Intended Level of Study
5 years of post-secondary education
ECTS
120 credits
Duration
2 years
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy, School of Science, School of Medicine
Language(s) of Instruction
French, English
Overview
The Master’s in Biology and Health is organized into 12 tracks covering a wide range of educational options and career paths: (i) toward research in biology and health in public and private institutions, or (ii) toward technical and regulatory professions in biotechnology for health, pharmaceuticals, neuroprosthetics, and clinical trials. This master’s program, led by the University of Montpellier’s faculties of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Sciences, ensures that the curriculum is truly coherent and interdisciplinary.
Four tracks within the Master’s in Biology and Health are more specifically geared toward professional careers, while still offering the option to pursue a Ph.D. after completing the master’s degree:
- Therapeutic Engineering and Bioproduction in Health Biotechnology (IBIS)
- Management and Evaluation of Clinical Trials (GET)
- Project Management and Innovation in Biotechnology (BIOTIN)
- Neuroprostheses
Seven other tracks are more focused on basic research and lead to doctoral studies, while still offering the possibility of entering the workforce immediately after completing the master’s degree:
- Cancer biology
- Medicinal and Translational Chemistry
- Epigenetics, Genetics, and Cell Biology (EpiGenBio)
- Infection Biology
- Experimental and Regenerative Medicine (MER)
- Neuroscience
- Quantitative Biology (qBio)
The DYMAMEID program—Dynamic of Emergence of Infectious Diseases—is open only to students enrolled at partner universities, primarily in Asia.
The academic environment of the Master’s in Biology and Health at the University of Montpellier is exceptional. Indeed, this program is very strongly research-oriented, with the involvement of faculty members and researchers working in the many institutes and laboratories in Montpellier and, more broadly, throughout the region. The curriculum of the Master’s in Biology and Health is perfectly aligned with the scientific priorities of the Biology and Health Research Cluster at I-SITE MUSE (Montpellier University of Excellence). This alignment between teaching and research offers Master’s students a wide choice of public or private laboratories for their internships (M1 and M2) and also allows them to attend conferences, workshops, and themed events that provide undeniable scientific exposure and opportunities for interaction with the professional world.
The various tracks within the master’s program share common coursework (core modules). The interdisciplinary nature of these core modules in both the first and second years of the master’s program reflects a commitment to fostering interaction among the tracks within the Biology and Health concentration.
English-language instruction is gradually becoming more widespread.
The student body consists of students in science or health-related fields. Admission to the first year of the Master’s program (M1) is selective. Applications are submitted through the e-Candidat platform, generally in April and May. The exact dates when the platform opens and closes vary depending on the program track.
Program
Select a program
DYNAMEID: Dynamics and Emergence of Infectious Diseases
The COVID-19 crisis has shown just how dangerous and stressful a pandemic can be, and how much it can disrupt our societies. It has become clear that simply responding to the disease is not enough to stop the spread of a pandemic. We do not know when or where the next outbreak will occur. We do not know what form it will take. However, there is one thing we can be certain of: there will be another outbreak. In the meantime, we are constantly seeing the emergence of new pathogens and resistance to treatments. How should we, as a community, prepare to deal with it when it occurs? There is no single answer, and it must not come only after the disease has already appeared. The solution lies in understanding the complex nature of an emerging infectious disease and in comprehensive risk management. We must prevent the emergence of new diseases by appropriately organizing regulations and social interactions. A new generation capable of managing risk with a fresh and more comprehensive perspective is needed. DYNAMEID is designed to train this generation.
"The greatest victory is the one that requires no battle." Sun Tzu
Sensory and Motor Neuroprostheses
Originally developed around hearing aids (middle ear implants, cochlear implants, brainstem implants), this program aims to expand its scope of training to include sensory neuroprostheses (visual implants) and motor neuroprostheses (stimulators). This program offers in-depth training in the fields of neurostimulation, implantable prostheses, prosthetic fitting, and sensory and motor functional assessment. This training addresses a need recognized by all stakeholders—physicians, neuroprosthetists, and healthcare professionals—who are seeking a solid education in the field of neuroprosthetics. Such training requires knowledge that cannot be acquired in just three years. The development of implantable prostheses and the specific needs of the populations for whom they are intended necessitate additional, career-oriented university training at the master’s level (Bac+5), which may lead to doctoral studies.
Translational Medicinal Chemistry
This track lies at the intersection of chemistry and biology and is intended for students in the biological sciences, the health sciences, or at ENSCM. Building on the foundations of structural, molecular, and cellular biology, this program provides theoretical and methodological training in the field of pharmaceuticals, covering both rational design and innovation, as well as nanotechnologies for drug delivery and targeting. Courses in pharmacokinetics, toxicological investigation, and therapeutic pharmacology then provide an understanding of a molecule’s fate within the body.
IBIS Therapeutic Engineering and Bioproduction in Biotechnology and Health
The IBIS track in Therapeutic Engineering and Bioproduction in Health Biotechnology (Red Biotechnology) within the Health Biology concentration is designed to provide students with the training needed to develop and produce the therapies of the future using biotechnology tools. Scientific advances in our understanding of human diseases are leading to innovations in healthcare, most of which are driven by biotechnology companies. The dynamic growth in France and worldwide in the creation of highly specialized companies with unique expertise must be accompanied by the evolution of educational programs leading to these new professions and skills.
These therapies are complex in nature and application
therapeutic applications, and developing them will therefore require multidisciplinary and cross-functional skills in biotechnology—a need that the IBIS program is designed to address. The IBIS program is based on the needs of industry players in the sector, which are outlined in the report by LEEM (the professional organization of pharmaceutical companies) titled “Skills Plan: Biotech/Innovations, Health 2020.”
The topics covered include:
- Biotechnology tools designed to discover innovative therapeutic molecules, whether biological (recombinant proteins and antibodies, cells) or chemical in nature.
- Bioprocess engineering for the industrial production of these compounds will also be developed, as will their formulation and delivery (nanobiotechnologies).
In addition, students will have the opportunity to explore agro-environmental (green and yellow), marine (blue), and industrial (white) biotechnologies through interdisciplinary courses offered in collaboration with other master’s programs. Furthermore, an agreement is planned with Polytech Montpellier to offer a dual program leading to a dual degree in engineering and a master’s degree:
- to two students per year from Polytech Montpellier, in the Biological and Food Engineering (GBA) program, to help them enter the health biotechnology sector (pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc.)
- to 2 students per year from the Biology and Health/IBIS master's program, to help them enter the agri-food and nutrition sector.
In summary, the IBIS program is an innovative training program in the field of health biotechnology, designed to meet the needs of industry professionals by offering an applied, multidisciplinary, hands-on, and integrated curriculum tailored to students in the sciences, pharmacists, engineers, and those pursuing continuing education.
Epigenetics, Genetics, and Cell Biology (EpiGenBio)
In the M1 year, a mandatory core curriculum enables students to acquire and consolidate fundamental knowledge in genetics, genomics, cell biology, and developmental biology. Starting in this first year, students have the option to deepen their knowledge of genetics by selecting three course units in genetics. It should be noted that instruction in the M1 is interdisciplinary, as many course units are shared across different tracks within the Master’s in Biology and Health. This structure allows students to design a personalized track of their choice, such as the molecular bases of hereditary diseases, signaling, structural biochemistry, biostatistics, pathophysiology, or R programming. .
At the M2 level, coursework is very closely linked to research laboratories. A required elective course is supplemented by a thematic track.
This structure fosters interdisciplinary education and promotes international outreach.
As part of the thematic program, a workshop on epigenetics is being organized. This workshop provides an opportunity to bring together internationally renowned scientists and clinicians working on current topics in the fields of genetics and epigenetics (program subject to change). The workshop has two objectives: to provide in-depth training in various areas of genetic research while also facilitating dialogue between students and professionals regarding their career paths.
During this course, lectures are combined with guest seminars led by researchers who have contributed to major advances in the field being covered.
These lectures are then explored in greater depth through article analysis, methodological discussions, and roundtable discussions with specialized researchers. Each student thus benefits from personalized guidance that provides the opportunity for direct interaction with professionals. One day is also devoted to career development.
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Each year, students will take theoretical and practical courses (internships). The program includes:
- 3 required core courses (15 credits), shared with the other specializations in the BioHealth Master’s program:
- 3 courses (15 credits) to be selected from among the elective courses
- A 5-credit English course
- Internships and personal research projects.
The goal of the first year (M1) of this specialization is to consolidate and acquire new fundamental knowledge in genetics, genomics, cell biology, and developmental biology. Building on three required core courses, students will select additional courses totaling 15 credits to create their own personalized curriculum. Elective courses cover various topics such as the molecular basis of diseases, cell signaling, structural biology, statistics, pathophysiology, and R programming.
During the second year (M2), a series of advanced courses exploring major topics in genetics, epigenetics, cell biology, and developmental biology will be taught by scientific and medical researchers from various research institutes and hospitals in Montpellier, as well as by selected international guest speakers.
In this context, a workshop on epigenetics is held every year, featuring leading experts in the field. The goal is to introduce various aspects of epigenetic research through a highly interactive approach. We also set aside time to discuss critical issues related to ethics in science and to choosing career paths in both the academic and private sectors.
During both years, students will be trained to analyze research articles and discuss methodology, working with an academic advisor.
The second semester of each year will be largely devoted to internships in research laboratories. Thus, students will have the opportunity to choose from among research internship projects at one of the many local institutes in Montpellier, elsewhere in France, or abroad.
IDIL - Quantitative Biology: Molecular Mechanisms of Living Systems (qBio)
At the intersection of biology, physics, chemistry, and bioinformatics, qbio is a graduate program designed for students interested in studying biology from a quantitative perspective based on transdisciplinary approaches.
The qbio curriculum has been designed to be highly innovative from a pedagogical standpoint. Discussions led by the teachers, combined with the observation and hands-on exploration of real materials and concrete challenges, will help students master the various subjects.
Qbio is built on practical, project-based teaching modules in the first year. The second year focuses on internships, communication, and scientific writing. Students will review the fundamentals of various disciplines during the Bootcamp, an intensive teaching module held at the beginning of the master’s program.
For more information and a detailed description of the various courses, visit our website at https://qbio.umontpellier.fr
Cancer Biology
The program offered as part of the “Cancer Biology” track enables students to understand the molecular basis of cancer and to explore the scientific rationale behind antitumor therapies in a cutting-edge scientific and medical environment. The program is supported by the Integrated Cancer Research Center (SIRIC Montpellier Cancer), which brings together a cancer research center (the ICM, Montpellier Cancer Institute), the Montpellier University Hospital (CHU), and approximately 100 research teams located at various research institutes in Montpellier that are able to host students in the Master’s in Cancer Biology program for their Master’s internships and, potentially, for their doctoral dissertations.
The curriculum offered in the "Cancer Biology" course will enable students to gain an understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of cancer and the rationale behind cancer therapies, within a leading scientific and medical environment. This course is supported by the Montpellier Comprehensive Cancer Center (SIRIC Montpellier Cancer), which comprises the Regional Cancer Center (ICM), Montpellier University Hospital, and over a hundred research teams located at various research institutes in Montpellier. These teams offer internships for master’s students and, for those who continue beyond the master’s program, PhD opportunities.
Infection Biology
This program focuses on microbiology in the broadest sense, including the immune response to infection. It is designed to provide Master’s-level training on infectious processes and human pathogens (bacteria, viruses, unicellular parasites, etc.).
One of the key features of this master’s program is its focus on the molecular and cellular aspects of infection. It is deeply rooted in Montpellier’s research laboratory community focused on these aspects of infectious diseases, including university laboratories (Faculties of Science, Medicine, and Pharmacy), research institutes (CNRS, INSERM, IRD, CIRAD, etc.), and university hospitals in Montpellier and Nîmes.
The laboratories that may accept students as part of this Master’s program (as well as, potentially, for a subsequent Ph.D.) are, for the most part, affiliated with major French research institutes and are particularly numerous (more than 70 HDR-qualified supervisors). They possess extensive expertise in the field, as evidenced by their involvement in national and European projects and their well-established international reputation. Links with the COIMBRA group of European universities also provide an international dimension to this Master’s program. The PACA-LR EuroBiomed interregional competitiveness cluster (one of whose major focus areas is “Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious and Tropical Diseases”) and the “Méditerranée-Infection/Infectiopole Sud” IHU, with which many researchers involved in this program are affiliated, serve as drivers of innovation and, potentially, economic integration.
The integrated curriculum for the two-year Master’s program, while not exhaustive in this field, aims to provide students with a level of expertise that enables them to address any specific topic in research or development within the fields of microbiology, focusing on their molecular and cellular aspects. Instruction is conducted in English. Courses are delivered in the form of lectures covering even the most recent research and in the form of seminars involving critical analysis of scientific articles. Practical training is carried out primarily in research laboratories (two internships in the first year of the Master’s program, one internship in the second year) but also through practical work in immunology.
Experimental and Regenerative Medicine
This two-year training program covers major physiological functions and the most advanced methods for restoring homeostasis disrupted by disease. This translational approach is made possible by the numerous interactions between basic researchers and clinicians.
Targeted approaches—and more specifically, modern therapeutic methods in humans—are discussed.
It draws on the expertise of specialists from research units in Montpellier and throughout the country.
BIOTIN
The BIOTIN track within the Biology and Health program is an accredited master’s program offered by the Universities of Montpellier and Nîmes and the Institut Mines-Télécom. It also has partnership agreements with Polytech, Kedge Business School in Marseille, and the French Blood Establishment (Etablissement Français du Sang), and collaborates with Inserm-transfert. It is accredited by the Eurobiomed competitiveness cluster, which coordinates academic and industrial health-related activities in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) and Occitanie regions—including, in addition to research organizations and universities, approximately 300 biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.
