Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Analysis

Basic scientific skills | Seminar (SE) | Coursecode: 220574102

Literature databases and effective literature search

2.00

ECTS

1.00

SWS

Search strategies for literature and other databases (introduction to relevant databases, selection of search keys, systematic approach, primary sources, scientific relevance, search documentation ); practical approach models for efficient and effective literature management, reference management software.

Basic scientific skills | Seminar (SE) | Coursecode: 220574101

Team management and interaction

1.00

ECTS

0.50

SWS

Development of attitudes and strategies that aid in increasing team performance and individual satisfaction and reduce conflict when collaborating in a team. The students get to know how to use digital media when working in a team and how to use professionally digital resources of FH JOANNEUM (audio/video conferencing, resource sharing, the LMS moodle, VPN access to resources of the university intranet), data protection and legal issues (FH JOANNEUM data protection guide).

Chromatographic and mass spectrometric applications I | Lecture (VO) | Coursecode: 220574106

Chromatographic and spectrometric methods

2.00

ECTS

1.50

SWS

Theory about chromatographic separation with focus on liquid and gas chromatography (including introduction with thin layer chromatography), Liquid chromatography (instrumentation, important parameters, Van-Deemter-Equation, stationary and mobile phases, reversed-phase , normal-phase, and hydrophilic interaction chromatography, chiral, affinity and gel-permeation chromatography, theory of isocratic and gradient separation, detectors), Gas chromatography (instrumentation, important parameters, Raoult`s law, columns, carrier gas, retention mechanisms, detectors, theorie of temperatur-dependant separation of volatile and semi-volatile molecules)

Chromatographic and mass spectrometric applications I | Lecture/Practical (IL) | Coursecode: 220574107

Chromatographic and spectrometric techniques I

2.00

ECTS

2.00

SWS

(Preparation of analysis plan, standards and dilution series, measurement of standard samples using chromatographic and spectrometric techniques, Preparation of standard curves, sample preparation and analysis of a sample with unknown content of a known substance, data interpretation, evaluation and logging.

Experimental design and analysis I | Lecture (VO) | Coursecode: 220574112

Design of experiments

1.50

ECTS

1.00

SWS

Statistical planning of experiments in pre-clinical and analytical- technical contexts, experimental strategies and creating experimental designs (screening designs, full factorial designs, response surface designs, etc.), evaluation of experimental data with analysis of variance and /or regression, critical success factors in DoE.

Experimental design and analysis I | Lecture/Practical (IL) | Coursecode: 220574111

Quality assurance and preanalytics

2.50

ECTS

2.00

SWS

Need for quality standards by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); general criteria for operating test laboratories (ÖNORM EN 45001, ISO/IEC 17025); definition, explanation and commenting of quality assurance terminology, controls for quality assurance, preanalytical steps and relevance for results of analysis, preanalytical artefacts and applications

Experimental design and analysis I | Lecture (VO) | Coursecode: 220574110

Statistical procedures, data preparation and data analysis

3.00

ECTS

2.00

SWS

Application-oriented statistical foundations, descriptive statistics for the biometrics laboratory, tools and instruments for statistical data analysis and interpretation, quality assurance based on statistical procedures.

General chemistry skills | Lecture (VO) | Coursecode: 220574103

General chemistry and stoichiometry

3.00

ECTS

2.00

SWS

General and phyisical chemistry (foundations of the atomic theory and chemical bindings, the law of mass action and the chemical equilibrium, chemical reaction types (acid-base reactions, radical reactions, redox reactions), terminology of chemical compounds, chemical and enzymatic catalysis, Gibbs Function and relevance for chemical reactions, kinetics of chemical reactions, laws of thermodynamics) Stoichiometry (forming and parameterizing of chemical reaction equations, calculations based on chemical reactions and serial dilutions, calculating aqueous mixtures, equilibrium constants and acid-base reactions, pH definition, pKS and pKB and buffer systems, concentration units and absolut amounts)

