Tadeo Cervera, Irene

La genética molecular es la rama de la genética que analiza, a nivel molecular, la estructura y la función del material genético basándose en métodos de biología molecular. A finales del siglo XX se empezaron a implementar técnicas con el fin de aislar, analizar y manipular a los ácidos nucleicos, así como a las proteínas codificadas por estos, dando lugar a la ciencia de la Biología Molecular. En 1973 Stanley Cohen (Standford University) y Herbert Boyer y cols. (University of California School of Medicine at San Francisco) insertaron un fragmento de ADN de un plásmido en otro, creando una molécula de ADN recombinante totalmente nueva, revolucionando así la biología. Anteriormente, la información acerca de la estructura y la organización de los genes se obtenía examinando sus efectos fenotípicos, pero el análisis genético molecular permite incluso leer las propias secuencias nucleotídicas, aportando nueva información sobre la estructura y la función de los genes. Las técnicas genéticas moleculares son múltiples y se emplean actualmente en muchos campos: además de en biología, se utiliza en ramas como la bioquímica, microbiología, biología del desarrollo, neurobiología, evolución, ecología y, por descontado, en diversas ramas de la veterinaria, donde es ahora indispensable para el diagnóstico de enfermedades o la selección de individuos en animales de compañía o ganadería, entre otros. Este manual tiene como objetivo proveer a los estudiantes del Grado en Veterinaria de la Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera de las competencias necesarias para llevar a cabo algunas de las técnicas más empleadas durante el desarrollo de la investigación veterinaria y de la práctica clínica. Para ello, se incluye la descripción clara de los fundamentos teóricos de los principales métodos y la explicación, paso a paso, de las técnicas empleadas.

Polymorphisms in the PER3 gene have been associated with several human disease phenotypes, including sleep disorders and cancer. In particular, the long allele of a variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism has been previously linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. Here we carried out a combined germline and somatic genetic analysis of the role of the PER3VNRT polymorphism in breast cancer. The combined data from 8284 individuals showed a non-significant trend towards increased breast cancer risk in the 5-repeat allele homozygous carriers (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 0.97–1.42). We observed allelic imbalance at the PER3 locus in matched blood and tumor DNA samples, showing a significant retention of the long variant (risk) allele in tumor samples, and a preferential loss of the short repetition allele (p = 0.0005). Gene co-expression analysis in healthy and tumoral breast tissue samples uncovered significant associations between PER3 expression levels with those from genes which belong to several cancerassociated pathways. Finally, relapse-free survival (RFS) analysis showed that low expression levels of PER3 were linked to a significant lower RSF in luminal A (p = 3 × 10−12) but not in the rest of breast cancer subtypes.

The internationalization journey of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at CEU Cardenal Herrera University (CEU-UCH) started a decade ago with the creation of the French bilingual group, followed two years later by the initiation of the English bilingual group. This initiative resulted in a substantial rise in the enrolment of international students, constituting nowadays approximately 50% of the total student population in the faculty. Consequently, the Coordinator of Bilingual Groups position was established to address the unique needs and intricacies of the international student management. Over the past 10 years, this role has undergone continuous evolution. Initially, the Coordinator played a pivotal role in various tasks, including the recruitment and admission of new students, their orientation, providing ongoing support to international students, and helping in their professional integration, always in collaboration with other services. With the success of the bilingual groups and the substantial influx of international students, specific responsibilities were delegated to specialized services while others underwent refinement. Noteworthy examples include the management of new student admissions to the French group and the validation processes for international students, the digitalization of which commenced in 2020. This, in turn, has led to a reduction in file evaluation times, enhanced the precision of collected information, and improved the overall student experience by minimizing response times. Ultimately, this innovative international management model serves as a blueprint that can be adapted and extrapolated to other domains, as well as to other Faculties and Universities.

Introduction: Learning molecular genetics techniques is part of the program of the genetics course of the veterinary degree. It is essential to maintain motivation and interest in genetics practice by using a common thread that connects with the students’ interests. This work describes the design, implementation, and results of a gamification strategy developed during two practical sessions in which the student becomes a geneticist to identify which dog a faecal sample collected from the street belongs to, as some municipalities currently do to promote hygiene and public health in their streets. The aim was for students to understand basic concepts and techniques in molecular genetics during these two sessions. This included learning how to extract DNA from different types of samples, describing the amplification using Random Amplification Polymorphic DNA (RAPD), and getting a better understanding of molecular markers and the theory behind Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Methodology: In the first practice, students extracted DNA from fresh dog faeces, while also discussing various DNA sources and extraction methods. Then they used the extracted DNA to create a simulated database of fictional dogs associated with students. They quantified the DNA, analysed its quality, and prepared a dilution to 10ng/μL. In the second practice, the students used RAPD to identify individuals by matching DNA from a simulated collected faeces sample to their fictional dogs DNA database. They performed amplification reactions with various primers pairs, followed by gel electrophoresis, to compare DNA band patterns and identify the dog and the fictional student associated with the uncollected dog faeces. The advantages and limitations of the RAPD technique were discussed, along with its potential applications in veterinary science and genetics. Results and discussion: The students were successful in extracting DNA with concentrations over 100 ng/μL in most cases as well as a good purity with respect to proteins. However, it was found that there was usually a low quality of DNA with respect to salts, although this did not influence the results of the second practice. They were able to generate reproducible RAPD profiles with all primer pairs. The unknown individual could be easily recognized within the database. Conclusions: It is concluded that this educational proposal is an effective option for teaching DNA extraction and the RAPD technique, as well as for many molecular genetics terms and concepts and contributes to the comprehensive training of future veterinary professionals. Additionally, the educational and social value of the practices are highlighted, as they promote interest in science, respect for the environment, and civic responsibility.