Choose one: 1 out of 1
Current Research in Immunology
5 credits
Introduction to Careers in Clinical Research
5 creditsNeurobiology of Behavior
5 creditsDevelopmental Neurobiology
5 creditsNeuropsychopharmacology
5 creditsApplied Statistics in Biology
5 credits
English_FdM
5 creditsTER_FdM
5 creditsInternship_FdM
15 credits
Project Management and Planning
5 creditsResearch in Neuropsychology: Topics and Methods
5 creditsNormal and Pathological Cognitive Functioning in Adults
5 creditsTranslational Research & Clinical Evaluation of Biotherapeutics
5 creditsNormal and Abnormal Cognitive Functioning in Children
5 creditsRegulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance
5 credits
GET Internship
30 credits
Introduction to Careers in Clinical Research
5 creditsApplied Statistics in Biology
5 creditsPhysiology and Integrated Homeostasis
5 creditsCHOICE 1
5 creditsCellular Communications and Signaling
5 creditsFunctional Exploration and Translational Research
5 credits
English_FdM
5 creditsTER_FdM
5 creditsInternship_FdM
15 credits
GET Internship
30 credits
Neuroscience
This course covers the major physiopathological functions of the nervous system. It focuses on fundamental aspects of neurobiology and neurophysiology, and addresses the molecular, cellular, and integrated aspects of neuronal communication and the integration of synaptic signals that underlie an individual’s behavior. These various aspects are examined in the context of both normal and pathological functioning of the nervous system. The course will cover the latest conceptual and technological advances in neuroscience, as well as recent progress in the understanding and treatment of major neurological and psychiatric disorders. Particular attention will be given to explaining and presenting the crucial interconnections between basic, translational, and clinical research in the development of innovative therapies.
IDIL—Sciences for Human Health
The interdisciplinary, multiscale research used in modern bio-health requires that those working in the field be trained in a wide range of disciplines. In this regard, the “Sciences for Human Health (SH2)” track offers a new training program within a higher education institution for young scientists, ranging from the master’s to the doctoral level, while bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Based on this observation, the program (SH2) offers a dual degree in medicine and biology to train future leaders, scientists, and healthcare professionals in the field of biohealth. The program provides students with a solid foundation in key disciplines and fosters close ties between education and research.
This program is intended for students in science and technology fields that are closely related to the health sector (doctors, pharmacists, dentists).
Examples of course units:
- Cell Biology
- Functional Genomics
- Current Research in Immunology
Research Methods
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Molecular Bases of Infectious Diseases
Training Structure
College of Sciences
This course unit consists primarily of lectures covering the molecular aspects of infectious diseases (bacteriology, virology, parasitology)
Bacteriology: The nature of infectious agents. Methods for studying pathogenesis (in vivo, in vitro, in silico, and post-genomic research technologies) Strategies of pathogenic bacteria for survival within hosts: Bacterial adhesion to eukaryotic cells, antigenic variation and phase variation, invasion of non-phagocytic eukaryotic cells, mechanisms of resistance to phagocytosis, mechanisms of bacterial survival within phagocytic cells, regulation of membrane permeability, bacterial secretion systems (types I, II, III, IV, V, and VI), iron acquisition mechanisms, bacterial exotoxins, bacterial biofilms, examples of environmental regulation (thermoregulation, quorum sensing, etc.).
Parasitology: Organization and cellular physiology of major pathogens within parasitic unicellular eukaryotes (invasion and modification of the host cell; metabolic characteristics and therapeutic targets); Genetics and Molecular Biology (genome organization, antigenic variation); Pathophysiology and evasion of the immune response
Virology: Molecular mechanisms of the viral life cycle; Expression of viral genomes; Viral transformation; Viral replication strategies; Plasticity of viral genomes; Structural significance of viruses in host-virus interactions;
Bibliographic Survey
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Genomes and Evolution
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Infection Control Policies
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Applied Statistics in Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Cellular and Molecular Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
CHOICE 1
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Environment, Geography, and Health
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Entomology and Vector-Borne Diseases
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Internship
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Emerging Diseases
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Bibliographic Survey
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Biobanking
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Integrated Approach to Infectious Diseases I
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Bioinformatics and OMICS
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
OPTION 1 Semester 1 M2 Dynameid
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Advanced Spatial Analysis
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Host-pathogen interactions
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Computer Modeling and Databases
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
International Regulation and Society
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
OPTION 2, Semester 1, M2 Dynameid
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Microbial Genomics and Metabolic Diversity
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
New generations of diagnostic technologies
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Integrated Approach to Infectious Diseases II
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Emerging Diseases II
ECTS
2.5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Immunology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Internship
ECTS
30 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Tinnitus Management
ECTS
4 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Pathophysiology and Audiological Evaluation
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Pathophysiology and Evaluation of Hearing CC
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Pathophysiology and CT Evaluation of Hearing
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Introduction to Electronics
ECTS
1 credit
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Supervised Research Project
ECTS
4 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Introduction to Mathematics
ECTS
1 credit
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Signal Acquisition/Processing Chain, Level 1
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Applied Statistics in Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Introduction to Biological Signal Processing
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Introduction to CC Biological Signal Processing
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Introduction to CT Biological Signal Processing
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Sensory Experience
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Supervised Research Project
ECTS
4 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Medical Robotics 1
ECTS
4 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Applied Statistics in Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Data Analysis and Visualization
ECTS
2 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Assessment and Speech Disorders
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Assessment and Speech Disorders CC
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
CT Evaluation and Speech Disorders
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Hearing Loss and Child Neuropsychology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Balance and Motor Skills Disorders
ECTS
3 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Data Acquisition and Signal Processing for Biomedical Applications
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Clinical Audiology
ECTS
3 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Master's Degree (Year 2) Internship
ECTS
25 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Cochlear and retinal implants
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
CT Cochlear and Retinal Implants
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
CC Cochlear and Retinal Implants
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Cell Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The program offers a refresher course and an in-depth study of the major concepts and methodologies of cell biology, organized around various themes:
1. Cytoskeleton: Introduction to the different types of cytoskeletons. Polymerization properties of actin and tubulin. Proteins associated with the cytoskeleton that regulate polymerization. Molecular motors. Principles of cell migration.
2. Cell Adhesion & Signaling: Cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesive structures, their molecular organization and dynamics. Functions and regulation during development and pathogenesis. Regulation by signaling pathways. Mechanotransduction.
3. Cellular trafficking and targeting: Ubiquitination and the proteasome. Targeting to subcellular compartments; endocytosis and secretion pathways. The molecular basis of vesicular transport: budding, fusion, and molecular motors. Signaling in membrane trafficking; genetic diseases associated with trafficking; and hijacking by pathogens.
4. Cell Cycle: Historical Overview. Molecular Regulation of the Cell Cycle. The mitotic spindle, microtubule dynamics and molecular motors, mechanisms of chromosome attachment, checkpoints, regulation of mitotic exit, and cytokinesis. Mitotic abnormalities associated with cancer cells.
5. Stem Cells: Cell Differentiation, Totipotency, Pluripotency, and Multipotency; Embryonic, Adult, and Cancer Stem Cells.
6. Programmed cell death: Apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis. Stages and mechanisms of apoptosis; signaling pathways involved. Role in maintaining homeostasis. Pathophysiological consequences of dysregulation of programmed cell death.
Various research models are presented to highlight the importance of biological diversity in the discovery of cellular and molecular mechanisms, as well as in the understanding of human diseases.
The program offers a review of key concepts and an in-depth study of the major concepts and methodologies of cell biology, organized around different themes:
1. Cytoskeleton: Introduction to the different types of cytoskeleton. Polymerization properties of actin and tubulin. Proteins associated with the cytoskeleton and involved in regulating polymerization. Molecular motors. Principles of cell migration.
2. Cellular Adhesion & Signaling: Cell-cell and extracellular cell-matrix adhesive structures, their molecular and dynamic organization. Functions and regulation during development and pathogenesis. Regulation by signaling pathways. Mechanotransduction.
3. Addressing and cell traffic: Ubiquitination and the proteasome. Transport to subcellular compartments, endocytosis, and secretion pathways. The molecular basis of vesicular transport, budding, fusion, and molecular motors. Signaling in membrane trafficking, genetic diseases linked to trafficking, and disruption by pathogens.
4. Cell cycle: Historical introduction. Molecular regulation of the cell cycle. The mitotic spindle, microtubule and molecular motor dynamics, chromosome attachment mechanisms, checkpoints, regulation of mitotic output and cytokinesis. Mitotic disorders associated with cancer cells.
5. Stem cells: cell differentiation, totipotency, pluripotency, and multipotency; embryonic, adult, and cancer stem cells.
6. Programmed cell death: Apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis. Stages and mechanisms of apoptosis; signaling pathways involved. Role in maintaining homeostasis. Pathophysiological consequences of dysregulation of programmed cell death.
Various study models are presented to highlight the importance of biological diversity in the discovery of cellular and molecular mechanisms, as well as in the understanding of human diseases.
Structural Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Cellular Pathophysiology and Cancer
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The “Cellular Pathophysiology and Cancer” course unit aims to provide students with the knowledge necessary to pursue the “Cancer Biology” track in the M2 program. The course unit is organized as a lecture, consisting of an introductory section followed by a section on current research in the laboratories. Students are required to give an oral presentation on a scientific article (usually in pairs).
The goal of the cellular pathophysiology and cancer course is to provide the scientific background necessary to succeed in the M2 program in cancer biology. Each lecture is structured as a seminar, beginning with a general introduction to the field and followed by a more specialized focus on research conducted in laboratories. Students are required to prepare an oral presentation based on the analysis of a scientific article (usually in pairs).
Developmental Genetics
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
-A General Introduction to Developmental Biology
How do cells build a multicellular animal organism from a single genome? The genotype-phenotype relationship.
-Genetic Testing Reminders
Nature of mutations (loss-of-function; gain-of-function), the concept of a “master gene,” clonal analysis (generation of somatic or germline clones), the concept of cellular autonomy....
-Genetic models and methods.
Study of regulatory regions, establishment of transgenic lines, enhancer traps, reporter genes (GFP, mCherry, etc.), model organisms (Drosophila, C. elegans, mice, etc.).Use of FLP/FRT, CRE-LOX, UAS-GAL4-GAL80, AttpP/B-PhiC31, CRISPR, and other systems
-Positional information, genes with maternal effects, and the establishment of asymmetry.
Models and Mechanisms of Positional Information = induction, Spemann and Mangold’s experiment, organizing centers, the concept of morphogens in invertebrates and vertebrates
-Defining the axes: anteroposterior, dorsoventral.
Genetic screens: genes with maternal effects and genes with zygotic effects. Cell-to-cell communication and signaling pathways: in the establishment of the dorso-ventral axis, in limb formation, and in the determination of cell fate (some examples: Nervous system: lateral inhibition process ...).
-Segmentation: gap genes, “pair rule” genes, and segmental polarity genes.
Segmentation in invertebrates and somite formation in vertebrates: dynamic aspects (establishment and maintenance).
-Signaling and transcriptional networks
Transcriptional regulation during development, regulatory sequences throughout evolution, and the concept of gene networks. The interplay between transcription and signaling pathways in cell fate
-Transcriptional program memory via epigenetic mechanisms:
Hox homeotic genes and segmental identity. Concepts in Evo-Devo. The Polycomb and Trithorax complexes.
The Role of Epigenetic Mechanisms in Cell Differentiation
Neurobiology of Behavior
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
Behaviors—whether determined by conscious or unconscious processes—are based on complex neurobiological substrates. They are, in fact, underpinned by molecular and cellular changes within the nervous system that modulate the neural networks responsible for motor and emotional processes linked to an individual’s memory. These processes are fundamental in enabling the organism to develop an integrated behavioral response in close interaction with its environment, thereby ensuring the adaptation and survival of the individual and its species.
The topics covered in the Neurobiology of Behavior course will be as follows:
-Gene–Behavior
The Relationship Between Genotype and Phenotype—Environmental Impact—Attention Processes/Movement Planning—Behavioral Disorders (Genetic and Environmental Aspects)
-Memory and Synaptic Plasticity
Methodological approaches to studying synaptic plasticity: electrophysiology, optogenetics, animal models, behavioral tests—Factors regulating synaptic plasticity, including genetic and epigenetic factors—The relationship between plasticity and memory—The neurobiology of memory, forgetting, and reconsolidation
-Neurobiology of Emotions
Neurobiological Bases of Emotions - Functions of Emotions - Maladaptation: Pathological Aspects: Emotional Disorders
Neuropsychopharmacology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
The Neuropsychopharmacology course covers the molecular, cellular, and integrated mechanisms underlying the mode of action of psychotropic drugs, using several disorders (depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, etc.) as examples. It aims to understand how the principles of pharmacology apply specifically to mental disorders (e.g., pharmacodynamics, tolerance, physical and psychological dependence, etc.). Drawing on advances in neurobiological research and their therapeutic applications in medication, the course aims to provide an understanding of the concepts underlying the treatment of psychiatric disorders.
Molecular Bases of Infectious Diseases
Training Structure
College of Sciences
This course unit consists primarily of lectures covering the molecular aspects of infectious diseases (bacteriology, virology, parasitology)
Bacteriology: The nature of infectious agents. Methods for studying pathogenesis (in vivo, in vitro, in silico, and post-genomic research technologies) Strategies of pathogenic bacteria for survival within hosts: Bacterial adhesion to eukaryotic cells, antigenic variation and phase variation, invasion of non-phagocytic eukaryotic cells, mechanisms of resistance to phagocytosis, mechanisms of bacterial survival within phagocytic cells, regulation of membrane permeability, bacterial secretion systems (types I, II, III, IV, V, and VI), iron acquisition mechanisms, bacterial exotoxins, bacterial biofilms, examples of environmental regulation (thermoregulation, quorum sensing, etc.).
Parasitology: Organization and cellular physiology of major pathogens within parasitic unicellular eukaryotes (invasion and modification of the host cell; metabolic characteristics and therapeutic targets); Genetics and Molecular Biology (genome organization, antigenic variation); Pathophysiology and evasion of the immune response
Virology: Molecular mechanisms of the viral life cycle; Expression of viral genomes; Viral transformation; Viral replication strategies; Plasticity of viral genomes; Structural significance of viruses in host-virus interactions;
Developmental Neurobiology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
1) What is the genetic program underlying the development of the nervous system? This course highlights the types of decisions that progressively determine the neural fate of cells and ensure their nervous function. The various stages considered are:
(i) the development of the nervous system
(ii) the specification of neurons
(iii) nervous function: axonal guidance and connectivity
(iv) neuronal remodeling
2) What molecular, cellular, and environmental interactions control the development of the nervous system?
