Licence 2

This compulsory UE in S3 enables students to consolidate and deepen the foundations of molecular and cell biology acquired in L1.

Molecular Biology part: The molecular and structural bases of nucleic acids will be developed and deepened to understand the physicochemical properties of nucleic acids, which open up various prospects for technological applications, and the molecular mechanisms of the main steps in Molecular Biology, such as DNA replication, transcription of genes into mRNA and translation of these into proteins. These steps, illustrated by experimental evidence deduced from various historical studies, will be studied in depth in prokaryotes. Comparisons with eukaryotes will also be discussed. The molecular mechanisms of DNA repair will also be described and developed.

Cell Biology section: This section covers the major concepts of membrane and cytosolic protein complex formation, particularly in the context of cell signaling pathways. The notions of ligands, receptors, scaffolding proteins, enzymatic signaling proteins, intracellular second messengers and response kinetics will be presented. Biochemistry and cell biology techniques for demonstrating the presence and localization of proteins in cells and tissues will be presented.

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This is a cross-disciplinary L2 SV course designed to provide Biology students with a basic knowledge of how plants function, enabling them to understand current issues in plant agro-sciences.

The following basic notions of Plant Physiology / Functional Biology will be studied: 

essential experimental approaches: plant transgenesis, direct and reverse genetics

basics of autotrophy

mechanisms underlying the main stages in angiosperm development: meristem function, floral transition, fertilization.

auxin, a major hormone in plant development and response to the abiotic environment

Practical work sessions will enable students to manipulate the regulation of water nutrition in plants and analyze their mineral nutrition using various biochemical assays (flame photometry, spectrophotometry). 

See full page

EU description (max 10 lines):

The aim of this course is to help students understand how to measure variation in biology, and how it can be represented. It is based on concrete examples drawn from various disciplines in biology (ecology, developmental biology, evolution, genetics, physiology) and gives the statistical tools for measuring this variation and the graphical methods for representing it. The statistical concepts of sampling, inference, distribution, central tendency, dispersion, distribution function, parameters, confidence intervals and dependence between variables for different types of variables (binomial, discrete, continuous) are explained with the help of practical exercises based on biological problems.

Competencies targeted by the EU (see competency framework):

- Descriptive analytical tools in biology, introduction to biostatistics through the analysis of biological patterns

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This course provides a basic understanding of microbiology. It will detail the structures of microorganisms, prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and viruses. It will give an overview of the diversity of these microorganisms and describe their mode of multiplication.

For bacteria, trophic types and factors influencing growth will be developed, as well as the study of growth in a non-renewed environment. Genetics and horizontal transfer between bacteria will also be covered.
A number of eukaryotic microorganisms will be studied: habitat, lifestyle, ecological role or parasitism, as well as their mode of development.
In virology, the main multiplication cycles of viruses will be detailed, and modes of transmission and the notion of viral pathogenesis will be covered. The principles of anti-viral vaccination and anti-viral treatments will be presented and illustrated with concrete examples.
The principles of antiviral vaccination and treatment will be presented and illustrated with concrete examples.
Practical work will introduce students to techniques for sterile handling of microorganisms, bacterial counting and conjugation.

See full page

This module will enable students to acquire :

Physiology basics : concept of homeostasis; levels of organization of the human body; compartments of the internal environment; study of the endocrine system; acid-base and hydro-mineral balance; anatomical and functional studies of the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Immunology basics :

General presentation of the immune system; study of T and B lymphocytes, antigen-presenting cells; study of antimicrobial immunity and complement.

See full page

This compulsory course enables students to consolidate the foundations of biochemistry acquired in L1 by approaching this discipline through a cross-disciplinary study of enzymes involved in cellular metabolism, particularly glycolysis. Several areas of biochemistry will be covered: the basics of Michael enzymology, description of the metabolic reactions involved in glycolysis. Finally, the technical aspect will be addressed through the presentation and analysis of techniques for measuring enzymatic activity, purifying, quantifying and detecting proteins.

See full page

This second unit of general chemistry is designed to consolidate and deepen the study of reactions in aqueous solution, particularly those involving the formation of metal complexes. The principles of thermodynamics will be presented and applied to the study of chemical equilibria of biological interest. Rather than a presentation using mathematical formalism, which would require a much greater time commitment, the student will be asked to understand the physical meaning of these principles and the main thermodynamic functions, and to apply them to chemical systems, often of biological interest. In particular, resting membrane potentials and the use of pH potential diagrams in biology will be presented.

In advance of certain courses and tutorials, students will work on written and audio course documents, to ensure that classroom teaching and tutorials enable them to play a full part in the training, understand the concepts presented and the skills to be acquired.

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The first part (around 1/3) of the module deals with (biological) processes whose time evolution is described by an exponential law (growth or decay).

Radioactivity will be discussed, as an illustration of such a process, and for its applications in the biology-health-environment field (dating, tracing, etc.).

The second part (around 2/3) of the module introduces the concepts of fluid and pressure, and presents the laws of hydrostatics (fundamental law of fluid statics, Archimedes' theorem).

Fluid dynamics will be introduced, including the concepts of flow, viscosity, sedimentation and centrifugation, in connection with the Biology-Health sector.

List of Chapters :

- Exponential variations

- Radioactivity (radioactive decay, activity)

- Fluids: definition, properties, notion of pressure

- Hydrostatics: fundamental law of fluid statics, Archimedes' theorem.

- Elements of hydrodynamics: flows, Bernouilli's theorem

- Viscosity; Sedimentation and centrifugation

See full page

In a context where nutrition has become the focus of interest for an increasingly broad public, the aim of this EU course is to establish food consumption benchmarks using a scientific approach.

This course covers the basics of food and nutrition, describing nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, fibers, vitamins and minerals), nutritional requirements and the different food groups. A number of food processes and technologies are also covered. 

See full page

This course is aimed at L2 Life Sciences students wishing to learn more about how biotechnologies can help meet current and future challenges in the sustainable production of agricultural and agri-food resources.

Man uses the properties of photosynthetic organisms and microorganisms to obtain and process a wide range of resources and services: food products for humans and livestock, therapeutic molecules, construction materials, etc. This use is dependent on natural conditions, and its impact on the environment is likely to be reciprocal, for example via the withdrawal or deterioration of limited and/or non-renewable resources (water, soil, etc.). For resource production to be sustainable, it is therefore important that its organization (the concept of agronomy) incorporates knowledge of these impacts, and relies on an understanding of the properties of plants and micro-organisms to meet these challenges. The development and use of new biotechnologies in the fields of applied genetics and plant physiology, the use of microorganisms, and the favorable or unfavorable interactions between these microorganisms and plants all play a major role in these sustainable agronomy strategies.

See full page

See full page

The aim of this teaching unit is to take an integrative approach to animal behavior, in the light of Tinbergen's four "whys": from ontogeny and neurobiological causes to evolution and biological functions. In addition to historical, conceptual and methodological contributions, students will be coached to grasp the diversity of traits involved, as well as the diversity of approaches and associated scientific questioning. Using a variety of examples, this course will highlight the diversity of disciplines studying animal behavior: Neuroscience, Ethology, Behavioral Ecology, and will provide students with the information they need to continue their studies in the appropriate fields: Animal Physiology and Neuroscience/ Evolutionary Biology and Ecology/ Others....

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1- Linux basics (1.5h CM + 3hTD) : Basic commands to navigate under Linux and understand the logic of this language. Small information extraction exercises in bash/shell. Element used to analyze alignment files.

2- Database (3h CM + 4,5hTD): knowledge of the main bibliographic and biological databases (NCBI, Ensembl, Galaxie...). Relevant and efficient queries, exploitation, sorting, description of different formats.

3- Sequence analysis (1.5hCM + 4.5H TD): Alignment and comparison of sequences with a short introduction to phylogeny (dot plot, Blast ...).

See full page

This compulsory UE in S4 enables students to consolidate and deepen the foundations of molecular and cell biology acquired in L1.

- Cell biology: 4 major themes will be covered: 1) Cell cytoskeleton function, 2) Cell adhesion, 3) Protein trafficking, 4) Introduction to cell cycle regulation. Cell biology methodologies will also be presented: immunoprecipitation to highlight protein interactions, fluorescence videomicroscopy to monitor cell distribution dynamics, assessment of the importance of proteins of interest in a cellular process by strategies to modulate their expression (RNA interference, overexpression).

- Molecular biology : After acquiring knowledge of transcription and translation mechanisms in Semester 3, we'll move on to the regulation of gene expression: transcriptional regulation (repressor, activator) and attenuation in prokaryotes, the basics of expression regulation mechanisms in eukaryotes.

