Subjects taught at the Chair of Medicinal Plant and Mushroom Biotechnology

PHARMACY

PHARMACEUTICAL BOTANY
(1st year, semester II)
Subject coordinator: prof. dr hab. Bożena Muszyńska

Educational objectives:

• familiarize students with the basics of medicinal plants, mushrooms, and prokaryotes, preparing them for the study of pharmacognosy;
• acquire skills in microscopic analysis of medicinal plant materials, macroscopic species identification, determining their botanical family affiliation, and gain practical knowledge of poisonous plants and mushrooms, in connection with biodiversity conservation and green transformation;
• introduce students to methods for searching and verifying sources of knowledge about medicinal plants and mushrooms.

Optional subject – PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY – PHARMACEUTICAL RELEVANCE
(2nd year, semester III)
Subject coordinator: dr Agnieszka Szewczyk

Educational objectives:

• learning about research directions in plant biotechnology important from the pharmaceutical point of view (accumulation of secondary metabolites in in vitro plant cultures, biotransformation processes, genetic transformation, micropropagation of medicinal plants), learning about research methodology and issues;
• arousing interest in modern research methods in the field of plant biotechnology, possibilities of their use in pharmacy, cosmetics and food industry.

Optional subject – EXOTIC PLANTS IN THERAPY, COSMETOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY
(2nd year, semester III)
Subject coordinator: dr Inga Kwiecień

Educational objectives:

• supplementing the knowledge provided in the subject Pharmaceutical Botany;
• supplementing and expanding knowledge on the importance of exotic plants in allopathic treatment; familiarizing with basic knowledge on the importance of exotic plants in aromatherapy, in homeopathy and as a source of cosmetic raw materials; expanding knowledge on dangerous and poisonous species of exotic plants;
• acquiring the ability to recognize selected species of exotic plants; the ability to obtain information on new species of exotic plants introduced to European and Polish medicine;
• arousing a deeper interest in the richness of the plant world, the possibilities of using species of exotic plants for pharmaceutical and parapharmaceutical purposes; interest in species of exotic plants for toxicological reasons; openness to new scientific developments in the field of ethnobotany; developing the need to have extensive knowledge of exotic plants in order to increase the prestige of the profession of a pharmacist employed in a pharmacy.

Optional subject – HIGHER MUSHROOMS – BIOTECHNOLOGICAL, HEALTH AND TOXICOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE
(3rd year, semester V)
Subject coordinator: prof. dr hab. Bożena Muszyńska

Educational objectives:

• supplementing and expanding knowledge on the therapeutic and toxicological importance of higher mushrooms;
• acquiring the ability to recognize selected species of higher mushrooms (including medicinal species);
• developing a deeper interest in the diversity of the mushrooms world and the possibilities of using species of higher mushrooms for pharmaceutical purposes.

Optional subject – PLANT TOXICOLOGY
(4th year, semester VIII)
Subject coordinator: prof. dr hab. Agnieszka Szopa

Educational objectives:

• expanding the knowledge of pharmacy students in the field of plant toxicology;
• acquiring knowledge in the field of toxic and psychoactive effects of domestic and exotic plants;
• shaping attitudes of interest in the adverse effects of plants.

Optional subject – PHARMACEUTICAL ALGOLOGY WITH ELEMENTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
(5th year, semester IX)
Subject coordinator: prof. dr hab. Bożena Muszyńska

Educational objectives:

• to familiarize students with the topics related to important species of algae not covered by the framework of the compulsory education module used in medicinal preparations.

COSMETOLOGY

COSMETIC PLANTS
(1st year, semester I)
Subject coordinator: dr hab. Katarzyna Sułkowska-Ziaja

Educational objectives:

• obtaining detailed knowledge of plants that are a source of cosmetic raw materials used in the production of cosmetics, taking into account the botanical, ecological, chemical and pharmacological characteristics of the most important plant species.

COSMETIC PLANT MATERIALS
(1st year, semester I)
Subject coordinator: dr hab. Katarzyna Sułkowska-Ziaja

Educational objectives:

• obtaining detailed knowledge about cosmetic plant materials, taking into account the physico-chemical characteristics and biological activity of primary and secondary metabolites as well as the botanical characteristics of the plants that are the source of their acquisition.

