This Course introduces principle concepts, techniques, and experimental strategies used in modern Cell Biology. Major topics include: neuron-glia interactions in health and disease; mitochondrial dynamics; stem cell biology; growth factor action in development, tissue repair and disease; cancer biology; cell metabolism.

This course will consider genetic, cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying some of the most common human diseases. Areas of focus include developmental mechanisms of disease, the molecular biology and physiology of tissue repair and the metabolic basis of diseases. The course combines practical work with lectures, discussions, project preparations and presentations.

Critical overview about canonical and most importantly recently discovered pathways controlling cellular metabolism and disscussion of their contribution to metabolic diseases such as Type II Diabetes, obesity and atherosclerosis as well as addressing up-to-date methods and tools to investigate new hypotheses and scientific questions in the field.

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.

Insights into pathophysiological aspects of selected metabolic disorders in man. One focus will be on diabetes and/or obesity.