-Synaptogenesis and the major stages of development.
-Roles of neurotrophic factors
-Functions of electrical activity
-Critical periods
-Roles of neuron-glial cell interactions.
-Neural stem cells
3) Developmental Disorders
Functional Exploration and Translational Research
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
Neuromuscular Physiology:
Skeletal striated muscle: The neuromuscular junction; Muscle contraction/relaxation; Myotypology; Plasticity; Muscle metabolism.
Neuromuscular Diseases: Causes; symptoms; clinical diagnosis (clinical examinations; laboratory tests): EMG, blood tests, functional tests, etc.; Muscular dystrophies: Duchenne muscular dystrophy; Becker muscular dystrophy; facioscapiohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Facioscapiohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD): zebrafish model; mouse model; cellular models; clinical trials.
Respiratory Physiology:
Respiratory Physiology: Anatomy of the respiratory system; the mechanism of respiration; gas exchange; transport of respiratory gases in the blood; regulation of respiration
Respiratory Assessment in Small Animals: Why Assess Respiratory Function in Small Animals? Plethysmography; in vitro contractile force.
Functional Respiratory Tests: performance and interpretation of respiratory tests in human medicine; spirometry: Level 1 and Level 2; pulmonary diffusion capacity; arterial blood gases; specific tests of the respiratory muscles; 6-minute walk test; exercise testing; tests involving exposure to high altitude.
Cardiovascular Physiology:
Review of cardiac anatomy: size, location, and orientation; the heart’s envelope; the layers of the heart wall; the heart’s chambers and major vessels; the flow of blood through the heart; cardiac valves; blood supply to the heart: coronary circulation; properties of cardiac muscle tissue.
Review of cardiac physiology: regulation of the baseline heart rate; the cardiac conduction system; changes in the baseline heart rate: extrinsic innervation of the heart; electrocardiography; mechanical phenomena: cardiac cycle; cardiac output; regulation of stroke volume; regulation of heart rate.
Review of vascular physiology: anatomy of the circulatory system; lymphatic system; structure of the vascular wall; blood pressure; vascular smooth muscle and vasomotor function; endothelial function.
Vascular function and dysfunction; functional assessment: measurement of arterial distensibility; measurement of arterial wave velocity; pharmacological assessment of endothelium-dependent vasomotility; ultrasonographic assessment; echo-tracking; ultrasound and Doppler ultrasound.
How can vascular function be assessed experimentally? Isolated arterial ring model; Cardiac Doppler ultrasound: a powerful tool in clinical and experimental research; Ultrasound: anatomical and functional analysis; Doppler: flow analysis; Application to animal models.
Translational research: example—myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (myocardial infarction); Animal models; perfused isolated heart (Langendorf); Isolated cardiomyocytes; Cardioprotection techniques.
Endocrinology: Weight Balance
Description of eating behavior; Energy balance; Central regulatory structures of food intake; Regulatory mechanisms of food intake; Factors modulating appetite and food intake; Nutritional assessment; Eating disorders; Functional assessment: impedance measurement; DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry); MRI; Assessment of energy expenditure: calorimetry.
Molecular and Therapeutic Pharmacology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Molecular and Metabolic Bases of Hereditary Diseases
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Applied Statistics in Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Cellular Communications and Signaling
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
The EU will first address the main communication pathways between normal cells and intracellular signal transduction pathways encountered in physiological and neurophysiological mechanisms. Thus, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) will be studied, specifically their structure, function, and modulation by interacting proteins involved, in particular, in the phenomenon of desensitization. The main intracellular pathways activated by membrane-bound GPCRs will be discussed (MAP kinase pathways, PI3 kinase, etc.).
Next, a significant portion of the course will focus on calcium signaling and Ca²⁺ homeostasis, as Ca²⁺ is a ubiquitous signal in cellular signaling. Calcium homeostasis will be studied in particular in the context of the lymphocyte response following antigenic stimulation. Furthermore, the production of oxygen free radicals—which cause oxidative stress—is dependent on intracellular Ca²⁺. The physiological role of free radicals will be discussed, as well as their involvement in oxidative stress. In this context, the protective mechanisms against oxidative stress will also be examined.The following chapter will address the endocannabinoid system, which serves to summarize all the topics previously covered in the course. The endocannabinoid system is responsible for numerous central and peripheral regulatory processes.
Finally, two other topics will be covered: the blood-brain barrier, which provides a framework for discussing cellular communication in a highly integrated manner between two environments, and the pancreatic β-cell, whose activity is crucial for regulating blood glucose levels through insulin secretion.
EU Semester 2 (Elective)
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Long-term internship or internship abroad
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
An internship lasting more than 4 months at an organization (research laboratory, company, etc.) in France or abroad
Physiology Lab Sessions
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Spring
The physiology lab course allows students to record cardiac action potentials in a frog’s heart using the intracellular microelectrode technique. This is a qualitative and quantitative method for measuring the electrical activity of the heart muscle.
Practical Analysis of Genomic Data in R
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Cell Culture
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Cell culture is a fundamental technique in laboratories and is constantly evolving. It is important to understand its basics, which are often poorly understood, even though it is an essential methodology not only in research but also in industry.
Understanding the Company and Maximizing the Value of Patents
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Spring
Are you a third-year undergraduate or first-year graduate student in the Languedoc-Roussillon region? Would you like to work in small groups with students from other programs on a project-based approach, using an unused scientific patent? Would you like to be guided and challenged by professional startup coaches? Sign up for the PEPITE Patent Project to present a plan for an innovative startup based on the commercialization of a real patent provided by a local research team that will welcome you with open arms!
Why?
-Because you can start your own business no matter what field you're in
-To be selected by an incubator-type support organization
-To help you build a network in the fields of entrepreneurship and innovation
PEPITE Patent Project—what is it? A teaching unit consisting of key activities:
- a 3-day "tool training" seminar
-regular meetings with the coaches
-Deliverables to be submitted: summary report, market research, business plan
- a 10-minute final pitch to present your innovative company
Immunopathology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Spring
The course is taught by faculty members from the departments of medicine, science, and pharmacy. It consists of 42 hours of lectures and supervised work divided into 7 themes (see Syllabus), including two series of article presentations: the first series focuses on articles selected by the instructors for each theme, and the second series features articles chosen by the students. At the end of each course unit, students organize a mini-symposium where the articles are presented. They write abstracts of these articles for the journal *Medecine-Sciences*.
Medical Genetics and Genetic Counseling
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Spring
FDP Internship
ECTS
15 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
From Target to Drug
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Pharmacokinetics and Toxicology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Semester 1: Elective Course
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Integrative Pathophysiology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Genetic Information - Epigenetics - Mechanistic Foundations
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Signaling: Methods and Concepts
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Nanotechnologies and Multifunctional Systems for Therapeutic Applications
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
FPD Internship
ECTS
20 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Fictional Research Project_FDP
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Experimental Models in Biomedical Research
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Experimental CT Models
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Experimental Models in Biomedical Research CC
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Protein Engineering
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Proteins are now widely used as therapeutic tools in human and animal health. An understanding of the pathways involved in peptide and protein synthesis, their folding, and any post-translational modifications is essential before considering the biosynthesis of any therapeutic protein. Methods for better characterizing these proteins are also essential to ensure the quality of the proteins produced for therapeutic or industrial use. Methods of protein engineering designed to improve their original properties will also be discussed.
The EU program includes lectures and seminars led by faculty members and researchers.
CT Protein Engineering
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
CC Protein Engineering
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Applied Statistics in Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Bioinformatics and Antibody Bioinformatics
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Bioinformatics focuses on the creation and use of computational and mathematical approaches applied to the life sciences. The main applications involve the automated processing of biological data and issues related to modeling, analysis, and data integration in the field of biology. This course aims to provide a solid foundation in sequence analysis using bioinformatics tools, as well as in immunoinformatics. Theoretical aspects will be covered and reinforced through practical exercises and project work. This course may or may not be taught in English, depending on the students’ proficiency level. The course consists of lectures and lab sessions led by faculty members.
Immunotechnology (PHARMACY Course Unit)
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
English_MSDS
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Bioprocess Engineering - Metabolism and Bioproduction
ECTS
3 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
In the field of bioprocess engineering, an understanding of the metabolism of catalysts (cells, microorganisms) is essential. This research unit will focus on characterizing the diversity of valuable microbial metabolites (primary and secondary metabolites) and the bioprocesses that utilize these microorganisms to produce these molecules.
This course unit includes interactive lectures, tutorials, and practical exercises (lab work in the computer lab + independent project-based work in small groups).
Bioprocess Engineering - Batch
ECTS
2 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
In the field of biotechnology, bioprocesses involve the industrial application of biological tools (such as enzymes, microorganisms, or cells derived from higher organisms) for the synthesis of products of interest. In this course unit (UE), the focus will be on the use of microbial and cellular catalysts. Products of interest may include, for example, fermented foods (wine, beer, etc.), energy molecules (bioethanol, methane, etc.), chemical intermediates, or biopharmaceuticals (vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, growth factors, etc.). The knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired during this course unit will be applicable to any sector of the biotechnology industry. The examples provided will correspond to the career paths targeted by both degree programs (the Agrosciences and Health tracks).
This course will focus on bioprocesses and the environment in which the biological reaction takes place (the bioreactor). The course will also address the description and modeling of biological reactions, including a presentation of the approach used in bioprocess engineering. The remainder of the course will be devoted to applying this approach to reactors operated in batch mode (or discontinuous culture). Other operating modes will be covered in the M2 HAV930V course, “Bioprocess Engineering—Continuous and Fed-Batch.”
This course unit includes interactive lectures, tutorials, and practical exercises (lab sessions in the computer lab + independent project-based work in small groups).
Long-term internship
ECTS
20 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Internship Supervisor Evaluation
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Bioproduction and Utilization of Microbial Biodiversity
ECTS
3 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
A course module focused on the professional world, featuring general introductions to predefined topics centered on the biotechnological applications of microorganisms (antimicrobials, microbiota, probiotics, applied virology, etc.), followed by presentations from industry professionals who share their career paths, their companies, and/or the development of a project. This course unit covers both red biotechnology (health applications) and other types of biotechnology (green/agronomy, blue/marine, white/industrial, and yellow/environmental).
Recombinant Protein Production Engineering
ECTS
3 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Within the field of biotechnology, the production of recombinant proteins in various prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems represents a mature and attractive technological field with strong employment prospects. It is also a very important area of research in which many challenges remain to be addressed. The bioproduction of biopharmaceuticals (recombinant proteins as well as monoclonal antibodies) is a major issue not only in human therapeutics but also in numerous fields of biotechnology (environmental, industrial, agricultural, marine, etc.). Before designing any biological drug that involves a bioproduction step, it is essential to understand the various eukaryotic and prokaryotic expression systems used in biotechnology, as well as to have a comprehensive overview of the landscape and challenges of bioproduction in France, Europe, and around the world.
This course unit consists of interactive lectures. It is taught by various faculty members and industry professionals working in the field.
Multidisciplinary Lab Project 1 (Pharmacy Course)
ECTS
3 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Bioethics and Regulation (Pharmacy Program)
ECTS
3 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Bioprocess Engineering II: Specifics of Applications
ECTS
2 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
This course unit presents the specific characteristics of healthcare applications in the field of bioprocessing. It includes case studies on the production of biopharmaceuticals and advanced therapy medicinal products (e.g., the production of clinical-grade cell therapy products). The entire production chain is covered, with a particular focus on downstream processes (Downstream Processing, DSP), which are especially important for healthcare products (separation, extraction, purification, and even formulation). Indeed, DSP accounts for a significant portion of production costs, and there are numerous expectations and challenges associated with these technologies, particularly with the development of single-use technologies. Upstream Processing (USP) is covered in depth in the complementary course units of the Bioproduction specialization (HAV930V and HAV911V).
This course unit includes lectures and presentations, with numerous guest speakers from the industry who will share their expertise and insights with the students. Beyond the technological aspects, these presentations will also provide an opportunity to discuss Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), quality control, and the management of economic and environmental constraints.
Promoting Research and Innovation
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Translating research into industrial applications will require strategies and stakeholders operating at the intersection of the scientific and socioeconomic worlds. Identifying and protecting the innovative nature of a discovery will be followed by the search for funding and partners to turn that idea into an economic reality.
This course unit will focus on providing students with all the tools they need to showcase their work with a view to discovering new therapeutic tools. This course unit includes lectures delivered by law faculty members and professionals in the field, as well as a supervised project that students will work on throughout the course unit. Work will also be conducted in the Learning Lab, including identifying innovative research, drafting a patent application, developing a commercialization strategy, starting a business, and creating a business plan.
This course will feature faculty members, industry representatives, and professionals in the fields of patents and technology transfer.
Continuous and Fed-Batch Bioprocess Engineering
ECTS
3 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Within the field of biotechnology, bioprocesses involve the industrial application of biological tools (such as enzymes, microorganisms, or eukaryotic cells) for the synthesis of products of interest. This course unit will focus on the central stage of the bioprocess: the biological reaction in a reactor. It will specifically address the use of microbial and cellular catalysts. Products of interest may include, for example, fermented foods (wine, beer, etc.), energy molecules (bioethanol, methane, etc.), chemical intermediates, or biopharmaceuticals (vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, growth factors, etc.). The knowledge and skills acquired during this course unit will be transferable to any sector of activity. Examples will be provided in fields corresponding to the main career paths of the two relevant degree programs (Agrosciences and Health). This course unit is a direct continuation of the M1 course unit HAV811V “Bioprocess Engineering—Batch.” It focuses on the Upstream Processing (USP) aspects of bioprocesses.
The first few classes will provide an overview of bioprocesses and the approach used in bioprocess engineering, as well as a brief review of batch mode (a prerequisite for the M1 program). The bulk of the course will then be devoted to applying the bioprocess engineering approach to reactors operated in continuous and fed-batch modes (or semi-continuous/discontinuous culture).
