This course presents the cellular communication systems that plants use to perceive and correctly respond to their environment. Students will learn about signal transduction in the plant cell from the stimuli perception to the reprogramming of nuclear activities and adequate integrated responses. Cellular response to physical-, chemical- or danger-stimulating factors will be examined at the molecular level through lectures combined with critical reading and presentation of scientific literature.

The objective of this course is to cultivate a molecular biology-level understanding of the structure and function of eukaryotes. We will study cell evolution, biochemistry, and the developmental stages of cells and organisms. This course will also encourage an understanding of basic principles of cell division, elongation, differentiation and death. Lectures are combined with critical reading and presentation of scientific literature.