the exam can be found in the Interactive Syllabus of the course in IS.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught every week.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Student nesmí mít absolvovaný ani současně zapsaný předmět Biologie II na LF, ani předmět Bunečná biologie Bi1700 na PřF.
Teacher's information
https://is.muni.cz/auth/el/med/jaro2026/AMOLp/index.qwarp
We recommend following the Interactive Syllabus of the course, which contains all important information (schedule, substitutions, public holidays, etc.), as well as lecture presentations and links to animations and videos on the topic: https://is.muni.cz/auth/el/med/jaro2026/AMOLp/index.qwarp

For easier communication, we ask students to check their university e-mail regularly (or arrange forwarding to another address).

The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, spring 2019, spring 2020, spring 2021, spring 2022, spring 2023, spring 2024, spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (spring 2026, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/med/spring2026/AMOLp