Official description

This course investigates the nature of biomolecules and how their interactions define cellular function. The course will have three modules: nature of proteins, signal transmission in cells, and cellular (bacterial) growth laws. Each module will have a "project" that students will be given to work on. The goal of the projects is to allow students to get both a big picture of where the field is and also give hands-on experience with tractable problems that highlight conceptual advances in these important areas of cellular biophysics. Examples of the questions we will address:

Proteins: Rules of molecular machines. Why do some amino acid sequences fold and function while others don't?

Signaling: Information transmission in cells. How do single cells get information about their environment and use this to perform computation essential for cellular functions?

Cellular growth: How simple cells - bacteria - partition resources between growth and other functions that allow getting resources for growth?

Additional information

Grading scheme:

Class participation: 10% (Students are required to read assigned papers to be discussed in lectures. Submitting a critical 1-page discussion of the respective paper will be required 24h before each class.)

Assignments: 60% (Four equally weighted homework assignments.)

Teaching Presentation: 15%

Research Paper Presentation: 15%