Cross-disciplinary modules will also be offered:
-Transfer processes (mixing, heat transfer, gas transfer) with a strong focus on gas transfer and how to meet a culture’s oxygen requirements (kLa, OUR, OTR).-Design of culture media
-Basic balances (carbon balance and redox balance)
-Development of an indicator for monitoring biological response: the Respiratory Quotient (RQ)
This course unit includes interactive lectures and tutorials.
An intensive (1-month) practical application component, carried out in the form of a project, is planned for students in the M2 Biology-Health / IBIS program with a specialization in bioproduction as part of the course units “Multidisciplinary Lab Project: From Gene to Protein.” For these students, a strong connection is also planned with the specialization course units (HAV910V, HAV911V, and HAA910V). Please refer to the course descriptions for these units for more information.
Project Management and Risk Management
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Multidisciplinary Lab Project 2
ECTS
6 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The multidisciplinary lab project, also known as the “Gene to Protein project,” will be a “learning by doing” project. The students will be responsible for the bioproduction of a protein using E. coli as a host. If they complete both parts of the project (Parts 1 and 2, as students in the Biohealth master’s program do), they will begin with strain construction and proceed to pilot-scale production and purification of the protein. Bioprocess engineering is a highly interdisciplinary field of study. The students—and future professionals in the field—will benefit from project-based learning with a significant practical component, where they can actively experience the interconnection between biology, engineering, and the physical sciences.
Part 2 of the project will focus on the “production process design and pilot-scale production” of the recombinant protein using a high-cell-density fed-batch culture. It will be a multidisciplinary, hands-on training program in bioprocess engineering and will be organized over three distinct periods:
-Week 1: In the Learning Lab, students will participate in workshops to design and plan a production process based on the available equipment and data (scientific papers, reports, websites, and previous results from the “Multidisciplinary Lab Project 1” course unit). Based on the bottlenecks identified in the production of recombinant proteins in E. coli, students will select the culture process to be used, define the production objectives, simulate the culture (planning objective), design a sampling plan, and formulate the culture medium...
-Week 2: In practical training labs using pilot-scale equipment (a 20-liter bioreactor), students will set up the bioreactor and prepare everything needed to conduct the pilot-scale culture. They will be responsible for monitoring the culture and processing real-time data in order to detect and correct deviations from the expected progress of the culture.
-Week 3: In the learning labs, students will process and analyze the data. They will be responsible for interpreting and discussing the results and for writing a professional report.
Long-term internship_FDS
ECTS
30 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Bioproduction and Utilization of Microbial Biodiversity
ECTS
3 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
A course module focused on the professional world, featuring general introductions to predefined topics centered on the biotechnological applications of microorganisms (antimicrobials, microbiota, probiotics, applied virology, etc.), followed by presentations from industry professionals who share their career paths, their companies, and/or the development of a project. This course unit covers both red biotechnology (health applications) and other types of biotechnology (green/agronomy, blue/marine, white/industrial, and yellow/environmental).
Recombinant Protein Production Engineering
ECTS
3 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Within the field of biotechnology, the production of recombinant proteins in various prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems represents a mature and attractive technological field with strong employment prospects. It is also a very important area of research in which many challenges remain to be addressed. The bioproduction of biopharmaceuticals (recombinant proteins as well as monoclonal antibodies) is a major issue not only in human therapeutics but also in numerous fields of biotechnology (environmental, industrial, agricultural, marine, etc.). Before designing any biological drug that involves a bioproduction step, it is essential to understand the various eukaryotic and prokaryotic expression systems used in biotechnology, as well as to have a comprehensive overview of the landscape and challenges of bioproduction in France, Europe, and around the world.
This course unit consists of interactive lectures. It is taught by various faculty members and industry professionals working in the field.
Multidisciplinary Lab Project 1 (Pharmacy Course)
ECTS
3 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Bioethics and Regulation (Pharmacy Program)
ECTS
3 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Bioprocess Engineering II: Specifics of Applications
ECTS
2 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
This course unit presents the specific characteristics of healthcare applications in the field of bioprocessing. It includes case studies on the production of biopharmaceuticals and advanced therapy medicinal products (e.g., the production of clinical-grade cell therapy products). The entire production chain is covered, with a particular focus on downstream processes (Downstream Processing, DSP), which are especially important for healthcare products (separation, extraction, purification, and even formulation). Indeed, DSP accounts for a significant portion of production costs, and there are numerous expectations and challenges associated with these technologies, particularly with the development of single-use technologies. Upstream Processing (USP) is covered in depth in the complementary course units of the Bioproduction specialization (HAV930V and HAV911V).
This course unit includes lectures and presentations, with numerous guest speakers from the industry who will share their expertise and insights with the students. Beyond the technological aspects, these presentations will also provide an opportunity to discuss Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), quality control, and the management of economic and environmental constraints.
Promoting Research and Innovation
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Translating research into industrial applications will require strategies and stakeholders operating at the intersection of the scientific and socioeconomic worlds. Identifying and protecting the innovative nature of a discovery will be followed by the search for funding and partners to turn that idea into an economic reality.
This course unit will focus on providing students with all the tools they need to showcase their work with a view to discovering new therapeutic tools. This course unit includes lectures delivered by law faculty members and professionals in the field, as well as a supervised project that students will work on throughout the course unit. Work will also be conducted in the Learning Lab, including identifying innovative research, drafting a patent application, developing a commercialization strategy, starting a business, and creating a business plan.
This course will feature faculty members, industry representatives, and professionals in the fields of patents and technology transfer.
Continuous and Fed-Batch Bioprocess Engineering
ECTS
3 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Within the field of biotechnology, bioprocesses involve the industrial application of biological tools (such as enzymes, microorganisms, or eukaryotic cells) for the synthesis of products of interest. This course unit will focus on the central stage of the bioprocess: the biological reaction in a reactor. It will specifically address the use of microbial and cellular catalysts. Products of interest may include, for example, fermented foods (wine, beer, etc.), energy molecules (bioethanol, methane, etc.), chemical intermediates, or biopharmaceuticals (vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, growth factors, etc.). The knowledge and skills acquired during this course unit will be transferable to any sector of activity. Examples will be provided in fields corresponding to the main career paths of the two relevant degree programs (Agrosciences and Health). This course unit is a direct continuation of the M1 course unit HAV811V “Bioprocess Engineering—Batch.” It focuses on the Upstream Processing (USP) aspects of bioprocesses.
The first few classes will provide an overview of bioprocesses and the approach used in bioprocess engineering, as well as a brief review of batch mode (a prerequisite for the M1 program). The bulk of the course will then be devoted to applying the bioprocess engineering approach to reactors operated in continuous and fed-batch modes (or semi-continuous/discontinuous culture).
Cross-disciplinary modules will also be offered:
-Transfer processes (mixing, heat transfer, gas transfer) with a strong focus on gas transfer and how to meet a culture’s oxygen requirements (kLa, OUR, OTR).-Design of culture media
-Basic balances (carbon balance and redox balance)
-Development of an indicator for monitoring biological response: the Respiratory Quotient (RQ)
This course unit includes interactive lectures and tutorials.
An intensive (1-month) practical application component, carried out in the form of a project, is planned for students in the M2 Biology-Health / IBIS program with a specialization in bioproduction as part of the course units “Multidisciplinary Lab Project: From Gene to Protein.” For these students, a strong connection is also planned with the specialization course units (HAV910V, HAV911V, and HAA910V). Please refer to the course descriptions for these units for more information.
Project Management and Risk Management
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Multidisciplinary Lab Project 2
ECTS
6 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The multidisciplinary lab project, also known as the “Gene to Protein project,” will be a “learning by doing” project. The students will be responsible for the bioproduction of a protein using E. coli as a host. If they complete both parts of the project (Parts 1 and 2, as students in the Biohealth master’s program do), they will begin with strain construction and proceed to pilot-scale production and purification of the protein. Bioprocess engineering is a highly interdisciplinary field of study. The students—and future professionals in the field—will benefit from project-based learning with a significant practical component, where they can actively experience the interconnection between biology, engineering, and the physical sciences.
Part 2 of the project will focus on the “production process design and pilot-scale production” of the recombinant protein using a high-cell-density fed-batch culture. It will be a multidisciplinary, hands-on training program in bioprocess engineering and will be organized over three distinct periods:
-Week 1: In the Learning Lab, students will participate in workshops to design and plan a production process based on the available equipment and data (scientific papers, reports, websites, and previous results from the “Multidisciplinary Lab Project 1” course unit). Based on the bottlenecks identified in the production of recombinant proteins in E. coli, students will select the culture process to be used, define the production objectives, simulate the culture (planning objective), design a sampling plan, and formulate the culture medium...
-Week 2: In practical training labs using pilot-scale equipment (a 20-liter bioreactor), students will set up the bioreactor and prepare everything needed to conduct the pilot-scale culture. They will be responsible for monitoring the culture and processing real-time data in order to detect and correct deviations from the expected progress of the culture.
-Week 3: In the learning labs, students will process and analyze the data. They will be responsible for interpreting and discussing the results and for writing a professional report.
Long-term internship_FDS
ECTS
30 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
CHOICE 1
ECTS
15 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Applied Statistics in Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Structural Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Cellular Communications and Signaling
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
The EU will first address the main communication pathways between normal cells and intracellular signal transduction pathways encountered in physiological and neurophysiological mechanisms. Thus, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) will be studied, specifically their structure, function, and modulation by interacting proteins involved, in particular, in the phenomenon of desensitization. The main intracellular pathways activated by membrane-bound GPCRs will be discussed (MAP kinase pathways, PI3 kinase, etc.).
Next, a significant portion of the course will focus on calcium signaling and Ca²⁺ homeostasis, as Ca²⁺ is a ubiquitous signal in cellular signaling. Calcium homeostasis will be studied in particular in the context of the lymphocyte response following antigenic stimulation. Furthermore, the production of oxygen free radicals—which cause oxidative stress—is dependent on intracellular Ca²⁺. The physiological role of free radicals will be discussed, as well as their involvement in oxidative stress. In this context, the protective mechanisms against oxidative stress will also be examined.The following chapter will address the endocannabinoid system, which serves to summarize all the topics previously covered in the course. The endocannabinoid system is responsible for numerous central and peripheral regulatory processes.
Finally, two other topics will be covered: the blood-brain barrier, which provides a framework for discussing cellular communication in a highly integrated manner between two environments, and the pancreatic β-cell, whose activity is crucial for regulating blood glucose levels through insulin secretion.
Cell Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The program offers a refresher course and an in-depth study of the major concepts and methodologies of cell biology, organized around various themes:
1. Cytoskeleton: Introduction to the different types of cytoskeletons. Polymerization properties of actin and tubulin. Proteins associated with the cytoskeleton that regulate polymerization. Molecular motors. Principles of cell migration.
2. Cell Adhesion & Signaling: Cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesive structures, their molecular organization and dynamics. Functions and regulation during development and pathogenesis. Regulation by signaling pathways. Mechanotransduction.
3. Cellular trafficking and targeting: Ubiquitination and the proteasome. Targeting to subcellular compartments; endocytosis and secretion pathways. The molecular basis of vesicular transport: budding, fusion, and molecular motors. Signaling in membrane trafficking; genetic diseases associated with trafficking; and hijacking by pathogens.
4. Cell Cycle: Historical Overview. Molecular Regulation of the Cell Cycle. The mitotic spindle, microtubule dynamics and molecular motors, mechanisms of chromosome attachment, checkpoints, regulation of mitotic exit, and cytokinesis. Mitotic abnormalities associated with cancer cells.
5. Stem Cells: Cell Differentiation, Totipotency, Pluripotency, and Multipotency; Embryonic, Adult, and Cancer Stem Cells.
6. Programmed cell death: Apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis. Stages and mechanisms of apoptosis; signaling pathways involved. Role in maintaining homeostasis. Pathophysiological consequences of dysregulation of programmed cell death.
Various research models are presented to highlight the importance of biological diversity in the discovery of cellular and molecular mechanisms, as well as in the understanding of human diseases.
The program offers a review of key concepts and an in-depth study of the major concepts and methodologies of cell biology, organized around different themes:
1. Cytoskeleton: Introduction to the different types of cytoskeleton. Polymerization properties of actin and tubulin. Proteins associated with the cytoskeleton and involved in regulating polymerization. Molecular motors. Principles of cell migration.
2. Cellular Adhesion & Signaling: Cell-cell and extracellular cell-matrix adhesive structures, their molecular and dynamic organization. Functions and regulation during development and pathogenesis. Regulation by signaling pathways. Mechanotransduction.
3. Addressing and cell traffic: Ubiquitination and the proteasome. Transport to subcellular compartments, endocytosis, and secretion pathways. The molecular basis of vesicular transport, budding, fusion, and molecular motors. Signaling in membrane trafficking, genetic diseases linked to trafficking, and disruption by pathogens.
4. Cell cycle: Historical introduction. Molecular regulation of the cell cycle. The mitotic spindle, microtubule and molecular motor dynamics, chromosome attachment mechanisms, checkpoints, regulation of mitotic output and cytokinesis. Mitotic disorders associated with cancer cells.
5. Stem cells: cell differentiation, totipotency, pluripotency, and multipotency; embryonic, adult, and cancer stem cells.
6. Programmed cell death: Apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis. Stages and mechanisms of apoptosis; signaling pathways involved. Role in maintaining homeostasis. Pathophysiological consequences of dysregulation of programmed cell death.
Various study models are presented to highlight the importance of biological diversity in the discovery of cellular and molecular mechanisms, as well as in the understanding of human diseases.
Developmental Genetics
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
-A General Introduction to Developmental Biology
How do cells build a multicellular animal organism from a single genome? The genotype-phenotype relationship.
-Genetic Testing Reminders
Nature of mutations (loss-of-function; gain-of-function), the concept of a “master gene,” clonal analysis (generation of somatic or germline clones), the concept of cellular autonomy....
-Genetic models and methods.
Study of regulatory regions, establishment of transgenic lines, enhancer traps, reporter genes (GFP, mCherry, etc.), model organisms (Drosophila, C. elegans, mice, etc.).Use of FLP/FRT, CRE-LOX, UAS-GAL4-GAL80, AttpP/B-PhiC31, CRISPR, and other systems
-Positional information, genes with maternal effects, and the establishment of asymmetry.