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Learn about the major families of plant molecules and their properties, the biosynthetic pathways of these molecules, and the mechanisms regulating these biosyntheses in plants and microorganisms. In this module, the major families of molecules resulting from secondary plant metabolism (terpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins) are studied through their biosynthesis in the plant and the differentiation of specialized cell structures or groups. Based on this knowledge, biotechnological approaches for metabolic engineering are presented. The role of these molecules in plant life is discussed, as are their properties for industrial use as colorants, aromas, perfumes, medicines and biofuels. The use of natural polymers in the manufacture of industrial materials (paper pulp, rubber, plastics) is discussed, and production channels are described. Knowledge of the major families of plant molecules and their properties, the biosynthesis pathways of these molecules, and the mechanisms regulating these biosyntheses in the plant remains a major challenge for the development of biorefining in Europe.                                              

Key words: secondary metabolism, metabolic engineering, valorization of biomolecules, cellular and metabolic differentiation, regulation of secondary metabolism.

Additional information :

Visits to 2 analytical platforms are planned at the Montpellier site (duration 1h30 each).

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The aim of this course is to understand evolutionary processes on both micro- and macro-evolutionary scales.

Using examples, manipulations and accessible modeling, the aim of the lessons is to present, in a concrete and quantitative way, the effects of the 4 evolutionary forces operating on the scale of individuals and populations (mutation, migration, selection and drift). The integration of these micro-evolutionary processes on larger time scales (e.g. differentiation between lineages, speciation) will then be addressed. Finally, the course will include an introduction to the tools of phylogeny (tree reading and construction), making it possible to study macro-evolutionary events (diversification, extinction) and trace changes in character states, notably by integrating fossil data.

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This course is dedicated to biological markers. It is a pre-introduction to detection and diagnostic techniques. It covers various aspects of biomarkers:

Molecular markers / genomic identification techniques in medicine and agronomy.

1) Notion of polymorphism and detection technique: RFLP / ER nucleic probes

2) RFLP markers and other genetic markers: SNP, STR.

3) Search for new molecular markers: differential screening of cDNA libraries / subtractive libraries / Transcriptomics

4) Other genomic polymorphism analyses: AFLP / DNA fingerprinting.

Identification techniques in the food industry using immunological techniques

1) Basics of immunological techniques
2) Agglutination reactions
3) Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays
Studies of examples of applications in the food industry:
- study of a diagnostic kit for rhizominia in beet (sandwich ELISA)
- determination of ochratoxin A in cereals (competitive ELISA)
- evaluation of fish freshness by histamine determination (competitive ELISA)

Biochemical identification of protein and other markers (metabolites)

1) Basics of chromatography and the physical characterization of a spectrum (the interactions involved in each case and the solvents used to implement them).

2) Affinity chromatography

2.1) Principle of this type of analysis

2.2) Search for the best Tag (label) for the preparation of a specific gel. 

2.3) Their usefulness for different fields of research.

3) Study of protein-protein, protein-DNA and other interactions...

4) HPLC and FPLC and gas chromatography.

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Physiology of major functions (semester 4) aims to describe the role and interactions of the body's various systems in maintaining a constant internal environment. Acquisition of anatomical and functional knowledge of the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and renal systems and their nervous and hormonal controls. Understand the combined action of these major systems through examples of integrative physiology and pathologies: respiratory and cardiac insufficiency; hemorrhage; exposure to extreme environments.

See full page

See full page

This compulsory UE will enable students to deepen their skills acquired in "S3 biochemistry". It will enable them to understand cellular metabolism through:

-understanding bioenergetics to study the processes by which living cells transport, transmit, use, accumulate and release energy;
-studying the catabolism and anabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, nucleotides and amino acids, and the metabolic interactions between these pathways.

- description of metabolic pathologies.

See full page

In this introductory course to genetic analysis, the objectives are to learn about the terms, principles, concepts and methods used in formal genetics, as well as their fields of application, particularly in human and medical genetics. The course covers the genetics of transmission (Mendelian or non-Mendelian), quantitative genetics and notions of population genetics. Throughout the course, close links are established between classical genetics and molecular genetics.

See full page

This compulsory UE in S3 enables students to consolidate and deepen the foundations of molecular and cell biology acquired in L1.

Molecular Biology part: The molecular and structural bases of nucleic acids will be developed and deepened to understand the physicochemical properties of nucleic acids, which open up various prospects for technological applications, and the molecular mechanisms of the main steps in Molecular Biology, such as DNA replication, transcription of genes into mRNA and translation of these into proteins. These steps, illustrated by experimental evidence deduced from various historical studies, will be studied in depth in prokaryotes. Comparisons with eukaryotes will also be discussed. The molecular mechanisms of DNA repair will also be described and developed.

Cell Biology section: This section covers the major concepts of membrane and cytosolic protein complex formation, particularly in the context of cell signaling pathways. The notions of ligands, receptors, scaffolding proteins, enzymatic signaling proteins, intracellular second messengers and response kinetics will be presented. Biochemistry and cell biology techniques for demonstrating the presence and localization of proteins in cells and tissues will be presented.

See full page

This is a cross-disciplinary L2 SV course designed to provide Biology students with a basic knowledge of how plants function, enabling them to understand current issues in plant agro-sciences.

The following basic notions of Plant Physiology / Functional Biology will be studied: 

essential experimental approaches: plant transgenesis, direct and reverse genetics

basics of autotrophy

mechanisms underlying the main stages in angiosperm development: meristem function, floral transition, fertilization.

auxin, a major hormone in plant development and response to the abiotic environment

Practical work sessions will enable students to manipulate the regulation of water nutrition in plants and analyze their mineral nutrition using various biochemical assays (flame photometry, spectrophotometry). 

See full page

EU description (max 10 lines):

The aim of this course is to help students understand how to measure variation in biology, and how it can be represented. It is based on concrete examples drawn from various disciplines in biology (ecology, developmental biology, evolution, genetics, physiology) and gives the statistical tools for measuring this variation and the graphical methods for representing it. The statistical concepts of sampling, inference, distribution, central tendency, dispersion, distribution function, parameters, confidence intervals and dependence between variables for different types of variables (binomial, discrete, continuous) are explained with the help of practical exercises based on biological problems.

Competencies targeted by the EU (see competency framework):

- Descriptive analytical tools in biology, introduction to biostatistics through the analysis of biological patterns

See full page

This course provides a basic understanding of microbiology. It will detail the structures of microorganisms, prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and viruses. It will give an overview of the diversity of these microorganisms and describe their mode of multiplication.

For bacteria, trophic types and factors influencing growth will be developed, as well as the study of growth in a non-renewed environment. Genetics and horizontal transfer between bacteria will also be covered.
A number of eukaryotic microorganisms will be studied: habitat, lifestyle, ecological role or parasitism, as well as their mode of development.
In virology, the main multiplication cycles of viruses will be detailed, and modes of transmission and the notion of viral pathogenesis will be covered. The principles of anti-viral vaccination and anti-viral treatments will be presented and illustrated with concrete examples.
The principles of antiviral vaccination and treatment will be presented and illustrated with concrete examples.
Practical work will introduce students to techniques for sterile handling of microorganisms, bacterial counting and conjugation.

See full page

This module will enable students to acquire :

Physiology basics : concept of homeostasis; levels of organization of the human body; compartments of the internal environment; study of the endocrine system; acid-base and hydro-mineral balance; anatomical and functional studies of the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Immunology basics :

General presentation of the immune system; study of T and B lymphocytes, antigen-presenting cells; study of antimicrobial immunity and complement.

See full page

This compulsory course enables students to consolidate the foundations of biochemistry acquired in L1 by approaching this discipline through a cross-disciplinary study of enzymes involved in cellular metabolism, particularly glycolysis. Several areas of biochemistry will be covered: the basics of Michael enzymology, description of the metabolic reactions involved in glycolysis. Finally, the technical aspect will be addressed through the presentation and analysis of techniques for measuring enzymatic activity, purifying, quantifying and detecting proteins.

See full page

Description*: This second general chemistry teaching unit aims to consolidate and deepen the study of reactions in aqueous solution, particularly those involving the formation of metal complexes. The principles of thermodynamics will be presented and applied to the study of chemical equilibria of biological interest. Rather than a presentation using mathematical formalism, which would require a much greater time commitment, the student will be asked to understand the physical meaning of these principles and the main thermodynamic functions, and to apply them to chemical systems, often of biological interest. In particular, resting membrane potentials and the use of pH potential diagrams in biology will be presented.

In advance of certain courses and tutorials, students will work on written and audio course documents, to ensure that classroom teaching and tutorials enable them to play a full part in the training, understand the concepts presented and the skills to be acquired.

