Rudolf Glockshuber: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2023

Name Prof. em. Dr. Rudolf Glockshuber
FieldMolecular Biology
Address
Inst. f. Molekularbiol.u.Biophysik
ETH Zürich, HPK F 7
Otto-Stern-Weg 5
8093 Zürich
SWITZERLAND
Telephone+41 44 633 68 19
E-mailrudi@mol.biol.ethz.ch
DepartmentBiology
RelationshipProfessor emeritus

NumberTitleECTSHoursLecturers
551-0125-00LFundamentals of Biology I: From Molecules to the Biochemistry of Cells6 credits5GJ. Vorholt-Zambelli, N. Ban, R. Glockshuber, K. Locher, J. Piel
AbstractThe lecture provides an introduction to the basics of biochemistry and molecular biology as well as evolutionary principles. The focus is on bacteria and archaea under consideration of universal concepts.
Learning objectiveIntroduction to biochemistry, molecular biology and evolutionary principles
ContentThe lecture introduces biology as an interdisciplinary science. Links to physics and chemistry will manifest as biological processes that operate within the laws of thermodynamics and are rooted in elements, molecules and chemical reactions. The transition from geochemistry to biochemistry is discussed and considered in relation to the origin of life. Evolutionary principles are introduced and resulting processes are used as a guiding principle. Unifying concepts in biology are presented, including the structure and function of cellular macromolecules and the ways in which hereditary information is encoded, decoded and replicated. Central principles of universal energy conversion are looked at, starting from redox processes and focusing on bacteria and archaea. Finally, biological processes are put into an ecosystems perspective.

The lecture is divided into different sections:
1. Geochemical perspectives on Earth and introduction to evolution
2. Building blocks of life
3. Macromolecules: Proteins
4. Membranes and transport across the plasma membrane
5. Universal mechanisms of inheritance, transcription and translation
6. Reaction Kinetics, binding equilibria and enzymatic catalysis
7. Essentials of Catabolism
8. Essentials of Anabolism
9. Metabolism and biogeochemical cycling of elements
Lecture notesThe newly conceived lecture is supported by scripts.
LiteratureThe lecture is supported by scripts.
The lecture contains elements of "Brock Biology of Microorganisms", Madigan et al. 15th edition, Pearson und "Biochemistry" (Stryer), Berg et al. 9th edition, Macmillan international.
CompetenciesCompetencies
Subject-specific CompetenciesConcepts and Theoriesassessed
Techniques and Technologiesassessed
Method-specific CompetenciesAnalytical Competenciesassessed
Problem-solvingfostered
Personal CompetenciesCritical Thinkingfostered
Self-awareness and Self-reflection fostered
551-0307-00LMolecular and Structural Biology I: Protein Structure and Function
D-BIOL students are obliged to take part I and part II (next semester) as a two-semester course
3 credits2VR. Glockshuber, K. Locher, E. Weber-Ban
AbstractBiophysics of protein folding, membrane proteins and biophysics of membranes, enzymatic catalysis, catalytic RNA and RNAi, current topics in protein biophysics and structural biology.
Learning objectiveUnderstanding of structure-function relationships in proteins and in protein folding, detailed understanding of biophysics and physical methods as well as modern methods for protein purification and microanalytics.
Lecture notesScripts on the individual topics can be found under http://www.mol.biol.ethz.ch/teaching.
LiteratureBasics:
- Creighton, T.E., Proteins, Freeman, (1993)
- Fersht, A., Enzyme, Structure and Mechanism in Protein Science (1999), Freeman.
- Berg, Tymoczko, Stryer: Biochemistry (5th edition), Freeman (2001).

Current topics: References will be given during the lectures.

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