Models and Mechanisms of Positional Information = induction, Spemann and Mangold’s experiment, organizing centers, the concept of morphogens in invertebrates and vertebrates
-Defining the axes: anteroposterior, dorsoventral.
Genetic screens: genes with maternal effects and genes with zygotic effects. Cell-to-cell communication and signaling pathways: in the establishment of the dorso-ventral axis, in limb formation, and in the determination of cell fate (some examples: Nervous system: lateral inhibition process ...).
-Segmentation: gap genes, “pair rule” genes, and segmental polarity genes.
Segmentation in invertebrates and somite formation in vertebrates: dynamic aspects (establishment and maintenance).
-Signaling and transcriptional networks
Transcriptional regulation during development, regulatory sequences throughout evolution, and the concept of gene networks. The interplay between transcription and signaling pathways in cell fate
-Transcriptional program memory via epigenetic mechanisms:
Hox homeotic genes and segmental identity. Concepts in Evo-Devo. The Polycomb and Trithorax complexes.
The Role of Epigenetic Mechanisms in Cell Differentiation
English_MSDS
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Internship_FDS
ECTS
15 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
A two- to four-month internship at an organization (research laboratory, company, etc.) in France or abroad
CHOICE 3
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Long-term internship or internship abroad
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
An internship lasting more than 4 months at an organization (research laboratory, company, etc.) in France or abroad
Cell Culture
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Cell culture is a fundamental technique in laboratories and is constantly evolving. It is important to understand its basics, which are often poorly understood, even though it is an essential methodology not only in research but also in industry.
Practical Analysis of Genomic Data in R
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Medical Genetics and Genetic Counseling
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Spring
TER_FDS
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The EU TER course aims to prepare students to organize and conduct an in-depth literature review that will enable them to approach their internship with an understanding of the state of the art in the field, in particular to produce a relevant and well-thought-out introduction to their experimental work.
Cell Fate & Plasticity
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
TER_FDS_S3
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
CHOICE 1
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Genetic Information - Epigenetics - Mechanistic Foundations
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Signaling: Methods and Concepts
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Integrative Pathophysiology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Developmental Biology, Stem Cells, and Biotherapy
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Workshop on Epigenetics
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Fictional Research Project_FDS
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Internship_FDS
ECTS
20 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
An internship lasting at least 4 months at an organization (research laboratory, company, etc.) in France or abroad.
Structural Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Boot Camp
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The Bootcamp is an intensive course held at the beginning of the first semester, before the start of the major-specific courses. Its purpose is to refresh and/or bring students up to speed on the fundamentals of mathematics, physics, computer science, and biology.
The course will be tailored to the students enrolled, with the goal of ensuring a more consistent start to the program. Students will be immersed in various role-playing activities in small groups. They will need to solve puzzles using their knowledge of biology, physics/mathematics, chemistry, and programming—much like in an escape game that spans several days.
CHOICE 1
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Applied Statistics in Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Introduction to Quantitative Biology
Training Structure
College of Sciences
This course aims to provide a broad overview of emerging interdisciplinary quantitative fields in the biosciences, ranging from cutting-edge experimental techniques in microscopy and synthetic biology to systems-based approaches.
In an innovative way, these methodological aspects will be presented in the context of biological and biophysical concepts such as the robustness and optimality of biological systems, gene regulation, and the fundamental principles underlying the organization of membranes and the genome.
The main topics will first be introduced through traditional lectures and then explored through individual or team projects, in which students will learn to apply specific techniques using examples and see how these techniques can be used to investigate specific biological questions. These projects will involve literature reviews, the use of existing code, or the development of new code (depending on the student’s experience) and will account for half of the final grade.
Synthetic Biology - Lab Sessions
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
In this (practical) course unit, we will first introduce the general concepts of synthetic biology, which will then be applied to student team projects (which will be graded). We will provide the basic knowledge needed to understand all of the fundamental concepts, approaches, and current tools of synthetic biology that will be used throughout the course and during the lab sessions, ranging from gene design and synthesis to the construction of gene libraries, from fluorescence measurements (e.g., plate readers) to flow cytometers.
Imaging Biologicals Systems - Practical Applications
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Students will master the fundamental principles and advanced techniques of microscopy, enabling them to push the boundaries of knowledge in biology. The curriculum is progressive and modular, built entirely around hands-on projects: building a simple microscope and using state-of-the-art microscopes to study complex biological processes in bacteria and eukaryotes. Students will be immersed in a stimulating scientific environment. The program will require significant personal investment through experimental projects, analysis of scientific articles, and case studies. Communication skills will also be developed through oral presentations and written reports.
Internship_FDS
ECTS
15 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
A two- to four-month internship at an organization (research laboratory, company, etc.) in France or abroad
TER_FDS
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The EU TER course aims to prepare students to organize and conduct an in-depth literature review that will enable them to approach their internship with an understanding of the state of the art in the field, in particular to produce a relevant and well-thought-out introduction to their experimental work.
Practical Modeling and Simulation of Biological Systems
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Applied Structural Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
This practical course unit is based on mini-projects that apply techniques for the structural analysis of biomolecules (X-ray crystallography, NMR, cryo-EM, mass spectrometry). In addition, students will learn the biophysical and biochemical techniques used to characterize the molecules under analysis and their interactions.
For each approach, students will learn the basic principles, sample preparation requirements, data acquisition, and data analysis.
Workshop
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The Workshop is a series of lectures given by guest speakers.
The topic will change every year, with at least one leading expert in a given field serving as a speaker. The topic will be decided one year in advance. We will encourage the speaker and participants to prepare notes based on the lectures, which will contribute to the course evaluation.
Students in the qbio track have funding to organize a conference alongside the main conference (brainstorming the topic with mentors, finding and inviting speakers, managing funding and advertising).
CHOICE 1
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Genetic Information - Epigenetics - Mechanistic Foundations
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Signaling: Methods and Concepts
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Integrative Pathophysiology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Lab_2
ECTS
15 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Lab2 is a short-term internship in a research laboratory (2 months).
Students are encouraged to work with different teams on interdisciplinary topics. Lab 2 is normally held in a laboratory in Montpellier so that students can attend other course units during Semester 3, but exceptions may be made depending on the schedule.
Lab_3
ECTS
25 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Lab3 is the capstone internship for the Master’s program (≥ 5 months). Students must work on a research project in a French or international laboratory, other than the team with which they completed their Lab2.
Scientific Writing
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
This course is a workshop designed to guide students throughout Semester 3 as they learn how to write a scientific report. The workshop will take place throughout the semester, concurrently with their internship.
Students will learn how to approach, understand, and critically evaluate a scientific article.
Cell Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The program offers a refresher course and an in-depth study of the major concepts and methodologies of cell biology, organized around various themes:
1. Cytoskeleton: Introduction to the different types of cytoskeletons. Polymerization properties of actin and tubulin. Proteins associated with the cytoskeleton that regulate polymerization. Molecular motors. Principles of cell migration.
2. Cell Adhesion & Signaling: Cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesive structures, their molecular organization and dynamics. Functions and regulation during development and pathogenesis. Regulation by signaling pathways. Mechanotransduction.
3. Cellular trafficking and targeting: Ubiquitination and the proteasome. Targeting to subcellular compartments; endocytosis and secretion pathways. The molecular basis of vesicular transport: budding, fusion, and molecular motors. Signaling in membrane trafficking; genetic diseases associated with trafficking; and hijacking by pathogens.
4. Cell Cycle: Historical Overview. Molecular Regulation of the Cell Cycle. The mitotic spindle, microtubule dynamics and molecular motors, mechanisms of chromosome attachment, checkpoints, regulation of mitotic exit, and cytokinesis. Mitotic abnormalities associated with cancer cells.
5. Stem Cells: Cell Differentiation, Totipotency, Pluripotency, and Multipotency; Embryonic, Adult, and Cancer Stem Cells.
6. Programmed cell death: Apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis. Stages and mechanisms of apoptosis; signaling pathways involved. Role in maintaining homeostasis. Pathophysiological consequences of dysregulation of programmed cell death.
Various research models are presented to highlight the importance of biological diversity in the discovery of cellular and molecular mechanisms, as well as in the understanding of human diseases.
The program offers a review of key concepts and an in-depth study of the major concepts and methodologies of cell biology, organized around different themes:
1. Cytoskeleton: Introduction to the different types of cytoskeleton. Polymerization properties of actin and tubulin. Proteins associated with the cytoskeleton and involved in regulating polymerization. Molecular motors. Principles of cell migration.
2. Cellular Adhesion & Signaling: Cell-cell and extracellular cell-matrix adhesive structures, their molecular and dynamic organization. Functions and regulation during development and pathogenesis. Regulation by signaling pathways. Mechanotransduction.
3. Addressing and cell traffic: Ubiquitination and the proteasome. Transport to subcellular compartments, endocytosis, and secretion pathways. The molecular basis of vesicular transport, budding, fusion, and molecular motors. Signaling in membrane trafficking, genetic diseases linked to trafficking, and disruption by pathogens.
4. Cell cycle: Historical introduction. Molecular regulation of the cell cycle. The mitotic spindle, microtubule and molecular motor dynamics, chromosome attachment mechanisms, checkpoints, regulation of mitotic output and cytokinesis. Mitotic disorders associated with cancer cells.
5. Stem cells: cell differentiation, totipotency, pluripotency, and multipotency; embryonic, adult, and cancer stem cells.
6. Programmed cell death: Apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis. Stages and mechanisms of apoptosis; signaling pathways involved. Role in maintaining homeostasis. Pathophysiological consequences of dysregulation of programmed cell death.
Various study models are presented to highlight the importance of biological diversity in the discovery of cellular and molecular mechanisms, as well as in the understanding of human diseases.
Cellular Pathophysiology and Cancer
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The “Cellular Pathophysiology and Cancer” course unit aims to provide students with the knowledge necessary to pursue the “Cancer Biology” track in the M2 program. The course unit is organized as a lecture, consisting of an introductory section followed by a section on current research in the laboratories. Students are required to give an oral presentation on a scientific article (usually in pairs).
The goal of the cellular pathophysiology and cancer course is to provide the scientific background necessary to succeed in the M2 program in cancer biology. Each lecture is structured as a seminar, beginning with a general introduction to the field and followed by a more specialized focus on research conducted in laboratories. Students are required to prepare an oral presentation based on the analysis of a scientific article (usually in pairs).
CHOICE 1
ECTS
20 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Structural Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Developmental Genetics
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
-A General Introduction to Developmental Biology
How do cells build a multicellular animal organism from a single genome? The genotype-phenotype relationship.
-Genetic Testing Reminders
Nature of mutations (loss-of-function; gain-of-function), the concept of a “master gene,” clonal analysis (generation of somatic or germline clones), the concept of cellular autonomy....
-Genetic models and methods.
Study of regulatory regions, establishment of transgenic lines, enhancer traps, reporter genes (GFP, mCherry, etc.), model organisms (Drosophila, C. elegans, mice, etc.).Use of FLP/FRT, CRE-LOX, UAS-GAL4-GAL80, AttpP/B-PhiC31, CRISPR, and other systems
-Positional information, genes with maternal effects, and the establishment of asymmetry.
Models and Mechanisms of Positional Information = induction, Spemann and Mangold’s experiment, organizing centers, the concept of morphogens in invertebrates and vertebrates
-Defining the axes: anteroposterior, dorsoventral.
Genetic screens: genes with maternal effects and genes with zygotic effects. Cell-to-cell communication and signaling pathways: in the establishment of the dorso-ventral axis, in limb formation, and in the determination of cell fate (some examples: Nervous system: lateral inhibition process ...).
-Segmentation: gap genes, “pair rule” genes, and segmental polarity genes.
Segmentation in invertebrates and somite formation in vertebrates: dynamic aspects (establishment and maintenance).
-Signaling and transcriptional networks
Transcriptional regulation during development, regulatory sequences throughout evolution, and the concept of gene networks. The interplay between transcription and signaling pathways in cell fate
-Transcriptional program memory via epigenetic mechanisms:
Hox homeotic genes and segmental identity. Concepts in Evo-Devo. The Polycomb and Trithorax complexes.
The Role of Epigenetic Mechanisms in Cell Differentiation
Physiology and Integrated Homeostasis
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
Three main topics are covered:
-A study of weight and thermal homeostasis in relation to a model of dysfunction: obesity. This will involve an examination of energy balance—including food intake and energy expenditure, which consists of basal metabolism, physical activity, and adaptive thermogenesis (AT)—and their respective regulatory mechanisms.
-Study of biological rhythms, including a description of the nature and properties of biological rhythms (ultradian, circadian, and infradian), a description of endogenous circadian oscillators, and a detailed presentation of the molecular mechanisms of circadian clocks.
-Study of the various stages and physiological principles of respiration. The theoretical lectures will be supplemented by tutorial sessions (TD). The tutorial sessions are based on the study of documents and the analysis of scientific articles in English. The selection of scientific materials is intended to illustrate the interplay among the various topics covered and, thereby, the concept of integrative physiology.
Functional Exploration and Translational Research
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
Neuromuscular Physiology:
Skeletal striated muscle: The neuromuscular junction; Muscle contraction/relaxation; Myotypology; Plasticity; Muscle metabolism.
Neuromuscular Diseases: Causes; symptoms; clinical diagnosis (clinical examinations; laboratory tests): EMG, blood tests, functional tests, etc.; Muscular dystrophies: Duchenne muscular dystrophy; Becker muscular dystrophy; facioscapiohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Facioscapiohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD): zebrafish model; mouse model; cellular models; clinical trials.
Respiratory Physiology:
Respiratory Physiology: Anatomy of the respiratory system; the mechanism of respiration; gas exchange; transport of respiratory gases in the blood; regulation of respiration
Respiratory Assessment in Small Animals: Why Assess Respiratory Function in Small Animals? Plethysmography; in vitro contractile force.
