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551-0103-AAL 5 Credits MSC D-CHAB
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Fundamentals of Biology II: Cell Biology

Lecturers & Examiners: Prof. em. Dr. Ulrich Suter, Prof. Dr. Sabine Werner, Prof. Dr. Yves Barral, Prof. Dr. Ulrike Kutay, Prof. em. Dr. Ernst Hafen, Prof. em. Dr. Gebhard Schertler
Enrolment ONLY for MSc students with a decree declaring this course unit as an additional admission requirement. Any other students (e.g. incoming exchange students, doctoral students) CANNOT enrol for this course unit.
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Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:40:54

Abstract

The goal of this course is to provide students with a wide general understanding in cell biology. With this material as a foundation, students have enough of a cell biological basis to begin their specialization not only in cell biology but also in related fields such as biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacological sciences, molecular biology, and others.

Objective

The goal of this course is to provide students with a wide general understanding cell biology. With this material as a foundation, students have enough of a cell biological basis to begin their specialization not only in cell biology but also in related fields such as biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacological sciences, molecular biology, and others.

Content

The focus is animal cells and the development of multicellular organisms with a clear emphasis on the molecular basis of cellular structures and phenomena. The topics include biological membranes, the cytoskeleton, protein sorting, energy metabolism, cell cycle and division, viruses, extracellular matrix, cell signaling, embryonic development and cancer research.

Resources

Literature

Alberts et al. 'Molecular Biology of the Cell' 6th edition, 2014, ISBN 9780815344322 (hard cover) and ISBN 9780815345244 (paperback). Topic/Lecturer/Chapter/Pages: Analyzing cells & molecules / Gebhard Schertler/8/ 439-463; Membrane structure / Gebhard Schertler/ 10/ 565-595; Compartments and Sorting/ Ulrike Kutay/12+14+6/641-694/755-758/782-783/315-320/325 -333/Table 6-2/Figure6-20, 6-21, 6-32, 6-34; Intracellular Membrane Traffic/ Ulrike Kutay/13/695-752; The Cytoskeleton/ Ulrike Kutay/ 16/889 - 948 (only the essentials); Membrane Transport of Small Molecules and the Electrical Properties of Membranes /Sabine Werner/11/597 - 633; Mechanisms of Cell Communication / Sabine Werner/15/813-876; Cancer/ Sabine Werner/20/1091-1141; Cell Junctions and Extracellular Matrix/Ueli Suter / 1035-1081; Stem Cells and Tissue Renewal/Ueli Suter /1217-1262; Development of Multicellular organisms/ Ernst Hafen/ 21/ 1145-1179 /1184-1198/1198-1213; Cell Migration/Joao Matos/951-960; Cell Death/Joao Matos/1021-1032; Cell Cycle/chromosome segregation/Cell division/Meiosis/Joao Matos/ 963-1018.

General Information

Language
English
Levels
MSC
Frequency
Semesterly recurring

Examination

Type
session examination
Mode
written 150 minutes
Aids
none

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
revision course / private study Fundamentals of Biology II: Cell Biology
Self-study course. No presence required.
No time listed 150 h semesterly

Offered In