neu740 - Molecular Mechanisms of Ageing

4 SWS Supervised exercise (UE)
Total workload 180h: 26h contact / 50h group work / 50h prep. of thesis, presentations / 54h recap. literature

[/code]+ Neurosci. knowlg.
+ Expt. methods
++ Scient. literature
++ Social skills
+ Interdiscipl. knowlg.
++ Data present./disc.
+ Scientific English
++ Ethics

In this module the participants gain an overview of arguments and experimental strategies in ageing research. We will focus on the fields of medicine/epidemiology, biochemistry/ cell biology, physiology, and genetics. In addition, the main ageing theories will be covered. The participants work throughout the semester in project groups and present their results at a conference at the end of the course. Ethicists and philosphers from Germany and The Netherlands accompany the course, and chair at the conference a session on ethical aspects of ageing research. Under their moderation, the participants derive joint standpoints and policy recommendations.
At the end of this course the participants can


Topics

Lecture: major ageing theories and methods in ageing research are presented and discussed Exercise: project work
1) Students: Choice of research focus
2) Independent work on the chosen research paper
3) Writing a 1 page thesis paper
4) Presentation in own expert group
5) Expert groups: research strategies, approaches, methods in chosen focus area
6) Development of a group resentation and group poster
7) Presentation at 1 day conference
8) Dutch and German ethics experts present bioethics and lobby work in German and Dutch political gremia
9) The students develop a comparative view on medical ethics in different countries and derive own standpoints and policy recommendations for the ethical assessment of metabolic and ageing research. The project work runs independently in the different expert groups throughout the semester and is organised via StudIP. The students and groups receive regular feedback and guidance in presence meetings.

The days for presence meetings and final conference are determined with the participants during the first meeting. The students organize their own work in groups according to the jigsaw concept. Their work is structured by a weekly schedule, tasks to be handed in at fixed deadlines across the semester, lectures and presence meetings.

Primary and secondary literature will be provided and introduced at the first meeting

Recommended textbook(s) or other literature:
Roger B. McDonald, Biologyof aging, Garland Science
http://www.garlandscience.com/garlandscience_resources/book_resources.jsf?isbn=9780815342137&landing=student
Altern : Zelluläre und molekulare Grundlagen, körperliche Veränderungen und Erkrankungen, Therapieansätze
Ludger Rensing ; Volkhard Rippe

end of semester

portfolio: thesis paper, oral presentation, poster presentation In addition, mandatory but ungraded: questionnaire on ageing theories, meeting protocols