Functional Respiratory Tests: performance and interpretation of respiratory tests in human medicine; spirometry: Level 1 and Level 2; pulmonary diffusion capacity; arterial blood gases; specific tests of the respiratory muscles; 6-minute walk test; exercise testing; tests involving exposure to high altitude.
Cardiovascular Physiology:
Review of cardiac anatomy: size, location, and orientation; the heart’s envelope; the layers of the heart wall; the heart’s chambers and major vessels; the flow of blood through the heart; cardiac valves; blood supply to the heart: coronary circulation; properties of cardiac muscle tissue.
Review of cardiac physiology: regulation of the baseline heart rate; the cardiac conduction system; changes in the baseline heart rate: extrinsic innervation of the heart; electrocardiography; mechanical phenomena: cardiac cycle; cardiac output; regulation of stroke volume; regulation of heart rate.
Review of vascular physiology: anatomy of the circulatory system; lymphatic system; structure of the vascular wall; blood pressure; vascular smooth muscle and vasomotor function; endothelial function.
Vascular function and dysfunction; functional assessment: measurement of arterial distensibility; measurement of arterial wave velocity; pharmacological assessment of endothelium-dependent vasomotility; ultrasonographic assessment; echo-tracking; ultrasound and Doppler ultrasound.
How can vascular function be assessed experimentally? Isolated arterial ring model; Cardiac Doppler ultrasound: a powerful tool in clinical and experimental research; Ultrasound: anatomical and functional analysis; Doppler: flow analysis; Application to animal models.
Translational research: example—myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (myocardial infarction); Animal models; perfused isolated heart (Langendorf); Isolated cardiomyocytes; Cardioprotection techniques.
Endocrinology: Weight Balance
Description of eating behavior; Energy balance; Central regulatory structures of food intake; Regulatory mechanisms of food intake; Factors modulating appetite and food intake; Nutritional assessment; Eating disorders; Functional assessment: impedance measurement; DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry); MRI; Assessment of energy expenditure: calorimetry.
Molecular and Therapeutic Pharmacology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Molecular and Metabolic Bases of Hereditary Diseases
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Introduction to Quantitative Biology
Training Structure
College of Sciences
This course aims to provide a broad overview of emerging interdisciplinary quantitative fields in the biosciences, ranging from cutting-edge experimental techniques in microscopy and synthetic biology to systems-based approaches.
In an innovative way, these methodological aspects will be presented in the context of biological and biophysical concepts such as the robustness and optimality of biological systems, gene regulation, and the fundamental principles underlying the organization of membranes and the genome.
The main topics will first be introduced through traditional lectures and then explored through individual or team projects, in which students will learn to apply specific techniques using examples and see how these techniques can be used to investigate specific biological questions. These projects will involve literature reviews, the use of existing code, or the development of new code (depending on the student’s experience) and will account for half of the final grade.
Applied Statistics in Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Cellular Communications and Signaling
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
The EU will first address the main communication pathways between normal cells and intracellular signal transduction pathways encountered in physiological and neurophysiological mechanisms. Thus, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) will be studied, specifically their structure, function, and modulation by interacting proteins involved, in particular, in the phenomenon of desensitization. The main intracellular pathways activated by membrane-bound GPCRs will be discussed (MAP kinase pathways, PI3 kinase, etc.).
Next, a significant portion of the course will focus on calcium signaling and Ca²⁺ homeostasis, as Ca²⁺ is a ubiquitous signal in cellular signaling. Calcium homeostasis will be studied in particular in the context of the lymphocyte response following antigenic stimulation. Furthermore, the production of oxygen free radicals—which cause oxidative stress—is dependent on intracellular Ca²⁺. The physiological role of free radicals will be discussed, as well as their involvement in oxidative stress. In this context, the protective mechanisms against oxidative stress will also be examined.The following chapter will address the endocannabinoid system, which serves to summarize all the topics previously covered in the course. The endocannabinoid system is responsible for numerous central and peripheral regulatory processes.
Finally, two other topics will be covered: the blood-brain barrier, which provides a framework for discussing cellular communication in a highly integrated manner between two environments, and the pancreatic β-cell, whose activity is crucial for regulating blood glucose levels through insulin secretion.
English_MSDS
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Internship_FDS
ECTS
15 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
A two- to four-month internship at an organization (research laboratory, company, etc.) in France or abroad
TER_FDS
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The EU TER course aims to prepare students to organize and conduct an in-depth literature review that will enable them to approach their internship with an understanding of the state of the art in the field, in particular to produce a relevant and well-thought-out introduction to their experimental work.
CHOICE 3
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Long-term internship or internship abroad
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
An internship lasting more than 4 months at an organization (research laboratory, company, etc.) in France or abroad
Cell Culture
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Cell culture is a fundamental technique in laboratories and is constantly evolving. It is important to understand its basics, which are often poorly understood, even though it is an essential methodology not only in research but also in industry.
Immunopathology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Spring
The course is taught by faculty members from the departments of medicine, science, and pharmacy. It consists of 42 hours of lectures and supervised work divided into 7 themes (see Syllabus), including two series of article presentations: the first series focuses on articles selected by the instructors for each theme, and the second series features articles chosen by the students. At the end of each course unit, students organize a mini-symposium where the articles are presented. They write abstracts of these articles for the journal *Medecine-Sciences*.
Practical Analysis of Genomic Data in R
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Medical Genetics and Genetic Counseling
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Spring
Understanding the Company and Maximizing the Value of Patents
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Spring
Are you a third-year undergraduate or first-year graduate student in the Languedoc-Roussillon region? Would you like to work in small groups with students from other programs on a project-based approach, using an unused scientific patent? Would you like to be guided and challenged by professional startup coaches? Sign up for the PEPITE Patent Project to present a plan for an innovative startup based on the commercialization of a real patent provided by a local research team that will welcome you with open arms!
Why?
-Because you can start your own business no matter what field you're in
-To be selected by an incubator-type support organization
-To help you build a network in the fields of entrepreneurship and innovation
PEPITE Patent Project—what is it? A teaching unit consisting of key activities:
- a 3-day "tool training" seminar
-regular meetings with the coaches
-Deliverables to be submitted: summary report, market research, business plan
- a 10-minute final pitch to present your innovative company
CHOICE 1
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Genetic Information - Epigenetics - Mechanistic Foundations
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Signaling: Methods and Concepts
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Integrative Pathophysiology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Principles of Cancer Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
OPTION 2
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Cell Fate & Plasticity
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Genome Integrity and Cancer
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Immunopathology 2
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Cancer therapy
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
TER_FDS_S3
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Fictional Research Project_FDS
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Internship_FDS
ECTS
20 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
An internship lasting at least 4 months at an organization (research laboratory, company, etc.) in France or abroad.
Experimental Approaches in Infection Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
This course unit aims to reinforce and illustrate the knowledge acquired in the course unit “Molecular Bases of Infectious Diseases” through the analysis of scientific publications on topics in infectious diseases. Publications employing a variety of molecular and cellular approaches in bacteriology, parasitology, and virology—ranging from the most traditional to the most recent—are analyzed with the students.
CHOICE 1
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Cell Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The program offers a refresher course and an in-depth study of the major concepts and methodologies of cell biology, organized around various themes:
1. Cytoskeleton: Introduction to the different types of cytoskeletons. Polymerization properties of actin and tubulin. Proteins associated with the cytoskeleton that regulate polymerization. Molecular motors. Principles of cell migration.
2. Cell Adhesion & Signaling: Cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesive structures, their molecular organization and dynamics. Functions and regulation during development and pathogenesis. Regulation by signaling pathways. Mechanotransduction.
3. Cellular trafficking and targeting: Ubiquitination and the proteasome. Targeting to subcellular compartments; endocytosis and secretion pathways. The molecular basis of vesicular transport: budding, fusion, and molecular motors. Signaling in membrane trafficking; genetic diseases associated with trafficking; and hijacking by pathogens.
4. Cell Cycle: Historical Overview. Molecular Regulation of the Cell Cycle. The mitotic spindle, microtubule dynamics and molecular motors, mechanisms of chromosome attachment, checkpoints, regulation of mitotic exit, and cytokinesis. Mitotic abnormalities associated with cancer cells.
5. Stem Cells: Cell Differentiation, Totipotency, Pluripotency, and Multipotency; Embryonic, Adult, and Cancer Stem Cells.
6. Programmed cell death: Apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis. Stages and mechanisms of apoptosis; signaling pathways involved. Role in maintaining homeostasis. Pathophysiological consequences of dysregulation of programmed cell death.
Various research models are presented to highlight the importance of biological diversity in the discovery of cellular and molecular mechanisms, as well as in the understanding of human diseases.
The program offers a review of key concepts and an in-depth study of the major concepts and methodologies of cell biology, organized around different themes:
1. Cytoskeleton: Introduction to the different types of cytoskeleton. Polymerization properties of actin and tubulin. Proteins associated with the cytoskeleton and involved in regulating polymerization. Molecular motors. Principles of cell migration.
2. Cellular Adhesion & Signaling: Cell-cell and extracellular cell-matrix adhesive structures, their molecular and dynamic organization. Functions and regulation during development and pathogenesis. Regulation by signaling pathways. Mechanotransduction.
3. Addressing and cell traffic: Ubiquitination and the proteasome. Transport to subcellular compartments, endocytosis, and secretion pathways. The molecular basis of vesicular transport, budding, fusion, and molecular motors. Signaling in membrane trafficking, genetic diseases linked to trafficking, and disruption by pathogens.
4. Cell cycle: Historical introduction. Molecular regulation of the cell cycle. The mitotic spindle, microtubule and molecular motor dynamics, chromosome attachment mechanisms, checkpoints, regulation of mitotic output and cytokinesis. Mitotic disorders associated with cancer cells.
5. Stem cells: cell differentiation, totipotency, pluripotency, and multipotency; embryonic, adult, and cancer stem cells.
6. Programmed cell death: Apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis. Stages and mechanisms of apoptosis; signaling pathways involved. Role in maintaining homeostasis. Pathophysiological consequences of dysregulation of programmed cell death.
Various study models are presented to highlight the importance of biological diversity in the discovery of cellular and molecular mechanisms, as well as in the understanding of human diseases.
Structural Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Molecular Bases of Infectious Diseases
Training Structure
College of Sciences
This course unit consists primarily of lectures covering the molecular aspects of infectious diseases (bacteriology, virology, parasitology)
Bacteriology: The nature of infectious agents. Methods for studying pathogenesis (in vivo, in vitro, in silico, and post-genomic research technologies) Strategies of pathogenic bacteria for survival within hosts: Bacterial adhesion to eukaryotic cells, antigenic variation and phase variation, invasion of non-phagocytic eukaryotic cells, mechanisms of resistance to phagocytosis, mechanisms of bacterial survival within phagocytic cells, regulation of membrane permeability, bacterial secretion systems (types I, II, III, IV, V, and VI), iron acquisition mechanisms, bacterial exotoxins, bacterial biofilms, examples of environmental regulation (thermoregulation, quorum sensing, etc.).
Parasitology: Organization and cellular physiology of major pathogens within parasitic unicellular eukaryotes (invasion and modification of the host cell; metabolic characteristics and therapeutic targets); Genetics and Molecular Biology (genome organization, antigenic variation); Pathophysiology and evasion of the immune response
Virology: Molecular mechanisms of the viral life cycle; Expression of viral genomes; Viral transformation; Viral replication strategies; Plasticity of viral genomes; Structural significance of viruses in host-virus interactions;
Applied Statistics in Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Stage 1: Infection.
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Immunopathology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Spring
The course is taught by faculty members from the departments of medicine, science, and pharmacy. It consists of 42 hours of lectures and supervised work divided into 7 themes (see Syllabus), including two series of article presentations: the first series focuses on articles selected by the instructors for each theme, and the second series features articles chosen by the students. At the end of each course unit, students organize a mini-symposium where the articles are presented. They write abstracts of these articles for the journal *Medecine-Sciences*.
TER_FDS
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The EU TER course aims to prepare students to organize and conduct an in-depth literature review that will enable them to approach their internship with an understanding of the state of the art in the field, in particular to produce a relevant and well-thought-out introduction to their experimental work.
Stage 2: Infection.
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Immune responses to pathogens
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Molecular and Cellular Bacteriology
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Molecular and Cellular Virology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
CHOICE 1
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Genetic Information - Epigenetics - Mechanistic Foundations
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Signaling: Methods and Concepts
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Integrative Pathophysiology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Molecular and Cellular Parasitology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Fictional Research Project + TER (Infectio)
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Internship_FDS
ECTS
20 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
An internship lasting at least 4 months at an organization (research laboratory, company, etc.) in France or abroad.
OPTION 2
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Boot Camp
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The Bootcamp is an intensive course held at the beginning of the first semester, before the start of the major-specific courses. Its purpose is to refresh and/or bring students up to speed on the fundamentals of mathematics, physics, computer science, and biology.
The course will be tailored to the students enrolled, with the goal of ensuring a more consistent start to the program. Students will be immersed in various role-playing activities in small groups. They will need to solve puzzles using their knowledge of biology, physics/mathematics, chemistry, and programming—much like in an escape game that spans several days.
Introduction to Quantitative Biology
Training Structure
College of Sciences
This course aims to provide a broad overview of emerging interdisciplinary quantitative fields in the biosciences, ranging from cutting-edge experimental techniques in microscopy and synthetic biology to systems-based approaches.
In an innovative way, these methodological aspects will be presented in the context of biological and biophysical concepts such as the robustness and optimality of biological systems, gene regulation, and the fundamental principles underlying the organization of membranes and the genome.
The main topics will first be introduced through traditional lectures and then explored through individual or team projects, in which students will learn to apply specific techniques using examples and see how these techniques can be used to investigate specific biological questions. These projects will involve literature reviews, the use of existing code, or the development of new code (depending on the student’s experience) and will account for half of the final grade.
Neurobiology of Behavior
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
Behaviors—whether determined by conscious or unconscious processes—are based on complex neurobiological substrates. They are, in fact, underpinned by molecular and cellular changes within the nervous system that modulate the neural networks responsible for motor and emotional processes linked to an individual’s memory. These processes are fundamental in enabling the organism to develop an integrated behavioral response in close interaction with its environment, thereby ensuring the adaptation and survival of the individual and its species.
