Membrane Biophysics and Signal Transduction

The aim of the course is to provide a deep knowledge of the structural/functional properties of cellular membranes and the signaling processes through which the information reaches intracellular targets. We will discuss about:
- functional effects of lipid-lipid and lipid-proteins interactions;
- the passive and active properties of the plasma membrane and in particular with the molecular mechanism governing cell excitability and propagation of the electrical signals;
- the functional importance of specialized membrane organizations;
- the basic concepts of cellular signal transduction;
- the functioning and modulation of kinases, phosphatases, G-protein coupled receptors, intracellular receptors;
- the mechanistic complexities underlying the conversion of diverse stimuli into a series of intracellular reactions through signal transduction pathways;
- the molecular mechanisms through which the signal transduction pathways communicate information to gene expression programs;
- recent advances on the potential impact of signaling pathways in human diseases.

Students are expected to be able to master the processes by which the biological signals (electrical and biochemical signals) are generated and pass through the plasma membrane and reach the intracellular targets.
Students are expected to be able to understand how lipids, receptors, ion channels and signaling molecules interplay in generating cell responses to stimuli.