General chemistry skills | Lecture (VO) | Coursecode: 220574105

Organic chemistry

4.50

ECTS

3.00

SWS

Chemical bonding in organic molecules, structure of organic biomolecules, Stereochemistry, Classification and properties of substance classes, Important functional groups and their reactions, Important reaction mechanisms of organic chemistry relevant for subsequent courses

Molecular biology and analysis | Lecture (VO) | Coursecode: 220574104

Introduction to molecular biology

2.00

ECTS

1.00

SWS

genes, gene structure, chromosomes, information flow from gene to protein, DNA replication, transcription and translation, genetic code, tools of molecular biology (bacteria, viruses, enzymes) synthetic oligonucleotides. Standard methods in molecular biology

Molecular biology and analysis | Lecture/Practical (IL) | Coursecode: 220574109

Molecular analysis I

2.00

ECTS

2.00

SWS

Applied molecular analysis including electrophoretic separations of nucleic acids and proteins

Molecular biology and analysis | Lecture (VO) | Coursecode: 220574108

Molecular cell biology and genetics

4.50

ECTS

3.00

SWS

Advanced genetics and cell biology of model organisms, Applications for genetic analysis

Chromatographic and mass spectrometric applications II | Practical (UE) | Coursecode: 220574202

Chromatographic and spectrometric techniques II

3.00

ECTS

3.00

SWS

Practical application of LC and/or GC-based separation methods with intermediate complexity in respect to sample preparation, separation and detector integration/coupling: – Application structure-spedific sample preparation techniques for isolation of a panel of substances within complex sample matrices and subsequent preparation, enrichment or chemical derivatization – chromatographic method optimization based on specific key parameters for application of multi methods e.g. in trace analytics – Application of appropriate measures for method optimization in respect to separation power and efficient ionization of target analyt – Integraton of univeral and selective detectors for application of the aquired knowledge in the fields of spectrometric methods / mass spectrometry to qualitative problems in respect to substance identification – Practice with spectral databases and independent design of an data analysis method

Chromatographic and mass spectrometric applications II | Lecture (VO) | Coursecode: 220574201

Molecular and mass spectrometry

4.00

ECTS

3.00

SWS

UV/VIS spectrometry – principles of UV/VIS spectroscopy – principle structure and function of a UV/VIS spectrometer – chromophores and auxochromes – spectroscopical phenomena of chemical compounds – structural analysis Infrared and Raman spectrometry – principles of IR spectroscopy – principle structure and function of an IR and Raman spectrometer – characteristic vibrational spectra of chemical compounds – structural analysis Mass spectrometry – principles of mass spectrometry – principle structure and function of a mass spectrometer – techniques of ionisation of molecules and source design – main fragmentation reaction of organic compounds – performance of different technologies and their scope of application

Chromatographic and mass spectrometric applications II | Seminar (SE) | Coursecode: 220574203

Spectrum Interpretation

2.00

ECTS

2.00

SWS

– model procedures for interpretation of spectra of chemical compounds – interpretation and discussion of UV/VIS spectra with practical examples – interpretation and discussion of IR spectra with practical examples – theory of isotope distribution in mass spectrometry – advanced molecule-ion theory in mass spectrometry – priciple mechanisms of ion fragmentation in GC-MS ionization technique – priciple mechanisms of ion fragmentation in LC-MS ionization technique – interpretation and discussion of MS spectra with practical examples – postulation of molecular structure with the combined interpretation of UV/VIS, IR and MS spectra

Experimental Design and Analysis II | Seminar (SE) | Coursecode: 220574208

Medical and scientific ethics

2.00

ECTS

1.00

SWS

Ethics in biomedicine (in the fields of gene technology, molecular diagnostics, gene therapy, planning of experimental and clinical studies, stem cells, personalized medicine), ethics committee, patient solicitors, ethics in transplantation, research, reproductive medicine, intensive care , palliative care, socioeconomical aspects, animal experiments

Experimental Design and Analysis II | Lecture/Practical (IL) | Coursecode: 220574209

Validation of analytical methods

2.00

ECTS

2.00

SWS

Prerequisites for the validation of an analytical method, validation parameters and their examination (reproducibility, repeatability, selectivity, sensitivity, recovery, precision, accuracy, detection and quantification limits, robustness), methods to characterize analytical methods, flow chart for method validation, release of method, documentation.