The topics covered in the Neurobiology of Behavior course will be as follows:
-Gene–Behavior
The Relationship Between Genotype and Phenotype—Environmental Impact—Attention Processes/Movement Planning—Behavioral Disorders (Genetic and Environmental Aspects)
-Memory and Synaptic Plasticity
Methodological approaches to studying synaptic plasticity: electrophysiology, optogenetics, animal models, behavioral tests—Factors regulating synaptic plasticity, including genetic and epigenetic factors—The relationship between plasticity and memory—The neurobiology of memory, forgetting, and reconsolidation
-Neurobiology of Emotions
Neurobiological Bases of Emotions - Functions of Emotions - Maladaptation: Pathological Aspects: Emotional Disorders
Molecular and Metabolic Bases of Hereditary Diseases
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The program covers the key basic concepts of gene organization and the various levels of gene regulation, as well as essential concepts in human population genetics that play an important role as risk factors. The molecular mechanisms involved in monogenic and multifactorial diseases are presented using specific examples. This also provides an opportunity to explore the new technological tools available (pan-genomic techniques, high-throughput genotyping, etc.) that are driving major advances in this field. Finally, the module offers an overview of the impact of this research on medical practice through the development of cell therapy, gene therapy, and pharmacogenomics.
Introduction to Careers in Clinical Research
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Physiology and Integrated Homeostasis
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
Three main topics are covered:
-A study of weight and thermal homeostasis in relation to a model of dysfunction: obesity. This will involve an examination of energy balance—including food intake and energy expenditure, which consists of basal metabolism, physical activity, and adaptive thermogenesis (AT)—and their respective regulatory mechanisms.
-Study of biological rhythms, including a description of the nature and properties of biological rhythms (ultradian, circadian, and infradian), a description of endogenous circadian oscillators, and a detailed presentation of the molecular mechanisms of circadian clocks.
-Study of the various stages and physiological principles of respiration. The theoretical lectures will be supplemented by tutorial sessions (TD). The tutorial sessions are based on the study of documents and the analysis of scientific articles in English. The selection of scientific materials is intended to illustrate the interplay among the various topics covered and, thereby, the concept of integrative physiology.
Functional Exploration and Translational Research
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
Neuromuscular Physiology:
Skeletal striated muscle: The neuromuscular junction; Muscle contraction/relaxation; Myotypology; Plasticity; Muscle metabolism.
Neuromuscular Diseases: Causes; symptoms; clinical diagnosis (clinical examinations; laboratory tests): EMG, blood tests, functional tests, etc.; Muscular dystrophies: Duchenne muscular dystrophy; Becker muscular dystrophy; facioscapiohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Facioscapiohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD): zebrafish model; mouse model; cellular models; clinical trials.
Respiratory Physiology:
Respiratory Physiology: Anatomy of the respiratory system; the mechanism of respiration; gas exchange; transport of respiratory gases in the blood; regulation of respiration
Respiratory Assessment in Small Animals: Why Assess Respiratory Function in Small Animals? Plethysmography; in vitro contractile force.
Functional Respiratory Tests: performance and interpretation of respiratory tests in human medicine; spirometry: Level 1 and Level 2; pulmonary diffusion capacity; arterial blood gases; specific tests of the respiratory muscles; 6-minute walk test; exercise testing; tests involving exposure to high altitude.
Cardiovascular Physiology:
Review of cardiac anatomy: size, location, and orientation; the heart’s envelope; the layers of the heart wall; the heart’s chambers and major vessels; the flow of blood through the heart; cardiac valves; blood supply to the heart: coronary circulation; properties of cardiac muscle tissue.
Review of cardiac physiology: regulation of the baseline heart rate; the cardiac conduction system; changes in the baseline heart rate: extrinsic innervation of the heart; electrocardiography; mechanical phenomena: cardiac cycle; cardiac output; regulation of stroke volume; regulation of heart rate.
Review of vascular physiology: anatomy of the circulatory system; lymphatic system; structure of the vascular wall; blood pressure; vascular smooth muscle and vasomotor function; endothelial function.
Vascular function and dysfunction; functional assessment: measurement of arterial distensibility; measurement of arterial wave velocity; pharmacological assessment of endothelium-dependent vasomotility; ultrasonographic assessment; echo-tracking; ultrasound and Doppler ultrasound.
How can vascular function be assessed experimentally? Isolated arterial ring model; Cardiac Doppler ultrasound: a powerful tool in clinical and experimental research; Ultrasound: anatomical and functional analysis; Doppler: flow analysis; Application to animal models.
Translational research: example—myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (myocardial infarction); Animal models; perfused isolated heart (Langendorf); Isolated cardiomyocytes; Cardioprotection techniques.
Endocrinology: Weight Balance
Description of eating behavior; Energy balance; Central regulatory structures of food intake; Regulatory mechanisms of food intake; Factors modulating appetite and food intake; Nutritional assessment; Eating disorders; Functional assessment: impedance measurement; DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry); MRI; Assessment of energy expenditure: calorimetry.
CHOICE 1
ECTS
15 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Applied Statistics in Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Cell Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The program offers a refresher course and an in-depth study of the major concepts and methodologies of cell biology, organized around various themes:
1. Cytoskeleton: Introduction to the different types of cytoskeletons. Polymerization properties of actin and tubulin. Proteins associated with the cytoskeleton that regulate polymerization. Molecular motors. Principles of cell migration.
2. Cell Adhesion & Signaling: Cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesive structures, their molecular organization and dynamics. Functions and regulation during development and pathogenesis. Regulation by signaling pathways. Mechanotransduction.
3. Cellular trafficking and targeting: Ubiquitination and the proteasome. Targeting to subcellular compartments; endocytosis and secretion pathways. The molecular basis of vesicular transport: budding, fusion, and molecular motors. Signaling in membrane trafficking; genetic diseases associated with trafficking; and hijacking by pathogens.
4. Cell Cycle: Historical Overview. Molecular Regulation of the Cell Cycle. The mitotic spindle, microtubule dynamics and molecular motors, mechanisms of chromosome attachment, checkpoints, regulation of mitotic exit, and cytokinesis. Mitotic abnormalities associated with cancer cells.
5. Stem Cells: Cell Differentiation, Totipotency, Pluripotency, and Multipotency; Embryonic, Adult, and Cancer Stem Cells.
6. Programmed cell death: Apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis. Stages and mechanisms of apoptosis; signaling pathways involved. Role in maintaining homeostasis. Pathophysiological consequences of dysregulation of programmed cell death.
Various research models are presented to highlight the importance of biological diversity in the discovery of cellular and molecular mechanisms, as well as in the understanding of human diseases.
The program offers a review of key concepts and an in-depth study of the major concepts and methodologies of cell biology, organized around different themes:
1. Cytoskeleton: Introduction to the different types of cytoskeleton. Polymerization properties of actin and tubulin. Proteins associated with the cytoskeleton and involved in regulating polymerization. Molecular motors. Principles of cell migration.
2. Cellular Adhesion & Signaling: Cell-cell and extracellular cell-matrix adhesive structures, their molecular and dynamic organization. Functions and regulation during development and pathogenesis. Regulation by signaling pathways. Mechanotransduction.
3. Addressing and cell traffic: Ubiquitination and the proteasome. Transport to subcellular compartments, endocytosis, and secretion pathways. The molecular basis of vesicular transport, budding, fusion, and molecular motors. Signaling in membrane trafficking, genetic diseases linked to trafficking, and disruption by pathogens.
4. Cell cycle: Historical introduction. Molecular regulation of the cell cycle. The mitotic spindle, microtubule and molecular motor dynamics, chromosome attachment mechanisms, checkpoints, regulation of mitotic output and cytokinesis. Mitotic disorders associated with cancer cells.
5. Stem cells: cell differentiation, totipotency, pluripotency, and multipotency; embryonic, adult, and cancer stem cells.
6. Programmed cell death: Apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis. Stages and mechanisms of apoptosis; signaling pathways involved. Role in maintaining homeostasis. Pathophysiological consequences of dysregulation of programmed cell death.
Various study models are presented to highlight the importance of biological diversity in the discovery of cellular and molecular mechanisms, as well as in the understanding of human diseases.
Cellular Communications and Signaling
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
The EU will first address the main communication pathways between normal cells and intracellular signal transduction pathways encountered in physiological and neurophysiological mechanisms. Thus, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) will be studied, specifically their structure, function, and modulation by interacting proteins involved, in particular, in the phenomenon of desensitization. The main intracellular pathways activated by membrane-bound GPCRs will be discussed (MAP kinase pathways, PI3 kinase, etc.).
Next, a significant portion of the course will focus on calcium signaling and Ca²⁺ homeostasis, as Ca²⁺ is a ubiquitous signal in cellular signaling. Calcium homeostasis will be studied in particular in the context of the lymphocyte response following antigenic stimulation. Furthermore, the production of oxygen free radicals—which cause oxidative stress—is dependent on intracellular Ca²⁺. The physiological role of free radicals will be discussed, as well as their involvement in oxidative stress. In this context, the protective mechanisms against oxidative stress will also be examined.The following chapter will address the endocannabinoid system, which serves to summarize all the topics previously covered in the course. The endocannabinoid system is responsible for numerous central and peripheral regulatory processes.
Finally, two other topics will be covered: the blood-brain barrier, which provides a framework for discussing cellular communication in a highly integrated manner between two environments, and the pancreatic β-cell, whose activity is crucial for regulating blood glucose levels through insulin secretion.
English_MSDS
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Internship_FDS
ECTS
15 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
A two- to four-month internship at an organization (research laboratory, company, etc.) in France or abroad
EU CHOICE SEA
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Long-term internship or internship abroad
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
An internship lasting more than 4 months at an organization (research laboratory, company, etc.) in France or abroad
Physiology Lab Sessions
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Spring
The physiology lab course allows students to record cardiac action potentials in a frog’s heart using the intracellular microelectrode technique. This is a qualitative and quantitative method for measuring the electrical activity of the heart muscle.
Cell Culture
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Cell culture is a fundamental technique in laboratories and is constantly evolving. It is important to understand its basics, which are often poorly understood, even though it is an essential methodology not only in research but also in industry.
Understanding the Company and Maximizing the Value of Patents
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Spring
Are you a third-year undergraduate or first-year graduate student in the Languedoc-Roussillon region? Would you like to work in small groups with students from other programs on a project-based approach, using an unused scientific patent? Would you like to be guided and challenged by professional startup coaches? Sign up for the PEPITE Patent Project to present a plan for an innovative startup based on the commercialization of a real patent provided by a local research team that will welcome you with open arms!
Why?
-Because you can start your own business no matter what field you're in
-To be selected by an incubator-type support organization
-To help you build a network in the fields of entrepreneurship and innovation
PEPITE Patent Project—what is it? A teaching unit consisting of key activities:
- a 3-day "tool training" seminar
-regular meetings with the coaches
-Deliverables to be submitted: summary report, market research, business plan
- a 10-minute final pitch to present your innovative company
TER_FDS
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The EU TER course aims to prepare students to organize and conduct an in-depth literature review that will enable them to approach their internship with an understanding of the state of the art in the field, in particular to produce a relevant and well-thought-out introduction to their experimental work.
Muscular and Cardiac Pathophysiology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
CHOICE 1
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Genetic Information - Epigenetics - Mechanistic Foundations
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Signaling: Methods and Concepts
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Integrative Pathophysiology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Aging and Senescence
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Gene and Cell Therapy
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Number of hours
30h
TER_FDS_S3
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Human Nutrition (PHARMA Unit)
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Fictional Research Project_FDS
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Internship_FDS
ECTS
20 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
An internship lasting at least 4 months at an organization (research laboratory, company, etc.) in France or abroad.
Current Research in Immunology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
Introduction to Careers in Clinical Research
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Neurobiology of Behavior
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
Behaviors—whether determined by conscious or unconscious processes—are based on complex neurobiological substrates. They are, in fact, underpinned by molecular and cellular changes within the nervous system that modulate the neural networks responsible for motor and emotional processes linked to an individual’s memory. These processes are fundamental in enabling the organism to develop an integrated behavioral response in close interaction with its environment, thereby ensuring the adaptation and survival of the individual and its species.
The topics covered in the Neurobiology of Behavior course will be as follows:
-Gene–Behavior
The Relationship Between Genotype and Phenotype—Environmental Impact—Attention Processes/Movement Planning—Behavioral Disorders (Genetic and Environmental Aspects)
-Memory and Synaptic Plasticity
Methodological approaches to studying synaptic plasticity: electrophysiology, optogenetics, animal models, behavioral tests—Factors regulating synaptic plasticity, including genetic and epigenetic factors—The relationship between plasticity and memory—The neurobiology of memory, forgetting, and reconsolidation
-Neurobiology of Emotions
Neurobiological Bases of Emotions - Functions of Emotions - Maladaptation: Pathological Aspects: Emotional Disorders
Developmental Neurobiology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
1) What is the genetic program underlying the development of the nervous system? This course highlights the types of decisions that progressively determine the neural fate of cells and ensure their nervous function. The various stages considered are:
(i) the development of the nervous system
(ii) the specification of neurons
(iii) nervous function: axonal guidance and connectivity
(iv) neuronal remodeling
2) What molecular, cellular, and environmental interactions control the development of the nervous system?
-Synaptogenesis and the major stages of development.
-Roles of neurotrophic factors
-Functions of electrical activity
-Critical periods
-Roles of neuron-glial cell interactions.
-Neural stem cells
3) Developmental Disorders
Neuropsychopharmacology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
The Neuropsychopharmacology course covers the molecular, cellular, and integrated mechanisms underlying the mode of action of psychotropic drugs, using several disorders (depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, etc.) as examples. It aims to understand how the principles of pharmacology apply specifically to mental disorders (e.g., pharmacodynamics, tolerance, physical and psychological dependence, etc.). Drawing on advances in neurobiological research and their therapeutic applications in medication, the course aims to provide an understanding of the concepts underlying the treatment of psychiatric disorders.