See full page

See full page

See full page

The first part (around 1/3) of the module deals with (biological) processes whose time evolution is described by an exponential law (growth or decay).

Radioactivity will be discussed, as an illustration of such a process, and for its applications in the biology-health-environment field (dating, tracing, etc.).

The second part (around 2/3) of the module introduces the concepts of fluid and pressure, and presents the laws of hydrostatics (fundamental law of fluid statics, Archimedes' theorem).

Fluid dynamics will be introduced, including the concepts of flow, viscosity, sedimentation and centrifugation, in connection with the Biology-Health sector.

List of Chapters :

- Exponential variations

- Radioactivity (radioactive decay, activity)

- Fluids: definition, properties, notion of pressure

- Hydrostatics: fundamental law of fluid statics, Archimedes' theorem.

- Elements of hydrodynamics: flows, Bernouilli's theorem

- Viscosity; Sedimentation and centrifugation

See full page

In a context where nutrition has become the focus of interest for an increasingly broad public, the aim of this EU course is to establish food consumption benchmarks using a scientific approach.

This course covers the basics of food and nutrition, describing nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, fibers, vitamins and minerals), nutritional requirements and the different food groups. A number of food processes and technologies are also covered.

See full page

This course is aimed at L2 Life Sciences students wishing to learn more about how biotechnologies can help meet current and future challenges in the sustainable production of agricultural and agri-food resources.

Man uses the properties of photosynthetic organisms and microorganisms to obtain and process a wide range of resources and services: food products for humans and livestock, therapeutic molecules, construction materials, etc. This use is dependent on natural conditions, and its impact on the environment is likely to be reciprocal, for example via the withdrawal or deterioration of limited and/or non-renewable resources (water, soil, etc.). For resource production to be sustainable, it is therefore important that its organization (the concept of agronomy) incorporates knowledge of these impacts, and relies on an understanding of the properties of plants and micro-organisms to meet these challenges. The development and use of new biotechnologies in the fields of applied genetics and plant physiology, the use of microorganisms, and the favorable or unfavorable interactions between these microorganisms and plants all play a major role in these sustainable agronomy strategies.

See full page

See full page

The aim of this teaching unit is to take an integrative approach to animal behavior, in the light of Tinbergen's four "whys": from ontogeny and neurobiological causes to evolution and biological functions. In addition to historical, conceptual and methodological contributions, students will be coached to grasp the diversity of traits involved, as well as the diversity of approaches and associated scientific questioning. Using a variety of examples, this course will highlight the diversity of disciplines studying animal behavior: Neuroscience, Ethology, Behavioral Ecology, and will provide students with the information they need to continue their studies in the appropriate fields: Animal Physiology and Neuroscience/ Evolutionary Biology and Ecology/ Others....

See full page

See full page

See full page

1- Linux basics (1.5h CM + 3hTD) : Basic commands to navigate under Linux and understand the logic of this language. Small information extraction exercises in bash/shell. Element used to analyze alignment files.

2- Database (3h CM + 4,5hTD): knowledge of the main bibliographic and biological databases (NCBI, Ensembl, Galaxie...). Relevant and efficient queries, exploitation, sorting, description of different formats.

3- Sequence analysis (1.5hCM + 4.5H TD): Alignment and comparison of sequences with a short introduction to phylogeny (dot plot, Blast ...).

See full page

This compulsory UE in S4 enables students to consolidate and deepen the foundations of molecular and cell biology acquired in L1.

- Cell biology: 4 major themes will be covered: 1) Cell cytoskeleton function, 2) Cell adhesion, 3) Protein trafficking, 4) Introduction to cell cycle regulation. Cell biology methodologies will also be presented: immunoprecipitation to highlight protein interactions, fluorescence videomicroscopy to monitor cell distribution dynamics, assessment of the importance of proteins of interest in a cellular process by strategies to modulate their expression (RNA interference, overexpression).

- Molecular biology : After acquiring knowledge of transcription and translation mechanisms in Semester 3, we'll move on to the regulation of gene expression: transcriptional regulation (repressor, activator) and attenuation in prokaryotes, the basics of expression regulation mechanisms in eukaryotes.

See full page

This course is a continuation of the S3 Biochemistry course. The emphasis is on practical aspects. The principles of standard biochemistry techniques (protein separation techniques, spectrophotometric protein assay techniques, Western Blot/Elisa, etc.) will be covered in class, followed by hands-on experiments. The aim is to interpret and analyze the experiments proposed in the practical exercises.

See full page

The aim of this course is to understand evolutionary processes on both micro- and macro-evolutionary scales.

Using examples, manipulations and accessible modeling, the aim of the lessons is to present, in a concrete and quantitative way, the effects of the 4 evolutionary forces operating on the scale of individuals and populations (mutation, migration, selection and drift). The integration of these micro-evolutionary processes on larger time scales (e.g. differentiation between lineages, speciation) will then be addressed. Finally, the course will include an introduction to the tools of phylogeny (tree reading and construction), making it possible to study macro-evolutionary events (diversification, extinction) and trace changes in character states, notably by integrating fossil data.

See full page

Physiology of major functions (semester 4) aims to describe the role and interactions of the body's various systems in maintaining a constant internal environment. Acquisition of anatomical and functional knowledge of the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and renal systems and their nervous and hormonal controls. Understand the combined action of these major systems through examples of integrative physiology and pathologies: respiratory and cardiac insufficiency; hemorrhage; exposure to extreme environments.

See full page

See full page

The aim of this course is to take a more in-depth look at the fundamental molecular and cellular processes seen in BMC2 and BMC3, using more concrete concepts in small groups. Lessons will be based on real data (experimental results, scientific articles) to explain the main scientific approaches in simple terms, and to learn how to analyze and interpret results (Example 1: show an interaction in cellulo by expression of tagged proteins in cell lines followed by immunoprecipitation and western-blot. Example 2: principle of immunofluorescence, intracellular distribution of an antigen. Example 3: in vitro transcription and translation and GST-pull down interaction studies.) Practical exercises will illustrate some of these basic approaches: cell culture, expression vector construction, transfection, immunolabeling, fluorescence microscopy.   

See full page

This compulsory UE will enable students to deepen their skills acquired in "S3 biochemistry". It will enable them to understand cellular metabolism through:

-understanding bioenergetics to study the processes by which living cells transport, transmit, use, accumulate and release energy;
-studying the catabolism and anabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, nucleotides and amino acids, and the metabolic interactions between these pathways.

- description of metabolic pathologies.

See full page

In this introductory course to genetic analysis, the objectives are to learn about the terms, principles, concepts and methods used in formal genetics, as well as their fields of application, particularly in human and medical genetics. The course covers the genetics of transmission (Mendelian or non-Mendelian), quantitative genetics and notions of population genetics. Throughout the course, close links are established between classical genetics and molecular genetics.

See full page

See full page

See full page

1- Linux basics (1.5h CM + 3hTD) : Basic commands to navigate under Linux and understand the logic of this language. Small information extraction exercises in bash/shell. Element used to analyze alignment files.

2- Database (3h CM + 4,5hTD): knowledge of the main bibliographic and biological databases (NCBI, Ensembl, Galaxie...). Relevant and efficient queries, exploitation, sorting, description of different formats.

3- Sequence analysis (1.5hCM + 4.5H TD): Alignment and comparison of sequences with a short introduction to phylogeny (dot plot, Blast ...).

See full page

This compulsory UE in S4 enables students to consolidate and deepen the foundations of molecular and cell biology acquired in L1.

- Cell biology: 4 major themes will be covered: 1) Cell cytoskeleton function, 2) Cell adhesion, 3) Protein trafficking, 4) Introduction to cell cycle regulation. Cell biology methodologies will also be presented: immunoprecipitation to highlight protein interactions, fluorescence videomicroscopy to monitor cell distribution dynamics, assessment of the importance of proteins of interest in a cellular process by strategies to modulate their expression (RNA interference, overexpression).

- Molecular biology : After acquiring knowledge of transcription and translation mechanisms in Semester 3, we'll move on to the regulation of gene expression: transcriptional regulation (repressor, activator) and attenuation in prokaryotes, the basics of expression regulation mechanisms in eukaryotes.

See full page

The aim of this course is to broaden previously acquired knowledge in various areas of microbiology, in particular microbial ecology.

She will focus on pathogenic relationships, but will also present examples of symbiotic associations. Applications of microorganisms in biotechnology will be discussed. It will describe the mode of action of antibiotics and associated resistance phenomena, as well as their impact.

