ProgramProgram
MorphoPHEN is a one-year Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (60 ECTS), divided in two semesters of 30 ECTS each. It brings knowledge on the four main branches necessary to analyze mouse disease models morphologically: Anatomy and Embryology, Pathology, Imaging, and Deep Learning. This curriculum is divided in the following Teaching Modules:
Module 1.
Mouse Anatomy and Pathobiology
10 ECTS
UAB. BARCELONA
- Mouse status in biomedicine
- Standardized nomenclature for mice
- Anatomical and histological methods
- Mouse embryology and placenta
- Gross anatomy and topography in mouse
- Histology of mouse organs
- Ultrastructure of mouse tissues
- Ontological approach to mouse morphology
- Introduction to general mouse pathology
- Mouse necropsy Pathology of the major organ systems
- Optional language course (Spanish, Catalan)
Module 2.
Mouse Imaging
- Anatomical bases of mouse imaging
- Mouse handling, care, and anesthesia
- Imaging using ionizing radiation (X-ray, CT, SPECT, PET)
- Imaging using non-ionizing radiation (MRI, FMT, NIR, HFUS, PAI)
- Hybrid imaging (PET/CT, PET/MR, US/PAI)
- Imaging contrast agents
Applications: cell trafficking and cell tissue homing, angiogenesis, hypoxia, apoptosis and inflammation - Optional language course (Italian)
Module 3.
Deep learning and experimental design
- Introduction to deep and machine learning
- Classifiers and metrics for evaluation
- Supervised and unsupervised algorithms
- Convolutional neural and recurrent networks
- Methodologies for 1D and 2D signals: sliding windows, super-pixels, streaming data and whole pictures transformation
- Methodologies for conducting deep learning experiments
- Experimental design with mice: quantitative comparison, ARRIVE and 3Rs
- Optional language course (Greek)
Module 4.
Master’s Degree Dissertation
10 ECTS
- Short research project on anatomy, pathology, imaging and deep learning applied to the phenotyping of mouse disease models
The mobility starts with the Joint Inception Week at UAB in Spain where students will be enrolled in the MorphoPHEN master program. Matter related with visas, stay permits, fiscal code request, insurance, access to health systems, and housing will be discussed with students during the Joint Inception Week. At the beginning of first semester, students remain at UAB and follow the Module 1 (mouse anatomy, embryology, and pathobiology), then students move to UNINA in Italy to learn the anatomical basis of imaging, imaging modalities, and diagnose by image (Module 2). During the second semester students will move to move to AUTH in Greece to continue with Module 3 (deep learning applied to mouse imaging diagnostics and experimental design). Finally, in the second semester students can undertake their master’s degree dissertation under supervision of any partner university.
MorphoPHEN is supported by the high-level multidisciplinary network of associated partners. They give lectures, participate in the scientific boards of the master’s program and offer master’s degree dissertation projects for the MorphoPHEN students.
The associated partners of MorphoPHEN are:
Two universities, the University of Cambridge (UCAM) pioneer in developing mouse ontologies and informatics, and the universities of Copenhagen (UCPH) specialized in mouse pathology.
Four major European mouse clinics (CERBM-ICS, MRC Harwell, HMGU, and CCP-IMG) equipped with integrated facilities for production and characterization of genetically engineered mouse models are also associated partners of MorphoPHEN. These mouse clinics are developing and using state of art mouse imaging technologies and have long-standing expertise in pathology phenotyping along with the data-capture, annotation, and bioinformatic analysis capabilities to interpret the resulting datasets.
Two of the largest producers and suppliers of mouse models worldwide heavily involved in drug research (CHARLES RIVER, and TCP), and a company leader in the field of preclinical imaging (FF-SS) are also essential associated partners of MorphoPHEN.
Finally, the interaction with two international mouse phenotyping consortiums INFRAFRONTIER, IMPC, and the South American Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, and the Veterinary Pathology Core Laboratory of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital provides MorphoPHEN with a unique and preeminent global position to teach a common and fundamental skill set and required knowledge to validate morphologically mouse models of human diseases.