Applied Statistics in Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
English_FdM
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Spring
TER_FdM
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Spring
Internship_FdM
ECTS
15 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Spring
Project Management and Planning
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Research in Neuropsychology: Topics and Methods
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Normal and Pathological Cognitive Functioning in Adults
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Translational Research & Clinical Evaluation of Biotherapeutics
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Normal and Abnormal Cognitive Functioning in Children
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
GET Internship
ECTS
30 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Spring
Introduction to Careers in Clinical Research
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Applied Statistics in Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Physiology and Integrated Homeostasis
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
Three main topics are covered:
-A study of weight and thermal homeostasis in relation to a model of dysfunction: obesity. This will involve an examination of energy balance—including food intake and energy expenditure, which consists of basal metabolism, physical activity, and adaptive thermogenesis (AT)—and their respective regulatory mechanisms.
-Study of biological rhythms, including a description of the nature and properties of biological rhythms (ultradian, circadian, and infradian), a description of endogenous circadian oscillators, and a detailed presentation of the molecular mechanisms of circadian clocks.
-Study of the various stages and physiological principles of respiration. The theoretical lectures will be supplemented by tutorial sessions (TD). The tutorial sessions are based on the study of documents and the analysis of scientific articles in English. The selection of scientific materials is intended to illustrate the interplay among the various topics covered and, thereby, the concept of integrative physiology.
Cellular Communications and Signaling
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
The EU will first address the main communication pathways between normal cells and intracellular signal transduction pathways encountered in physiological and neurophysiological mechanisms. Thus, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) will be studied, specifically their structure, function, and modulation by interacting proteins involved, in particular, in the phenomenon of desensitization. The main intracellular pathways activated by membrane-bound GPCRs will be discussed (MAP kinase pathways, PI3 kinase, etc.).
Next, a significant portion of the course will focus on calcium signaling and Ca²⁺ homeostasis, as Ca²⁺ is a ubiquitous signal in cellular signaling. Calcium homeostasis will be studied in particular in the context of the lymphocyte response following antigenic stimulation. Furthermore, the production of oxygen free radicals—which cause oxidative stress—is dependent on intracellular Ca²⁺. The physiological role of free radicals will be discussed, as well as their involvement in oxidative stress. In this context, the protective mechanisms against oxidative stress will also be examined.The following chapter will address the endocannabinoid system, which serves to summarize all the topics previously covered in the course. The endocannabinoid system is responsible for numerous central and peripheral regulatory processes.
Finally, two other topics will be covered: the blood-brain barrier, which provides a framework for discussing cellular communication in a highly integrated manner between two environments, and the pancreatic β-cell, whose activity is crucial for regulating blood glucose levels through insulin secretion.
Functional Exploration and Translational Research
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
Neuromuscular Physiology:
Skeletal striated muscle: The neuromuscular junction; Muscle contraction/relaxation; Myotypology; Plasticity; Muscle metabolism.
Neuromuscular Diseases: Causes; symptoms; clinical diagnosis (clinical examinations; laboratory tests): EMG, blood tests, functional tests, etc.; Muscular dystrophies: Duchenne muscular dystrophy; Becker muscular dystrophy; facioscapiohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Facioscapiohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD): zebrafish model; mouse model; cellular models; clinical trials.
Respiratory Physiology:
Respiratory Physiology: Anatomy of the respiratory system; the mechanism of respiration; gas exchange; transport of respiratory gases in the blood; regulation of respiration
Respiratory Assessment in Small Animals: Why Assess Respiratory Function in Small Animals? Plethysmography; in vitro contractile force.
Functional Respiratory Tests: performance and interpretation of respiratory tests in human medicine; spirometry: Level 1 and Level 2; pulmonary diffusion capacity; arterial blood gases; specific tests of the respiratory muscles; 6-minute walk test; exercise testing; tests involving exposure to high altitude.
Cardiovascular Physiology:
Review of cardiac anatomy: size, location, and orientation; the heart’s envelope; the layers of the heart wall; the heart’s chambers and major vessels; the flow of blood through the heart; cardiac valves; blood supply to the heart: coronary circulation; properties of cardiac muscle tissue.
Review of cardiac physiology: regulation of the baseline heart rate; the cardiac conduction system; changes in the baseline heart rate: extrinsic innervation of the heart; electrocardiography; mechanical phenomena: cardiac cycle; cardiac output; regulation of stroke volume; regulation of heart rate.
Review of vascular physiology: anatomy of the circulatory system; lymphatic system; structure of the vascular wall; blood pressure; vascular smooth muscle and vasomotor function; endothelial function.
Vascular function and dysfunction; functional assessment: measurement of arterial distensibility; measurement of arterial wave velocity; pharmacological assessment of endothelium-dependent vasomotility; ultrasonographic assessment; echo-tracking; ultrasound and Doppler ultrasound.
How can vascular function be assessed experimentally? Isolated arterial ring model; Cardiac Doppler ultrasound: a powerful tool in clinical and experimental research; Ultrasound: anatomical and functional analysis; Doppler: flow analysis; Application to animal models.
Translational research: example—myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (myocardial infarction); Animal models; perfused isolated heart (Langendorf); Isolated cardiomyocytes; Cardioprotection techniques.
Endocrinology: Weight Balance
Description of eating behavior; Energy balance; Central regulatory structures of food intake; Regulatory mechanisms of food intake; Factors modulating appetite and food intake; Nutritional assessment; Eating disorders; Functional assessment: impedance measurement; DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry); MRI; Assessment of energy expenditure: calorimetry.
English_FdM
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Spring
TER_FdM
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Spring
Internship_FdM
ECTS
15 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Spring
Project Management and Planning
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Methodology & Biostatistics Applied to Clinical Trials
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
TER GET
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Translational Research & Clinical Evaluation of Biotherapeutics
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Unique Features of Clinical Trials
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
GET Internship
ECTS
30 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Spring
Neurobiology of Behavior
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
Behaviors—whether determined by conscious or unconscious processes—are based on complex neurobiological substrates. They are, in fact, underpinned by molecular and cellular changes within the nervous system that modulate the neural networks responsible for motor and emotional processes linked to an individual’s memory. These processes are fundamental in enabling the organism to develop an integrated behavioral response in close interaction with its environment, thereby ensuring the adaptation and survival of the individual and its species.
The topics covered in the Neurobiology of Behavior course will be as follows:
-Gene–Behavior
The Relationship Between Genotype and Phenotype—Environmental Impact—Attention Processes/Movement Planning—Behavioral Disorders (Genetic and Environmental Aspects)
-Memory and Synaptic Plasticity
Methodological approaches to studying synaptic plasticity: electrophysiology, optogenetics, animal models, behavioral tests—Factors regulating synaptic plasticity, including genetic and epigenetic factors—The relationship between plasticity and memory—The neurobiology of memory, forgetting, and reconsolidation
-Neurobiology of Emotions
Neurobiological Bases of Emotions - Functions of Emotions - Maladaptation: Pathological Aspects: Emotional Disorders
Neuropsychopharmacology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
The Neuropsychopharmacology course covers the molecular, cellular, and integrated mechanisms underlying the mode of action of psychotropic drugs, using several disorders (depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, etc.) as examples. It aims to understand how the principles of pharmacology apply specifically to mental disorders (e.g., pharmacodynamics, tolerance, physical and psychological dependence, etc.). Drawing on advances in neurobiological research and their therapeutic applications in medication, the course aims to provide an understanding of the concepts underlying the treatment of psychiatric disorders.
Developmental Neurobiology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
1) What is the genetic program underlying the development of the nervous system? This course highlights the types of decisions that progressively determine the neural fate of cells and ensure their nervous function. The various stages considered are:
(i) the development of the nervous system
(ii) the specification of neurons
(iii) nervous function: axonal guidance and connectivity
(iv) neuronal remodeling
2) What molecular, cellular, and environmental interactions control the development of the nervous system?
-Synaptogenesis and the major stages of development.
-Roles of neurotrophic factors
-Functions of electrical activity
-Critical periods
-Roles of neuron-glial cell interactions.
-Neural stem cells
3) Developmental Disorders
CHOICE 1
ECTS
15 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Applied Statistics in Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Medicine
Time of year
Fall
Cell Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The program offers a refresher course and an in-depth study of the major concepts and methodologies of cell biology, organized around various themes:
1. Cytoskeleton: Introduction to the different types of cytoskeletons. Polymerization properties of actin and tubulin. Proteins associated with the cytoskeleton that regulate polymerization. Molecular motors. Principles of cell migration.
2. Cell Adhesion & Signaling: Cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesive structures, their molecular organization and dynamics. Functions and regulation during development and pathogenesis. Regulation by signaling pathways. Mechanotransduction.
3. Cellular trafficking and targeting: Ubiquitination and the proteasome. Targeting to subcellular compartments; endocytosis and secretion pathways. The molecular basis of vesicular transport: budding, fusion, and molecular motors. Signaling in membrane trafficking; genetic diseases associated with trafficking; and hijacking by pathogens.
4. Cell Cycle: Historical Overview. Molecular Regulation of the Cell Cycle. The mitotic spindle, microtubule dynamics and molecular motors, mechanisms of chromosome attachment, checkpoints, regulation of mitotic exit, and cytokinesis. Mitotic abnormalities associated with cancer cells.
5. Stem Cells: Cell Differentiation, Totipotency, Pluripotency, and Multipotency; Embryonic, Adult, and Cancer Stem Cells.
6. Programmed cell death: Apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis. Stages and mechanisms of apoptosis; signaling pathways involved. Role in maintaining homeostasis. Pathophysiological consequences of dysregulation of programmed cell death.
Various research models are presented to highlight the importance of biological diversity in the discovery of cellular and molecular mechanisms, as well as in the understanding of human diseases.
The program offers a review of key concepts and an in-depth study of the major concepts and methodologies of cell biology, organized around different themes:
1. Cytoskeleton: Introduction to the different types of cytoskeleton. Polymerization properties of actin and tubulin. Proteins associated with the cytoskeleton and involved in regulating polymerization. Molecular motors. Principles of cell migration.
2. Cellular Adhesion & Signaling: Cell-cell and extracellular cell-matrix adhesive structures, their molecular and dynamic organization. Functions and regulation during development and pathogenesis. Regulation by signaling pathways. Mechanotransduction.
3. Addressing and cell traffic: Ubiquitination and the proteasome. Transport to subcellular compartments, endocytosis, and secretion pathways. The molecular basis of vesicular transport, budding, fusion, and molecular motors. Signaling in membrane trafficking, genetic diseases linked to trafficking, and disruption by pathogens.
4. Cell cycle: Historical introduction. Molecular regulation of the cell cycle. The mitotic spindle, microtubule and molecular motor dynamics, chromosome attachment mechanisms, checkpoints, regulation of mitotic output and cytokinesis. Mitotic disorders associated with cancer cells.
5. Stem cells: cell differentiation, totipotency, pluripotency, and multipotency; embryonic, adult, and cancer stem cells.
6. Programmed cell death: Apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis. Stages and mechanisms of apoptosis; signaling pathways involved. Role in maintaining homeostasis. Pathophysiological consequences of dysregulation of programmed cell death.
Various study models are presented to highlight the importance of biological diversity in the discovery of cellular and molecular mechanisms, as well as in the understanding of human diseases.
Cellular Communications and Signaling
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
The EU will first address the main communication pathways between normal cells and intracellular signal transduction pathways encountered in physiological and neurophysiological mechanisms. Thus, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) will be studied, specifically their structure, function, and modulation by interacting proteins involved, in particular, in the phenomenon of desensitization. The main intracellular pathways activated by membrane-bound GPCRs will be discussed (MAP kinase pathways, PI3 kinase, etc.).
Next, a significant portion of the course will focus on calcium signaling and Ca²⁺ homeostasis, as Ca²⁺ is a ubiquitous signal in cellular signaling. Calcium homeostasis will be studied in particular in the context of the lymphocyte response following antigenic stimulation. Furthermore, the production of oxygen free radicals—which cause oxidative stress—is dependent on intracellular Ca²⁺. The physiological role of free radicals will be discussed, as well as their involvement in oxidative stress. In this context, the protective mechanisms against oxidative stress will also be examined.The following chapter will address the endocannabinoid system, which serves to summarize all the topics previously covered in the course. The endocannabinoid system is responsible for numerous central and peripheral regulatory processes.
Finally, two other topics will be covered: the blood-brain barrier, which provides a framework for discussing cellular communication in a highly integrated manner between two environments, and the pancreatic β-cell, whose activity is crucial for regulating blood glucose levels through insulin secretion.
English_MSDS
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Internship_FDS
ECTS
15 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
A two- to four-month internship at an organization (research laboratory, company, etc.) in France or abroad
OPTION 2
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Long-term internship or internship abroad
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
An internship lasting more than 4 months at an organization (research laboratory, company, etc.) in France or abroad
Immunopathology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Spring
The course is taught by faculty members from the departments of medicine, science, and pharmacy. It consists of 42 hours of lectures and supervised work divided into 7 themes (see Syllabus), including two series of article presentations: the first series focuses on articles selected by the instructors for each theme, and the second series features articles chosen by the students. At the end of each course unit, students organize a mini-symposium where the articles are presented. They write abstracts of these articles for the journal *Medecine-Sciences*.
Physiology Lab Sessions
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Spring
The physiology lab course allows students to record cardiac action potentials in a frog’s heart using the intracellular microelectrode technique. This is a qualitative and quantitative method for measuring the electrical activity of the heart muscle.
Sensory Experience
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Sensory Experience
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Number of hours
50h
TER_FDS
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The EU TER course aims to prepare students to organize and conduct an in-depth literature review that will enable them to approach their internship with an understanding of the state of the art in the field, in particular to produce a relevant and well-thought-out introduction to their experimental work.
Integrated Neuropathology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Communication Networks
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
From the Molecule to the Cell
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
TER_FDS_S3
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
CHOICE 1
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Genetic Information - Epigenetics - Mechanistic Foundations
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Signaling: Methods and Concepts
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Integrative Pathophysiology
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Aging and Senescence
ECTS
5 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Fictional Research Project_FDS
ECTS
10 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Internship_FDS
ECTS
20 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
An internship lasting at least 4 months at an organization (research laboratory, company, etc.) in France or abroad.