This course will introduce the notion of viral ecology, presenting the place and role of viruses in ecosystems. The case of bacteriophages will be dealt with more specifically, and the mechanisms of bacterial resistance to phagic infection will be detailed. The different types of viral infection in animals will be presented (acute and persistent infections) and illustrated by studying the pathogenesis of selected viral infections.

Our knowledge of microorganisms will be extended by the study of Archaea and a model eukaryotic organism, yeast.

Practical work will focus on carrying out an antibiogram and its interpretation, and on bacteriophage titration.

See full page

This course is a continuation of the S3 Biochemistry course. The emphasis is on practical aspects. The principles of standard biochemistry techniques (protein separation techniques, spectrophotometric protein assay techniques, Western Blot/Elisa, etc.) will be covered in class, followed by hands-on experiments. The aim is to interpret and analyze the experiments proposed in the practical exercises.

See full page

The aim of this course is to understand evolutionary processes on both micro- and macro-evolutionary scales.

Using examples, manipulations and accessible modeling, the aim of the lessons is to present, in a concrete and quantitative way, the effects of the 4 evolutionary forces operating on the scale of individuals and populations (mutation, migration, selection and drift). The integration of these micro-evolutionary processes on larger time scales (e.g. differentiation between lineages, speciation) will then be addressed. Finally, the course will include an introduction to the tools of phylogeny (tree reading and construction), making it possible to study macro-evolutionary events (diversification, extinction) and trace changes in character states, notably by integrating fossil data.

See full page

Physiology of major functions (semester 4) aims to describe the role and interactions of the body's various systems in maintaining a constant internal environment. Acquisition of anatomical and functional knowledge of the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and renal systems and their nervous and hormonal controls. Understand the combined action of these major systems through examples of integrative physiology and pathologies: respiratory and cardiac insufficiency; hemorrhage; exposure to extreme environments.

See full page

See full page

This compulsory UE will enable students to deepen their skills acquired in "S3 biochemistry". It will enable them to understand cellular metabolism through:

-understanding bioenergetics to study the processes by which living cells transport, transmit, use, accumulate and release energy;
-studying the catabolism and anabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, nucleotides and amino acids, and the metabolic interactions between these pathways.

- description of metabolic pathologies.

See full page

In this introductory course to genetic analysis, the objectives are to learn about the terms, principles, concepts and methods used in formal genetics, as well as their fields of application, particularly in human and medical genetics. The course covers the genetics of transmission (Mendelian or non-Mendelian), quantitative genetics and notions of population genetics. Throughout the course, close links are established between classical genetics and molecular genetics.

See full page

This compulsory UE in S3 enables students to consolidate and deepen the foundations of molecular and cell biology acquired in L1.

Molecular Biology part: The molecular and structural bases of nucleic acids will be developed and deepened to understand the physicochemical properties of nucleic acids, which open up various prospects for technological applications, and the molecular mechanisms of the main steps in Molecular Biology, such as DNA replication, transcription of genes into mRNA and translation of these into proteins. These steps, illustrated by experimental evidence deduced from various historical studies, will be studied in depth in prokaryotes. Comparisons with eukaryotes will also be discussed. The molecular mechanisms of DNA repair will also be described and developed.

Cell Biology section: This section covers the major concepts of membrane and cytosolic protein complex formation, particularly in the context of cell signaling pathways. The notions of ligands, receptors, scaffolding proteins, enzymatic signaling proteins, intracellular second messengers and response kinetics will be presented. Biochemistry and cell biology techniques for demonstrating the presence and localization of proteins in cells and tissues will be presented.

See full page

See full page

EU description (max 10 lines):

The aim of this course is to help students understand how to measure variation in biology, and how it can be represented. It is based on concrete examples drawn from various disciplines in biology (ecology, developmental biology, evolution, genetics, physiology) and gives the statistical tools for measuring this variation and the graphical methods for representing it. The statistical concepts of sampling, inference, distribution, central tendency, dispersion, distribution function, parameters, confidence intervals and dependence between variables for different types of variables (binomial, discrete, continuous) are explained with the help of practical exercises based on biological problems.

Competencies targeted by the EU (see competency framework):

- Descriptive analytical tools in biology, introduction to biostatistics through the analysis of biological patterns

See full page

This course provides a basic understanding of microbiology. It will detail the structures of microorganisms, prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and viruses. It will give an overview of the diversity of these microorganisms and describe their mode of multiplication.

For bacteria, trophic types and factors influencing growth will be developed, as well as the study of growth in a non-renewed environment. Genetics and horizontal transfer between bacteria will also be covered.
A number of eukaryotic microorganisms will be studied: habitat, lifestyle, ecological role or parasitism, as well as their mode of development.
In virology, the main multiplication cycles of viruses will be detailed, and modes of transmission and the notion of viral pathogenesis will be covered. The principles of anti-viral vaccination and anti-viral treatments will be presented and illustrated with concrete examples.
The principles of antiviral vaccination and treatment will be presented and illustrated with concrete examples.
Practical work will introduce students to techniques for sterile handling of microorganisms, bacterial counting and conjugation.

See full page

This module will enable students to acquire :

Physiology basics : concept of homeostasis; levels of organization of the human body; compartments of the internal environment; study of the endocrine system; acid-base and hydro-mineral balance; anatomical and functional studies of the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Immunology basics :

General presentation of the immune system; study of T and B lymphocytes, antigen-presenting cells; study of antimicrobial immunity and complement.

See full page

This compulsory course enables students to consolidate the foundations of biochemistry acquired in L1 by approaching this discipline through a cross-disciplinary study of enzymes involved in cellular metabolism, particularly glycolysis. Several areas of biochemistry will be covered: the basics of Michael enzymology, description of the metabolic reactions involved in glycolysis. Finally, the technical aspect will be addressed through the presentation and analysis of techniques for measuring enzymatic activity, purifying, quantifying and detecting proteins.

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Description*: This second general chemistry teaching unit aims to consolidate and deepen the study of reactions in aqueous solution, particularly those involving the formation of metal complexes. The principles of thermodynamics will be presented and applied to the study of chemical equilibria of biological interest. Rather than a presentation using mathematical formalism, which would require a much greater time commitment, the student will be asked to understand the physical meaning of these principles and the main thermodynamic functions, and to apply them to chemical systems, often of biological interest. In particular, resting membrane potentials and the use of pH potential diagrams in biology will be presented.

In advance of certain courses and tutorials, students will work on written and audio course documents, to ensure that classroom teaching and tutorials enable them to play a full part in the training, understand the concepts presented and the skills to be acquired.

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1- Linux basics (1.5h CM + 3hTD) : Basic commands to navigate under Linux and understand the logic of this language. Small information extraction exercises in bash/shell. Element used to analyze alignment files.

2- Database (3h CM + 4,5hTD): knowledge of the main bibliographic and biological databases (NCBI, Ensembl, Galaxie...). Relevant and efficient queries, exploitation, sorting, description of different formats.

3- Sequence analysis (1.5hCM + 4.5H TD): Alignment and comparison of sequences with a short introduction to phylogeny (dot plot, Blast ...).

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This compulsory UE in S4 enables students to consolidate and deepen the foundations of molecular and cell biology acquired in L1.

- Cell biology: 4 major themes will be covered: 1) Cell cytoskeleton function, 2) Cell adhesion, 3) Protein trafficking, 4) Introduction to cell cycle regulation. Cell biology methodologies will also be presented: immunoprecipitation to highlight protein interactions, fluorescence videomicroscopy to monitor cell distribution dynamics, assessment of the importance of proteins of interest in a cellular process by strategies to modulate their expression (RNA interference, overexpression).

- Molecular biology : After acquiring knowledge of transcription and translation mechanisms in Semester 3, we'll move on to the regulation of gene expression: transcriptional regulation (repressor, activator) and attenuation in prokaryotes, the basics of expression regulation mechanisms in eukaryotes.

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Learn about the major families of plant molecules and their properties, the biosynthetic pathways of these molecules, and the mechanisms regulating these biosyntheses in plants and microorganisms. In this module, the major families of molecules resulting from secondary plant metabolism (terpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins) are studied through their biosynthesis in the plant and the differentiation of specialized cell structures or groups. Based on this knowledge, biotechnological approaches for metabolic engineering are presented. The role of these molecules in plant life is discussed, as are their properties for industrial use as colorants, aromas, perfumes, medicines and biofuels. The use of natural polymers in the manufacture of industrial materials (paper pulp, rubber, plastics) is discussed, and production channels are described. Knowledge of the major families of plant molecules and their properties, the biosynthesis pathways of these molecules, and the mechanisms regulating these biosyntheses in the plant remains a major challenge for the development of biorefining in Europe.                                              

Key words: secondary metabolism, metabolic engineering, valorization of biomolecules, cellular and metabolic differentiation, regulation of secondary metabolism.

