This course trains Master’s students in scientific reasoning and research proposal writing in cell biology, biochemistry, and life sciences. With a supervisor, students develop a research overview, identify testable questions, and design an experimental strategy. Workshops cover critical reasoning, generative AI, writing, and presentation skills, culminating in proposal submission and defense.

The course will introduce students to key concepts and laboratory research within the broad field of "Genome stability".

The cell interior is densely packed with macromolecules that self-organize through liquid-liquid phase separation and polymerization. In this interdisciplinary block course, we look at different experimental and theoretical approaches that investigate the fundamental principles of these interactions, how they are regulated and how they influence cell functions and properties of the cell interior.

Concepts and molecular mechanisms underlying the biochemistry of the cell, providing advanced insights into structure, function and regulation of individual cell components. Particular emphasis will be put on the spatial and temporal integration of different molecules and signaling pathways into global cellular processes such as intracellular transport, cell division & growth, and cell migration.

This course will focus on molecular mechanisms and concepts underlying cellular biochemistry, providing advanced insights into the structural and functional details of individual cell components, and the complex regulation of their interactions. Particular emphasis will be on the spatial and temporal integration of different molecules and signaling pathways into global cellular processes.

The course can be taken alone or in combination with the spring course “A Problem Based Approach to Cellular Biochemistry”. During this seminar style course, students will explore research topics in cellular biochemistry focused on the structure, function and regulation of selected cell components. In the best case, student efforts can be aligned with an ongoing or future research project.

This Master level course delves into the emerging field of biomolecular condensates - membrane-less organelles in cells. Using interdisciplinary concepts from biology, chemistry, biophysics, and soft matter, we will explore the biological properties of these condensates, their functions in health and disease, and their potentiol as new biomimetic materials for various applications.

Organisms have to control their growth in accordance with environmental conditions. Interestingly, the pathways regulating growth often also affect aging. This course focuses on the analysis of growth regulation in yeast, Drosophila, and mammalian cells and on its connection to aging. The participants will perform experiments to study insulin/TOR signaling as a key regulator of growth and aging.

Organisms have to control their growth in accordance with environmental conditions. Interestingly, the pathways regulating growth often also affect aging. This course focuses on the analysis of growth regulation and aging in yeast, Drosophila, and mammalian cells. The participants will perform original research experiments to study various aspects of these two processes.