Molecular and diagnostic applications | Lecture/Practical (IL) | Coursecode: 220574207

Molecular Diagnostics I

4.00

ECTS

2.00

SWS

Principles and advanced knowledge of molecular diagnostics, diagnostic strategies and procedures, carrier and test systems, biomarkers, criteria for method selection, practical examples in medicine, industry and environment ( detection of genetic diseases, forensic medicine, detection of genetically modified organsims, detection of pathogens in body fluids, drinking water, animal feeds and food); methods with a focus on their application in diagnostics: immunoassays (ELISA, immuno PCR, Westernblot), PCR (real time PCR, digital PCR), mutation analysis (SNP genotyping, DNA fingerprinting), microarray based methods (CGH arrays, SNP arrays, protein and antibody arrays), quality assurance

Molecular and diagnostic applications | Lecture/Practical (IL) | Coursecode: 220574206

Molecular and genetic engineering methods

5.00

ECTS

3.00

SWS

Design, apply and interpretation of selected molecular and gene technology methods including isolation of nucleic acid (e.g. from complex sample matrices like soil samples, waste water, breath and plasma), amplification and detection of nucleic acids by using different detection formats (e.g. digital PCR, qPCR, Sequenziertechnologien); Gene technology methods (vector and host systems, CRISPR-Cas9 based genome editing, mutagenesis, protein expression) and examination and influencing of gene regulation (real-time PCR, RNA interference,…) and high-throughput technologies criteria for choice of method; selection of the most suitable method for various applications (e.g. forensic science, waste water monitoring, antibody production).

OMICs technologies and bioinformatics | Lecture/Practical (IL) | Coursecode: 220574204

Applied OMICS technologies

4.00

ECTS

3.00

SWS

Background and special considerations of Transcriptomics/(epi-) genomics/proteomics/glycomics/lipidomics/metabolomics: Biological Question, Experimental Design, Experiment, Image Analysis, Normalization, Data Mining, Verification and Interpretation; on the basis of applied tasks

OMICs technologies and bioinformatics | Lecture (VO) | Coursecode: 220574205

Applied bioinformatics

4.00

ECTS

2.00

SWS

Introduction and use of different data bases (sequence, structure, genome and interaction data bases), prominent web portals (NCBI, ExPASy, KEGG), principles of sequence analysis (alignment, assembly, annotation), homologies, prediction programs (splice sites, promoter, mutations), simulation techniques, simulation of biological processes and systems, modelling of cellular systems.

Data interpretation and dissemination | Lecture/Practical (IL) | Coursecode: 220574302

Data management, data interpretation and structure analysis

4.00

ECTS

2.00

SWS

Biological data management and knowledge management systems, data base structure and data formats, procedures of exploratory data analysis, normalization procedures and data reduction, data and structure analysis with multivariate statistical approaches (e.g. principal component analysis (PCA), independent component analysis (ICA), PLS discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), cluster analysis.

Data interpretation and dissemination | Seminar (SE) | Coursecode: 220574301

Scientific Writing and Dissemination

6.00

ECTS

3.00

SWS

Tips and tricks for compiling written research papers (structure, referencing, graphical representation), professional abstract writing, short papers, full papers, posters and presentations in English language and planing of interdisciplinary grant proposals

Mass spectrometry | Lecture (VO) | Coursecode: 220574305

Advanced chromatographic separation techniques

3.00

ECTS

2.00

SWS

Detailed mechanisms of gradient separation and isocratic separation, Special chromatographic extraction and enrichment, techniques (solid-phase extraction (SPE), in-tube extraction (ITEX), liquid-liquid extraction (LLE)) Special column materials (carrier materials and ligands) and their application, Mobile phases (mixtures and viscosity), Nano LC, Detailed discussion of applications in chromatography