Additional information :

Visits to 2 analytical platforms are planned at the Montpellier site (duration 1h30 each).

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The aim of this course is to understand evolutionary processes on both micro- and macro-evolutionary scales.

Using examples, manipulations and accessible modeling, the aim of the lessons is to present, in a concrete and quantitative way, the effects of the 4 evolutionary forces operating on the scale of individuals and populations (mutation, migration, selection and drift). The integration of these micro-evolutionary processes on larger time scales (e.g. differentiation between lineages, speciation) will then be addressed. Finally, the course will include an introduction to the tools of phylogeny (tree reading and construction), making it possible to study macro-evolutionary events (diversification, extinction) and trace changes in character states, notably by integrating fossil data.

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Physiology of major functions (semester 4) aims to describe the role and interactions of the body's various systems in maintaining a constant internal environment. Acquisition of anatomical and functional knowledge of the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and renal systems and their nervous and hormonal controls. Understand the combined action of these major systems through examples of integrative physiology and pathologies: respiratory and cardiac insufficiency; hemorrhage; exposure to extreme environments.

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This compulsory UE will enable students to deepen their skills acquired in "S3 biochemistry". It will enable them to understand cellular metabolism through:

-understanding bioenergetics to study the processes by which living cells transport, transmit, use, accumulate and release energy;
-studying the catabolism and anabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, nucleotides and amino acids, and the metabolic interactions between these pathways.

- description of metabolic pathologies.

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In this introductory course to genetic analysis, the objectives are to learn about the terms, principles, concepts and methods used in formal genetics, as well as their fields of application, particularly in human and medical genetics. The course covers the genetics of transmission (Mendelian or non-Mendelian), quantitative genetics and notions of population genetics. Throughout the course, close links are established between classical genetics and molecular genetics.

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Plants interact with a multitude of microorganisms in their environment. These microorganisms act alone or in community. They can have negative or positive effects on plants, their growth, nutrition and health. In this module, we will present the different forms that these biotic interactions can take (symbioses, parasitism-pathogenicity), using popular biological models (mycorrhizal or nitrogen-fixing symbioses, diseases caused by different microorganisms). This will also be an opportunity to present emerging concepts in the field, such as the microbiome or the holobiont.

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1- Linux basics (1.5h CM + 3hTD) : Basic commands to navigate under Linux and understand the logic of this language. Small information extraction exercises in bash/shell. Element used to analyze alignment files.

2- Database (3h CM + 4,5hTD): knowledge of the main bibliographic and biological databases (NCBI, Ensembl, Galaxie...). Relevant and efficient queries, exploitation, sorting, description of different formats.

3- Sequence analysis (1.5hCM + 4.5H TD): Alignment and comparison of sequences with a short introduction to phylogeny (dot plot, Blast ...).

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This compulsory UE in S4 enables students to consolidate and deepen the foundations of molecular and cell biology acquired in L1.

- Cell biology: 4 major themes will be covered: 1) Cell cytoskeleton function, 2) Cell adhesion, 3) Protein trafficking, 4) Introduction to cell cycle regulation. Cell biology methodologies will also be presented: immunoprecipitation to highlight protein interactions, fluorescence videomicroscopy to monitor cell distribution dynamics, assessment of the importance of proteins of interest in a cellular process by strategies to modulate their expression (RNA interference, overexpression).

- Molecular biology : After acquiring knowledge of transcription and translation mechanisms in Semester 3, we'll move on to the regulation of gene expression: transcriptional regulation (repressor, activator) and attenuation in prokaryotes, the basics of expression regulation mechanisms in eukaryotes.

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The aim of this course is to broaden previously acquired knowledge in various areas of microbiology, in particular microbial ecology.

She will focus on pathogenic relationships, but will also present examples of symbiotic associations. Applications of microorganisms in biotechnology will be discussed. It will describe the mode of action of antibiotics and associated resistance phenomena, as well as their impact.

This course will introduce the notion of viral ecology, presenting the place and role of viruses in ecosystems. The case of bacteriophages will be dealt with more specifically, and the mechanisms of bacterial resistance to phagic infection will be detailed. The different types of viral infection in animals will be presented (acute and persistent infections) and illustrated by studying the pathogenesis of selected viral infections.

Our knowledge of microorganisms will be extended by the study of Archaea and a model eukaryotic organism, yeast.

Practical work will focus on carrying out an antibiogram and its interpretation, and on bacteriophage titration.

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Learn about the major families of plant molecules and their properties, the biosynthetic pathways of these molecules, and the mechanisms regulating these biosyntheses in plants and microorganisms. In this module, the major families of molecules resulting from secondary plant metabolism (terpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins) are studied through their biosynthesis in the plant and the differentiation of specialized cell structures or groups. Based on this knowledge, biotechnological approaches for metabolic engineering are presented. The role of these molecules in plant life is discussed, as are their properties for industrial use as colorants, aromas, perfumes, medicines and biofuels. The use of natural polymers in the manufacture of industrial materials (paper pulp, rubber, plastics) is discussed, and production channels are described. Knowledge of the major families of plant molecules and their properties, the biosynthesis pathways of these molecules, and the mechanisms regulating these biosyntheses in the plant remains a major challenge for the development of biorefining in Europe.                                              

Key words: secondary metabolism, metabolic engineering, valorization of biomolecules, cellular and metabolic differentiation, regulation of secondary metabolism.

Additional information :

Visits to 2 analytical platforms are planned at the Montpellier site (duration 1h30 each).

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The aim of this course is to understand evolutionary processes on both micro- and macro-evolutionary scales.

Using examples, manipulations and accessible modeling, the aim of the lessons is to present, in a concrete and quantitative way, the effects of the 4 evolutionary forces operating on the scale of individuals and populations (mutation, migration, selection and drift). The integration of these micro-evolutionary processes on larger time scales (e.g. differentiation between lineages, speciation) will then be addressed. Finally, the course will include an introduction to the tools of phylogeny (tree reading and construction), making it possible to study macro-evolutionary events (diversification, extinction) and trace changes in character states, notably by integrating fossil data.

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Physiology of major functions (semester 4) aims to describe the role and interactions of the body's various systems in maintaining a constant internal environment. Acquisition of anatomical and functional knowledge of the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and renal systems and their nervous and hormonal controls. Understand the combined action of these major systems through examples of integrative physiology and pathologies: respiratory and cardiac insufficiency; hemorrhage; exposure to extreme environments.

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This compulsory UE will enable students to deepen their skills acquired in "S3 biochemistry". It will enable them to understand cellular metabolism through:

-understanding bioenergetics to study the processes by which living cells transport, transmit, use, accumulate and release energy;
-studying the catabolism and anabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, nucleotides and amino acids, and the metabolic interactions between these pathways.

- description of metabolic pathologies.

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In this introductory course to genetic analysis, the objectives are to learn about the terms, principles, concepts and methods used in formal genetics, as well as their fields of application, particularly in human and medical genetics. The course covers the genetics of transmission (Mendelian or non-Mendelian), quantitative genetics and notions of population genetics. Throughout the course, close links are established between classical genetics and molecular genetics.

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This is a practical course in the construction of a scientific ecology experiment: protocol design, setting up and monitoring the experiment, data analysis, oral and written reports.

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This is a cross-disciplinary L2 SV course designed to provide Biology students with a basic knowledge of how plants function, enabling them to understand current issues in plant agro-sciences.

The following basic notions of Plant Physiology / Functional Biology will be studied: 

essential experimental approaches: plant transgenesis, direct and reverse genetics

basics of autotrophy

mechanisms underlying the main stages in angiosperm development: meristem function, floral transition, fertilization.

auxin, a major hormone in plant development and response to the abiotic environment

Practical work sessions will enable students to manipulate the regulation of water nutrition in plants and analyze their mineral nutrition using various biochemical assays (flame photometry, spectrophotometry). 

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EU description (max 10 lines):

The aim of this course is to help students understand how to measure variation in biology, and how it can be represented. It is based on concrete examples drawn from various disciplines in biology (ecology, developmental biology, evolution, genetics, physiology) and gives the statistical tools for measuring this variation and the graphical methods for representing it. The statistical concepts of sampling, inference, distribution, central tendency, dispersion, distribution function, parameters, confidence intervals and dependence between variables for different types of variables (binomial, discrete, continuous) are explained with the help of practical exercises based on biological problems.

Competencies targeted by the EU (see competency framework):

- Descriptive analytical tools in biology, introduction to biostatistics through the analysis of biological patterns

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This UE is the complementary concrete application of the UE Description of variability 1 (HAV312B).

