This course is geared towards starting undergraduate students. A solid background in biology will be helpful but not absolutely essential. The material will be of interest to those who are pursuing a career in any of the life sciences as well as anyone who has run up against their biological clock.
Circadian clocks: how rhythms structure life
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)About this Course
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Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible deadlines
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Approx. 12 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English, Romanian
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Approx. 12 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English, Romanian
Offered by
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
As one of Europe's leading research universities, LMU Munich is committed to the highest international standards of excellence in research and teaching. Building on its 500-year-tradition of scholarship, LMU covers a broad spectrum of disciplines, ranging from the humanities and cultural studies through law, economics and social studies to medicine and the sciences.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
2 hours to complete
WEEK 1
Introduction to 'chronobiology'. What sorts of rhythms are observed in nature? Most of the lecture will be spent on describing daily or circadian rhythms in organisms from bacteria to man.
2 hours to complete
9 videos (Total 62 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes
9 videos
1.1 The Family of Biological Rhythms 7m
1.2 The Circa-Rhythms5m
1.3 Spatial and Temporal Niches3m
1.4 The Case of Gonyaulax polyedra 6m
1.5 Introduction to the Second Half of Lecture 1 50s
1.6 Circadian Rhythms in Mammals 7m
1.7 Circadian Clocks in Flies, Plants and Fungi12m
1.8 Wrap up for Lecture 118m
1 reading
Literature suggestion10m
2 practice exercises
Lecture 1, Introduction, first half.10m
Lecture 1, Introduction, second half.10m
1 hour to complete
WEEK 2
Circadian rhythms synchronise to the 24-hour environment. Organisms use specialised photoreceptors to do this and they display characteristic properties in this process. We experience this active synchronisation process for example when we suffer from jet lag!
1 hour to complete
5 videos (Total 46 min), 3 readings, 1 quiz
5 videos
2.1 Pittendrigh´s generalisations 1-9 17m
2.2 Pittendrigh´s generalisations 10 and 11 7m
2.3 Pittendrigh´s generalisations 12-16 and entrainment11m
2.4 Wrap-up for Lecture 28m
3 readings
Literature suggestion10m
Translation of de Mairan's botanical observation5m
Obituary Jürgen Aschoff10m
1 practice exercise
Formalisms12m
1 hour to complete
WEEK 3
We will discuss the elaborate molecular mechanisms that allow circadian clocks to produce their daily rhythms and to synchronise them to its environment. We will compare these mechanisms in a wide range of organisms.
1 hour to complete
8 videos (Total 62 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz
8 videos
3.1 The first clock gene8m
3.2 The negative feedback hypothesis 15m
3.3 More clock genes -many more! 5m
3.4 Post transcriptional mechanisms and the clock 11m
3.5 Indications of a non-transcriptional clock 6m
3.6 Zeitgebers and the molecular clockwork9m
3.7 Wrap-up to Lecture 34m
1 reading
Literature suggestion10m
1 practice exercise
Lecture 3 Molecular mechanisms12m
1 hour to complete
WEEK 4
Circadian clocks serve to orchestrate physiology and metabolism in a coordinated way over the course of the day. Therefore, practically all processes in an organism are regulated outputs of the clock. We'll discuss examples of these processes and ideas about how this circadian regulation works.
1 hour to complete
8 videos (Total 60 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz
8 videos
4.1 Clock control: which processes in humans and how to measure them? 10m
4.2 Schwänzeltanz 5m
4.3 The SCN regulates the timing of physiology and behaviour 3m
4.4 Clock controlled genes (ccg´s) 14m
4.5 Clock regulation of behaviour: genetic mechanisms 5m
4.6 Clock regulation of other major regulatory systems 4m
4.7 Wrap-Up to Lecture 414m
1 reading
Literature suggestion10m
1 practice exercise
Lecture 4: Clock control10m
Reviews
TOP REVIEWS FROM CIRCADIAN CLOCKS: HOW RHYTHMS STRUCTURE LIFE
by SHOct 24, 2019
The course is very organized and interesting. I learned a lot about the basics of circadian rhythm, It is very useful for the beginners and for all biological fields.
by AAApr 8, 2020
The course was amazing and extremely helpful to better understand how circadian clocks work and their impact on our life. I strongly recommend it.
by ZDJun 18, 2019
What an incite into this world of light and dark! Great derailed course that leads to better understanding of chronology and the clocks inside.
by PRApr 30, 2020
It was an amazing experience learning through this course, it enables flexible timings and hence is more comfortable for any student.
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