Mass spectrometry | Lecture/Practical (IL) | Coursecode: 220574304

Special analytical methods

13.00

ECTS

7.00

SWS

Design of complex analysis workflows from selection of separation and detection method, preparation of necessary materials and standards including design of an analysis plan that considers the following aspects: – Sample stabilisation and storage – Enrichment / Isolation of analytes from complex matrices – Optimization of sample preparation (solvent selection, optimization of pH and ion strength of solvent) – Optimization strategies for eluents and stationary phases relevant for chromatographic separation – Demand-oriented optimization of instrument parameters for robust and sensitive detection of analytes – Calibration of required analysis systems – Chemometric methods for optimization of chromatographic processes – Demonstration of multivariate analysis and biostatistics during data analysis – Systematic error management

Mass spectrometry | Seminar (SE) | Coursecode: 220574303

Special chapters of mass spectrometry

4.00

ECTS

3.00

SWS

Theoretical background of mass analyzers Combination of ionizing techniques and mass analyzers Application of common MS systems High-resolution mass spectrometry Database supported identification of spectra Identification of unknown samples in MS Mass spectra of different classes of compounds Detailed mechanisms of ion fragmentation Potential and challenges of data processing Detailed sample preparation Potential of derivatization techniques MALDI-MS and SIMS-MS imaging Development of solution strategies with MS for problems in biology

Molecular diagnostics, therapy and production | Lecture (VO) | Coursecode: 220574307

Gene therapy

2.00

ECTS

1.50

SWS

Principles, methods and vectors in somatic gene therapy, advantages and disadvantages of the individual administration form, risks, legal aspects, other innovative therapy strategies, application examples

Molecular diagnostics, therapy and production | Lecture/Practical (IL) | Coursecode: 220574306

Molecular diagnostics 2

5.00

ECTS

3.00

SWS

Criteria for the choice of biomarkers; procedures to identify new biomarkers (medical and environmental); single cell analysis; special knowledge in next generation sequencing, practical application and data evaluation.

Molecular diagnostics, therapy and production | Lecture (VO) | Coursecode: 220574309

Personalized medicine

3.00

ECTS

2.00

SWS

Methods and specific aspects of personalized medicine including analytical challenges, possibilities and risks of individualized medicine.

Molecular diagnostics, therapy and production | Lecture/Practical (IL) | Coursecode: 220574310

Special interdisciplinary applications

5.00

ECTS

2.50

SWS

Interdisciplinary applications in the field of molecular techniques incl. Diagnostic methods e.g. based on nanotechnology

Molecular diagnostics, therapy and production | Lecture/Practical (IL) | Coursecode: 220574308

Tissue and Protein Engineering

5.00

ECTS

3.00

SWS

Stem cells: Definition of different categories, Origin and Generation of stem cells, Growth, Differentiation/Development, Niches, manipulation/modification and characterization; Tissue engineering: Organisation and structure of tissue, immune tolerance, regeneration, wound healing, biomaterials and extracellular scaffolds; Culture conditions (2/3D-Models, bio-reactors, biomechanical stimulation), Applications (2/3D-Models, stemcell therapies, Tissue Eng.), Research project focused on regenerative medicine: Selection of novel therapeutic solutions for clinical problems, strategies for repair, replacement and regeneration of different tissues and organs; isolation of stem cells from organs and reprogramming, Setup of 3D- models (Organoids, Organ-on-a-chip,…), toxicity assays. Protein Engineering: Possibilities of targeted protein structure changes (focusing on protein design, synthetic biology, structural analysis, mutagenesis, demonstration of protein design software platforms), …

Master thesis | Modul/Final Examination (FA) | Coursecode: 220574402

Master exam

2.00

ECTS

0.00

SWS

Presentation and defence of master thesis, Exam in relation to study plan relevant contents

Master thesis | Master's Thesis (MA) | Coursecode: 220574401

Master thesis

26.00

ECTS

0.50

SWS

The aim of the master thesis is to define and examine an innovative problem using scientific methods with high level of independence, and to document and discuss the results in a thesis.

Master thesis | Seminar (SE) | Coursecode: 220574403

Master thesis seminar

2.00

ECTS

1.00

SWS

This seminar accompanies the writing process of the master thesis and provides guidelines for writing a master thesis. In addition, the students are offered professional and methodological support.