The construction and analysis of data sets is carried out with the help of practical exercises in R software, in parallel with the practical exercises, as well as obtaining graphs and numerical parameters to characterize the samples and their variability.

Competencies targeted by the EU (see competency framework):

- Descriptive analytical tools in biology, introduction to biostatistics through the analysis of biological patterns

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This course provides an introduction to the general concepts of scientific ecology: levels of organization, measurement and conservation of biodiversity, biogeography, biotic and abiotic factors in the distribution and dynamics of biodiversity. It also provides an understanding of the methods used in scientific ecology: the value of experimentation, reflection on the construction of a protocol, data analysis, oral and written reports of experiments, etc.

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This course explores the biological, ecological and evolutionary dimensions of the fungal kingdom. Through a series of lectures, supported by group work sessions (Td and TP), students will familiarize themselves with these organisms, their biological specificities (particularly with regard to their reproduction) and their roles in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. In addition, the role of fungi in human societies (food and medicine in particular) will be explored as part of this course, which also aims to analyze the links between biodiversity and human societies.

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This course covers the theoretical concepts of plant biology, using the spermatophyte group as a model. It aims to define the notions and specific vocabulary of morphology, anatomy, reproduction and biological cycles.

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The EU aims to describe the morpho-anatomical characteristics of the major organizational plans of metazoans found in present and past faunas, and to explain their origin and the dynamics of their appearance. It thus develops a vision of organisms based on paleontology and zoology. It will focus on the origin of metazoans and the main divisions, diploblastic and triploblastic, as well as basic notions of phylogenetic positioning and relationships between taxa (mono- and paraphylly, evolutionary convergence, etc.). The course is classically divided into lectures, tutorials aimed primarily at illustrating and supporting aspects of taxon biodiversity, and practical work in sessions aimed at acquiring skills, particularly and necessarily in dissection.

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Objectives : Comparative study of major physiological functions in animals in relation to their environment. Study of structures and functions at various levels of integration, from the organism to the molecule.

Models covered: mammals compared with other vertebrate models (teleosts....) and invertebrates (insects, crustaceans, molluscs, etc.).

Description : This course covers some of the major physiological functions (respiration, nutrition, excretion and hydro-mineral regulation), as well as basic immunology and regulatory systems (nervous system and chemical communication). In addition to lectures, students will work in groups on various topics proposed by the teaching staff. They will present the topics in the form of lectures and synthesize the key points to be retained in the form of a written summary. Practical and practical work will also be offered to illustrate the lectures.

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This is a cross-disciplinary L2 SV course designed to provide Biology students with a basic knowledge of how plants function, enabling them to understand current issues in plant agro-sciences.

The following basic notions of Plant Physiology / Functional Biology will be studied: 

essential experimental approaches: plant transgenesis, direct and reverse genetics

basics of autotrophy

mechanisms underlying the main stages in angiosperm development: meristem function, floral transition, fertilization.

auxin, a major hormone in plant development and response to the abiotic environment

Practical work sessions will enable students to manipulate the regulation of water nutrition in plants and analyze their mineral nutrition using various biochemical assays (flame photometry, spectrophotometry). 

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EU description (max 10 lines):

The aim of this course is to help students understand how to measure variation in biology, and how it can be represented. It is based on concrete examples drawn from various disciplines in biology (ecology, developmental biology, evolution, genetics, physiology) and gives the statistical tools for measuring this variation and the graphical methods for representing it. The statistical concepts of sampling, inference, distribution, central tendency, dispersion, distribution function, parameters, confidence intervals and dependence between variables for different types of variables (binomial, discrete, continuous) are explained with the help of practical exercises based on biological problems.

Competencies targeted by the EU (see competency framework):

- Descriptive analytical tools in biology, introduction to biostatistics through the analysis of biological patterns

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This course brings together three complementary and fundamental disciplines in the earth sciences: sedimentology, tectonics and cartography. The different types of sedimentary rock will be taught in detail in order to interpret their formation context and associated processes. Ductile and brittle tectonic objects will also be covered at different scales, in order to establish their formation context, particularly in terms of stress regimes. Practical work on samples will be carried out in parallel to enable students to develop their observation and drawing skills, and to make the most of the rich collections available in the department. Finally, an introduction to reading and working with geological maps (diagrams, cross-sections) will be provided, applying the notions of sedimentology and tectonics previously acquired. The aim of this course is to enable students to outline the geological history of a given region.

Hourly volumes:

• CM : 12
• TD : 3
• TP: 21

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This UE is the complementary concrete application of the UE Description of variability 1 (HAV312B).

The construction and analysis of data sets is carried out with the help of practical exercises in R software, in parallel with the practical exercises, as well as obtaining graphs and numerical parameters to characterize the samples and their variability.

Competencies targeted by the EU (see competency framework):

- Descriptive analytical tools in biology, introduction to biostatistics through the analysis of biological patterns

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This course provides an introduction to the general concepts of scientific ecology: levels of organization, measurement and conservation of biodiversity, biogeography, biotic and abiotic factors in the distribution and dynamics of biodiversity. It also provides an understanding of the methods used in scientific ecology: the value of experimentation, reflection on the construction of a protocol, data analysis, oral and written reports of experiments, etc.

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This course explores the biological, ecological and evolutionary dimensions of the fungal kingdom. Through a series of lectures, supported by group work sessions (Td and TP), students will familiarize themselves with these organisms, their biological specificities (particularly with regard to their reproduction) and their roles in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. In addition, the role of fungi in human societies (food and medicine in particular) will be explored as part of this course, which also aims to analyze the links between biodiversity and human societies.

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This course covers the theoretical concepts of plant biology, using the spermatophyte group as a model. It aims to define the notions and specific vocabulary of morphology, anatomy, reproduction and biological cycles.

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The EU aims to describe the morpho-anatomical characteristics of the major organizational plans of metazoans found in present and past faunas, and to explain their origin and the dynamics of their appearance. It thus develops a vision of organisms based on paleontology and zoology. It will focus on the origin of metazoans and the main divisions, diploblastic and triploblastic, as well as basic notions of phylogenetic positioning and relationships between taxa (mono- and paraphylly, evolutionary convergence, etc.). The course is classically divided into lectures, tutorials aimed primarily at illustrating and supporting aspects of taxon biodiversity, and practical work in sessions aimed at acquiring skills, particularly and necessarily in dissection.

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Objectives : Comparative study of major physiological functions in animals in relation to their environment. Study of structures and functions at various levels of integration, from the organism to the molecule.

Models covered: mammals compared with other vertebrate models (teleosts....) and invertebrates (insects, crustaceans, molluscs, etc.).

Description : This course covers some of the major physiological functions (respiration, nutrition, excretion and hydro-mineral regulation), as well as basic immunology and regulatory systems (nervous system and chemical communication). In addition to lectures, students will work in groups on various topics proposed by the teaching staff. They will present the topics in the form of lectures and synthesize the key points to be retained in the form of a written summary. Practical and practical work will also be offered to illustrate the lectures.

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This course is a continuation of the L2 S3 course, which focuses on describing the morpho-anatomical characteristics of the major organizational plans of metazoans found in present and past faunas, and on explaining their origin and the dynamics of their appearance, through the acquisition of skills in paleontology and zoology. In S4, the main focus will be on the major subdivisions within protostomian organisms such as lophotrochozoa (annelids, mollusks, brachiopods, etc.) and ecdysozoa (arthropods, nematodes, etc.), with emphasis on their phylogenetic relationships and their socio-economic importance and impact. The course is classically divided into lectures and tutorials, mainly aimed at illustrating and supporting aspects of taxon biodiversity, and practical work in sessions aimed at acquiring skills, in particular and necessarily through the performance of certain dissections.

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The aim of this course is to understand evolutionary processes on both micro- and macro-evolutionary scales.

Using examples, manipulations and accessible modeling, the aim of the lessons is to present, in a concrete and quantitative way, the effects of the 4 evolutionary forces operating on the scale of individuals and populations (mutation, migration, selection and drift). The integration of these micro-evolutionary processes on larger time scales (e.g. differentiation between lineages, speciation) will then be addressed. Finally, the course will include an introduction to the tools of phylogeny (tree reading and construction), making it possible to study macro-evolutionary events (diversification, extinction) and trace changes in character states, notably by integrating fossil data.

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In this course, students will learn about the links between an individual's genetic heritage and the development of its morphology, physiology and lifestyle. The focus will be on understanding the links between the information carried by the genome and the life cycle of the organism in question, via the cellular characteristics corresponding to the expression of genetic information. These data will be placed in an evolutionary framework and will shed light on some major evolutionary transitions, particularly in metazoans.