Optional subject – EXOTIC PLANTS AND THEIR ROLE IN COSMETOLOGY
(1st year, semester I)
Subject coordinator: dr hab. Katarzyna Sułkowska-Ziaja

Educational objectives:

• familiarizing students with the botanical diversity of exotic plant species currently used in cosmetology;
• introducing students to the chemical composition and biological properties of active substances found in exotic plants and their cosmetic applications;
• introducing students to methods of obtaining cosmetic raw materials of exotic origin, including through import, field and greenhouse cultivation, and biotechnological solutions;
• motivating students to independently deepen their knowledge and monitor trends in the use of exotic plant raw materials in the global cosmetics market.

Optional subject – ALGAE AND HIGHER MUSHROOMS AND THEIR ROLE IN COSMETOLOGY
(2nd year, semester III)
Subject coordinator: prof. dr hab. Bożena Muszyńska

Educational objectives:

• to familiarize students with the topics related to important species of algae and higher mushrooms, not covered by the framework of the compulsory education module, used in cosmetic preparations.

MEDICAL ANALYTICS

Optional subject – HERBAL MEDICINE
(1st year, semester II)
Subject coordinator: prof. dr hab. Agnieszka Szopa

Educational objectives:

• the aim of the subject is to familiarize students with the basics of knowledge about traditional herbal medicine and modern phytotherapy;
• the student will acquire basic knowledge of the chemical composition and use of medicinal plants in the therapy of selected diseases, acquire skills in macroscopic recognition of selected species of medicinal plants and shape an attitude of interest in herbal medicine and its growing importance in modern medicine.

DOCTORAL SCHOOL OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES

Optional subject – NATUROTHERAPY
(2nd year, semester III)
Subject coordinator: prof. dr hab. Bożena Muszyńska

Educational objectives:

• to familiarize doctoral students with natural resources and their use in modern medicine;
• to provide knowledge on the use of natural resources in the therapy of selected diseases.

FACULTY OF MEDICINE
CLINICAL DIETETICS

Optional subject – NATURAL RAW MATERIALS IN DIET THERAPY

(2nd year, semester III)

Subject coordinator: prof. dr hab. Bożena Muszyńska

Educational objectives:
• to familiarize students with basic information on important natural medicinal resources that are important in a proper diet, prevention and therapy of selected diseases.

POSTGRADUATE STUDIES

NATURAL RESOURCES IN PREVENTION AND THERAPY

Subject coordinator: prof. dr hab. Bożena Muszyńska

ALL INFORMATION ABOUT THE COURSE AND RECRUITMENT IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE: https://skp.cm-uj.krakow.pl/surowce-naturalne-w-profilaktyce-i-terapii/

MASTER’S THESES
Admission criteria for master’s theses

Pharmacy

• Students planning to complete their master’s thesis at the Chair of Medicinal Plant and Mushroom Biotechnology should demonstrate interest in the research topics conducted at the Chair. In the case of a large number of interested candidates, preference will be given to those actively involved in the Student’s Scientific Group organized at the Chair. The candidate’s selection will also be determined by the grade from the exam in pharmaceutical botany. Candidates are welcome to participate in optional classes conducted by the Chair of Medicinal Plant and Mushroom Biotechnology Team.
• The final decision on accepting a candidate for a master’s thesis and assigning a supervisor is made by the Head of the Chair of Medicinal Plant and Mushroom Biotechnology.

Cosmetology

• Students planning to complete their master’s thesis at the Chair of Medicinal Plant and Mushroom Biotechnology should demonstrate interest in the research topics conducted at the Chair. In the case of a large number of applicants, the candidate’s selection will be determined by the grade from the exam in the subject Cosmetic plant materials or Cosmetic plants. Candidates are welcome to participate in optional classes conducted by the Chair of Medicinal Plant and Mushroom Biotechnology Team.
• The final decision on accepting a candidate for a master’s thesis and assigning a supervisor is made by the Head of the Chair of Medicinal Plant and Mushroom Biotechnology.