OPTION 2

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.

View the full page

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.

View the full page

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

View the full page

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.

View the full page

View the full page