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The Functional Ecology UE aims to provide a solid grounding in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, and in particular the role played by living organisms in the flow of matter within them. The main processes covered are primary production, consumption and, in particular, herbivory, and the decomposition and transformation of soil organic matter. For each of these processes, particular attention is paid to (1) the link between organisms' strategies and their function in the ecosystem, and (2) basing the presentation of concepts on field findings, highlighting characteristics of organisms or the ecosystem that students may encounter on field trips.

This course fits in with the broader presentation of ecology in S1 (HLBE304) and provides the concepts required for the L3 course on community ecology.

Emphasis is placed on practical aspects, in particular through a series of group assignments, where a simple but scientifically relevant hypothesis is experimentally tested using an appropriate protocol.

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This course is a natural continuation of the "Description of variability" course presented in S3. Its aim is to provide the concepts and methods underpinning modern biostatistics, i.e. the quantification of randomness, which is an omnipresent issue in the life sciences. This course provides an introduction to inferential statistics: parametric and non-parametric tests, linear regression, analysis of variance. Particular attention will be paid to the conditions of application of these methods, as well as to the notions of type I and II errors, power, replication and confidence intervals. Each notion will be illustrated by analysis of real, diversified biological data, contributing to the biostatistical culture useful for training critical thinking with regard to scientific results. In addition to training in this reference language and the statistical tools it implements, practical work in R will enable students to understand what they have learned in class and apply the methods presented.

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The aim of this course is to introduce the concepts and tools needed to observe and describe minerals and magmatic and metamorphic rocks, and to understand their genesis. The course begins with an introduction to the concepts of mineralogy (crystallography, crystallochemistry) and the tools needed to identify the constituent minerals of magmatic and metamorphic rocks. You will then study the structure and nature of the mantle, as well as the processes involved from magma formation to the eruption of magmatic rocks: partial melting processes, crystallization, crustal assimilation, magmatic mixing. You'll learn to distinguish the different magmatic series by their chemical composition and physical properties. The link between eruptive processes, volcanic hazards and risks will also be discussed. The third part introduces the main variables (pressure, temperature, time) and the different geodynamic contexts of metamorphism. We'll look at the different metamorphic facies, structures and textures of metamorphic rocks, and you'll learn to recognize mineral reactions and interpret them in terms of metamorphic evolution.

The coupled study of magmatic and metamorphic rocks will provide the basis for understanding issues related to the geodynamics of the inner Earth, geochemical cycles, mineral resources...

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This course approaches the history of plants diachronically, by studying each of the major geological periods (Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic), and transversally, by examining in greater depth certain methods for studying paleoenvironments (macroflora, palynology, climate, geochemistry, biomechanics, etc.).

After an introductory CM, the CMs present the history of plants by major geological period (CM2-3: Paleozoic; CM4-5: Mesozoic; CM6-8: Cenozoic) and cross-cutting approaches (CM9-10: Isotope geochemistry; CM11-12: Biomechanics).

TP1, Paleozoic Macroflora (Graissessac); TP2-3, Early Pleistocene Macroflora (Bernasso); TP4, Late Pleistocene Pollen (La Gourre); TP5, Holocene Geochemistry.

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The aim of this course is to understand the mechanisms used by organisms to cope with the constraints of the aquatic environment. Using animal models (mollusks, crustaceans, fish) and plant models (macro- and microalgae, aquatic angiosperms), this course will cover the various dimensions of the adaptive biology of organisms, from their capacity to acclimatize and adapt to change, to their physiological limits and the optimization of phenotypic traits in response to environmental constraints. This UE aims to study : 

- major concepts and approaches in ecophysiology ;

- ecophysiological responses (from gene expression to organism performance and behavior), using various aquatic ecosystems (intertidal, estuarine, polar, cavernicolous and abyssal) as examples;

- the integration of structure-function relationships in a given environmental context.

On a practical level, this course will enable students to study the functioning of organisms by means of simple physiological measurements, and to learn how to set up experiments. Presentations of scientific articles chosen by the teaching staff will complement the knowledge acquired in class. 

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This course presents the biology of eukaryotic parasitic organisms, taking into account their diversity. Both unicellular and vertebrate organisms will be covered.

In addition to physiological, anatomical and morphological aspects, a great deal of attention will be devoted to describing their life cycles, which necessarily include a phase of transmission to an obligate host.

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The aim is to provide students with knowledge of the biology, ecology and evolution of the three taxonomic groups in question. In addition to species identification (which will be covered extensively), this course will cover the evolution and systematics of the taxonomic group in question, fundamental ecology (evolutionary and functional ecology), applied ecology (conservation), physiology, legislation and study and identification methods.

After a general introductory course, 2 parallel courses will be offered. One will focus on Mediterranean flora, the other on fauna (amphibians, reptiles and birds).

Flore

The French Mediterranean rim is home to more than 2/3 of the rich diversity of flora in mainland France. This course is an introduction to this exceptional diversity and its underlying mechanisms. It is designed to enable students 1. to describe a plant in such a way as to highlight the characteristics useful for identification, and 2. to use different determination tools and understand their strengths and limitations. Teaching will incorporate innovative teaching approaches, combining the use of traditional (paper flora) and digital (FloreNum, PlantNet) tools, to enable learning adapted to the student's knowledge (from beginner to enlightened amateur). Species identification will form the basis for studying their biology and ecology, as well as evolution and phylogeny. To this end, workshops will be held in parallel with the practical sessions: 1. construction of a morphological classification to be compared with classical classifications (morphological and phylogenetic), 2. introduction to species ecology through a habitat-based approach, and 3. diachronic study of developmental biology by monitoring the growth of wild species planted under controlled conditions.

Animals

The aim is for students to acquire/deepen a body of knowledge on the biology of birds, amphibians and reptiles, which are models of choice in fundamental ecology (ethology, evolutionary ecology, functional ecology), applied ecology (conservation biology) and environmental education/teaching. In addition to species identification, this line of work will address the evolution and systematics of these taxa, their physiology, and their ecological and behavioral particularities.

Each group (Fauna - Flora) will have at its disposal 12 hours of fieldwork (half of which will be common to both groups) to be carried out according to modalities to be defined (4 outings of 1/2 day, or 2 long outings of one day). Practical work can be carried out on university sites (university campus - Labex CEMEB experimental field at CEFE - Botanical Garden) that are suitable for studying different organisms.

Cross-cutting notion

The UE is organized around a notion common to both groups of practical work, which, through a reversed class, will enable us to use observed species as a starting point for identifying concepts central to conservation biology. In S4, the focus will be on distribution (chorology) and the notion of rarity at different spatial scales. These concepts will support methodological questions, notably concerning the estimation of organism abundance. To this end, at the end of the sequence, students will present a taxon of their choice, from among those proposed in the EU, which illustrates the notion of distribution.

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The aim of this course is to link knowledge of biology and physiology with demography and population evolution. This approach aims to lay the foundations for conservation biology, by providing elements for predicting how animal and plant organisms and populations respond to ecosystem changes and sources of stress.

Teaching methods :

Tutorials in the form of presentation and discussion of scientific data or in a "reversed" form with contributions from small groups, independent group projects, analysis of concrete restoration cases;

TD1: presentation of the UE: concepts, activities, teaching methods. Establishment of the reverse TD program

TD2: Ecophysiology and environmental physiology (definitions); case studies (invasive species, reintroductions, ecological developments)

TD3: Analyses of the consequences of major pollutions (marine and terrestrial), ecological engineering, passive and active biomonitoring tools.

TD4 to 16: In "inverted" form (students in an "active" position, supplemented by the teacher), a series of interventions designed to set up

- the links between biology and life strategy on the one hand, and life-history traits on the other, taking several characteristic examples (animal and plant species, generalist/specialist species, rare species - types of rarity - or widespread or even invasive species);

- building a population's demographics

- changes in the demography of a population as a result of various disturbances, particularly long-term disturbances affecting the population's ability to evolve.

Two tutorial sessions (3h in total): analysis of different conservation and biomonitoring strategies, taking into account knowledge of organism physiology as well as ecological and behavioral particularities. Research & analysis of documents, synthesis and oral presentation of studies / debate.

Practical work: plant ecophysiological analyses, animal ecophysiological analyses using non-invasive approaches (behavior, physiological and bioenergetic analyses).

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The EU covers the different groups of plants ("algae", "cryptogams", spermatophytes), specifying for each of them their position and phylogenetic nature (mono- or paraphyletic group), their origin and their morpho-anatomical, reproductive and ecological specificities.

4 CM present different plant groups: CM1, diversity of "algae"; CM2, life cycles of "algae"; CM3, "cryptogams"; CM4, Spermatophytes.

