Learning objectives
<br />The course of photobiology deals with the interaction of light with biological matter and with the associated phenomena. In the different organisms the presence of photoreceptors (integrated protein-chromophore systems) allows a great variety of photoresponses, ranging from the conversion of light into chemical energy to visual processes. Artificial or semi-artificial photoactive systems are insted used in photomedicine, for example during the photodynamic therapy of cancer. This different aspects will be elucidated during the course, together with the biophysical techniques used to gain information about the molecular mechanisms underlying photoresponses, the different photochemical aspects and the structure to function relationships in the various photoreceptors. Special attention will be devoted to novel-type photoreceptors, whose study is blooming during the recent years.
Prerequisites
Basic biological chemistry. Electronic transitions.
Course unit content
<br />1. Introduction to photobiology. The laws of photochemistry and the excited states. Concepts and terminology associated to the emission of light and light sources. Spectroscopical techniques used in photobiology. <br />2. Introduction to biological photoreceptors. Light-to-energy and light-to-information (photosensory biology) conversion. The primary photochemical mechanisms. The concept of photocycle. <br />3. The molecular mechanisms of light-to-energy conversion. Light-driven proton pumps. Oxygenic and anoxygenic photosynthesis. Thermodinamics of light-energy conversion. <br />4.The molecular mechanisms of photosensory biology. Visual mechanims and retinal proteins. Photomorphogenesis in plants: the phytochromes and the blue-light receptors. Photomovements. Novel blue-light receptors in lower organisms.<br />5. Biophysical methods for the study of photoreceptors. Spectroscopical methods and data analysis. Bioinformatic tools. Time-resolved X-ray spectroscopy<br />6. Phototherapy and photoprotection. Neonatal jaundice, a case story. Photosensitization mechanisms. The photolyases. The melanins. Circadian Rythms.
Full programme
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Bibliography
<br />For an introduction to photobiology: www.kumc.edu/POL/ASP_Home/asp_bro2.html
Teaching methods
<br />The student must gain the fundamental concepts of photobiology of of the biophysical techniques employed to investigate biological photoreceptors. Being photobiology intrinsically a multidisciplinar science, the student will have to demonstrate his/her ability to integrate information from different investigation appriaches (from bioinformatics to molecular biology to biophysics). Therefore, at the end of the course, the student is required to give a seminar on a specific theme (to be agreed with the responsible of the course), that will require basic photobiology knowledge as well as the reading of published articles.
Assessment methods and criteria
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Other information
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