1. komponenta

Lecture type	Total
Lectures	12
Seminar	12

* Load is given in academic hour (1 academic hour = 45 minutes)

In module Ecogenetic studies students will deal with molecular mechanisms of intake of toxic compounds into the cell, mechanisms of induction/repression of the genes involved in xenobiotics metabolism, distribution , excretion of xenobiotics and their metabolites in dependence of physico-chemical properties. After insight into this complex issue, students will be able to estimate potential mechanism(s) responsible for toxic effects of environmental contaminants on molecular level, on the level of single organism, population and overall ecosystem. In the last ten years there is a rising concern about chronic exposure to low (environmental) concentrations of specific environmental contaminants like PCBs, BDEs, heavy metals, hormones, POPs. Eventhough, according to the classic toxicological approach, it is assumed that low concentrations cannot have a harmful effect, numerous evidences point out that generally accepted dose-response determination cannot give an answer what is the safe dose for great numbers of chemicals. In this module, students will get insight in this problem and they will be able to discuss about different effects of endocrine disruptors on the basis of experimental evidences and theoretical facts. Third part of Ecogenetic studies deals with problem of interaction between chemical, physical or biological agents with cellular macromolecules and the consequences of these interactions. After this part, students will be able to estimate what is the mutagenic potential of certain agent on the basis of its structure and what is the effect of different genotoxic agents on genetic material. Also, they will be able to explain what mechanisms are responsible for cancer formation in exposed organism. They will be able to debate about consequences of radiation exposure on examples of big nuclear disasters. Last part of this module deals with problem of bioconversion of chemical compounds in the environment putting in one context microbial activity, radiation from Sun and space, presence/absence of rain and metabolic activity of plants highlighting the problem of unpredictable consequences of presence of different contaminants for environment, animal and human. After this part students will be able to predict the consequence of short and long term exposure of organisms to environmental contaminants.