6 TDs cover cross-disciplinary concepts based on oral or written exercises: TD1, Biological cycles; TD2, Endosymbiosis; TD3, Interactions; TD4, Adaptation; TD5, Polyploidy; TD6, Phylogeny.

6 practical sessions illustrate the concepts covered in the lectures and practical sessions using living material: TP1, "algae "1 ; TP2, "algae "2 ; TP3, "bryophytes" ; TP4, "pteridophytes" ; TP5, Gymnosperms, vegetative apparatus ; TP6, Gymnosperms, reproduction.

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This compulsory UE in S3 enables students to consolidate and deepen the foundations of molecular and cell biology acquired in L1.

Molecular Biology part: The molecular and structural bases of nucleic acids will be developed and deepened to understand the physicochemical properties of nucleic acids, which open up various prospects for technological applications, and the molecular mechanisms of the main steps in Molecular Biology, such as DNA replication, transcription of genes into mRNA and translation of these into proteins. These steps, illustrated by experimental evidence deduced from various historical studies, will be studied in depth in prokaryotes. Comparisons with eukaryotes will also be discussed. The molecular mechanisms of DNA repair will also be described and developed.

Cell Biology section: This section covers the major concepts of membrane and cytosolic protein complex formation, particularly in the context of cell signaling pathways. The notions of ligands, receptors, scaffolding proteins, enzymatic signaling proteins, intracellular second messengers and response kinetics will be presented. Biochemistry and cell biology techniques for demonstrating the presence and localization of proteins in cells and tissues will be presented.

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This is a cross-disciplinary L2 SV course designed to provide Biology students with a basic knowledge of how plants function, enabling them to understand current issues in plant agro-sciences.

The following basic notions of Plant Physiology / Functional Biology will be studied: 

essential experimental approaches: plant transgenesis, direct and reverse genetics

basics of autotrophy

mechanisms underlying the main stages in angiosperm development: meristem function, floral transition, fertilization.

auxin, a major hormone in plant development and response to the abiotic environment

Practical work sessions will enable students to manipulate the regulation of water nutrition in plants and analyze their mineral nutrition using various biochemical assays (flame photometry, spectrophotometry). 

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EU description (max 10 lines):

The aim of this course is to help students understand how to measure variation in biology, and how it can be represented. It is based on concrete examples drawn from various disciplines in biology (ecology, developmental biology, evolution, genetics, physiology) and gives the statistical tools for measuring this variation and the graphical methods for representing it. The statistical concepts of sampling, inference, distribution, central tendency, dispersion, distribution function, parameters, confidence intervals and dependence between variables for different types of variables (binomial, discrete, continuous) are explained with the help of practical exercises based on biological problems.

Competencies targeted by the EU (see competency framework):

- Descriptive analytical tools in biology, introduction to biostatistics through the analysis of biological patterns

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This course provides a basic understanding of microbiology. It will detail the structures of microorganisms, prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and viruses. It will give an overview of the diversity of these microorganisms and describe their mode of multiplication.

For bacteria, trophic types and factors influencing growth will be developed, as well as the study of growth in a non-renewed environment. Genetics and horizontal transfer between bacteria will also be covered.
A number of eukaryotic microorganisms will be studied: habitat, lifestyle, ecological role or parasitism, as well as their mode of development.
In virology, the main multiplication cycles of viruses will be detailed, and modes of transmission and the notion of viral pathogenesis will be covered. The principles of anti-viral vaccination and anti-viral treatments will be presented and illustrated with concrete examples.
The principles of antiviral vaccination and treatment will be presented and illustrated with concrete examples.
Practical work will introduce students to techniques for sterile handling of microorganisms, bacterial counting and conjugation.

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This module will enable students to acquire :

Physiology basics : concept of homeostasis; levels of organization of the human body; compartments of the internal environment; study of the endocrine system; acid-base and hydro-mineral balance; anatomical and functional studies of the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Immunology basics :

General presentation of the immune system; study of T and B lymphocytes, antigen-presenting cells; study of antimicrobial immunity and complement.

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This compulsory course enables students to consolidate the foundations of biochemistry acquired in L1 by approaching this discipline through a cross-disciplinary study of enzymes involved in cellular metabolism, particularly glycolysis. Several areas of biochemistry will be covered: the basics of Michael enzymology, description of the metabolic reactions involved in glycolysis. Finally, the technical aspect will be addressed through the presentation and analysis of techniques for measuring enzymatic activity, purifying, quantifying and detecting proteins.

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The first part (around 1/3) of the module deals with (biological) processes whose time evolution is described by an exponential law (growth or decay).

Radioactivity will be discussed, as an illustration of such a process, and for its applications in the biology-health-environment field (dating, tracing, etc.).

The second part (around 2/3) of the module introduces the concepts of fluid and pressure, and presents the laws of hydrostatics (fundamental law of fluid statics, Archimedes' theorem).

Fluid dynamics will be introduced, including the concepts of flow, viscosity, sedimentation and centrifugation, in connection with the Biology-Health sector.

List of Chapters :

- Exponential variations

- Radioactivity (radioactive decay, activity)

- Fluids: definition, properties, notion of pressure

- Hydrostatics: fundamental law of fluid statics, Archimedes' theorem.

- Elements of hydrodynamics: flows, Bernouilli's theorem

- Viscosity; Sedimentation and centrifugation

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In a context where nutrition has become the focus of interest for an increasingly broad public, the aim of this EU course is to establish food consumption benchmarks using a scientific approach.

This course covers the basics of food and nutrition, describing nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, fibers, vitamins and minerals), nutritional requirements and the different food groups. A number of food processes and technologies are also covered. 

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This course is aimed at L2 Life Sciences students wishing to learn more about how biotechnologies can help meet current and future challenges in the sustainable production of agricultural and agri-food resources.

Man uses the properties of photosynthetic organisms and microorganisms to obtain and process a wide range of resources and services: food products for humans and livestock, therapeutic molecules, construction materials, etc. This use is dependent on natural conditions, and its impact on the environment is likely to be reciprocal, for example via the withdrawal or deterioration of limited and/or non-renewable resources (water, soil, etc.). For resource production to be sustainable, it is therefore important that its organization (the concept of agronomy) incorporates knowledge of these impacts, and relies on an understanding of the properties of plants and micro-organisms to meet these challenges. The development and use of new biotechnologies in the fields of applied genetics and plant physiology, the use of microorganisms, and the favorable or unfavorable interactions between these microorganisms and plants all play a major role in these sustainable agronomy strategies.

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The aim of this teaching unit is to take an integrative approach to animal behavior, in the light of Tinbergen's four "whys": from ontogeny and neurobiological causes to evolution and biological functions. In addition to historical, conceptual and methodological contributions, students will be coached to grasp the diversity of traits involved, as well as the diversity of approaches and associated scientific questioning. Using a variety of examples, this course will highlight the diversity of disciplines studying animal behavior: Neuroscience, Ethology, Behavioral Ecology, and will provide students with the information they need to continue their studies in the appropriate fields: Animal Physiology and Neuroscience/ Evolutionary Biology and Ecology/ Others....

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This second unit of general chemistry is designed to consolidate and deepen the study of reactions in aqueous solution, particularly those involving the formation of metal complexes. The principles of thermodynamics will be presented and applied to the study of chemical equilibria of biological interest. Rather than a presentation using mathematical formalism, which would require a much greater time commitment, the student will be asked to understand the physical meaning of these principles and the main thermodynamic functions, and to apply them to chemical systems, often of biological interest. In particular, resting membrane potentials and the use of pH potential diagrams in biology will be presented.

In advance of certain courses and tutorials, students will work on written and audio course documents, to ensure that classroom teaching and tutorials enable them to play a full part in the training, understand the concepts presented and the skills to be acquired.

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This course is a continuation of the S3 Biochemistry course. The emphasis is on practical aspects. The principles of standard biochemistry techniques (protein separation techniques, spectrophotometric protein assay techniques, Western Blot/Elisa, etc.) will be covered in class, followed by hands-on experiments. The aim is to interpret and analyze the experiments proposed in the practical exercises.

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This is a general culture course covering a wide range of topical issues relating to human health. In the form of 1.5-hour mini-seminars, it will cover a wide range of topics, with a pragmatic yet critical approach. The many speakers in this course will bring their expertise to bear on subjects such as immunity, molecular biology, cancer, nutrition, diagnosis, vaccination, bioethics, ecology, neuroscience, emerging diseases and the therapeutic treatments of today and tomorrow. Each talk will not only provide cutting-edge knowledge and critical analysis of their subjects, but will also guide students in researching and filtering scientific information to combat misinformation. On the major human health issues of the 21st century, we'll address the real questions, the false polemics, and the solutions we can provide. 

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