Faculty of Science

Biophysics of Cells and Single Molecules - PhD course
Provider: Faculty of Science

Activity no.: 5898-20-11-31
	Enrollment deadline: 31/08/2020

Date and time

31.08.2020, at: 00:00 - 08.11.2020, at: 16:00

Regular seats

ECTS credits

7.50

Contact person

Julie Meier E-mail address: juliemh@nbi.ku.dk

Enrolment Handling/Course Organiser

Liselotte Jauffred E-mail address: liselotte.jauffred@nbi.ku.dk

Semester/Block

Block 1

Scheme group

Exam form

Oral examination

Exam form

Continuous assessment

Exam details

The mandatory project will be in the middle of the course period and will be based on answering questions in connection to scientific papers. The oral exam will take place in the exam week after the course period; the students will beforehand receive the questions for the oral exam and there will be no preparation time at the exam.

Exam aids

Without aids

Grading scale

Passed / Not passed

Criteria for exam assessment

see learning outcome

Exam re-examination

Same as the regular exam. It will be possible to re-submit the presentation and the mandatory project before the re-exam; please contact the course responsible.

Course workload

Course workload category	Hours
Lectures	30.00
Class Instruction	20.00
Preparation	105.00
Theory exercises	20.00
Project work	30.00
Exam	1.00

Sum	206.00

Content

This course aims to give a broad introduction to cell mechanics and single molecule research with a focus on experimental biophysics.

Cells generate and sustain mechanical forces within their environment as part of their normal physiology. The active materials of the cell can detect mechanical stimulation by the activation of mechanosensitive signaling pathways, and respond to physical cues through cytoskeletal re-organization and force generation. Perturbations to the mechanical environment can affect cell behavior through mechano-sensing at the cell surface. To better understand these mechanisms we will explore physical phenomena like cytoskeleton dynamics, cell-cell interactions, viscoelasticity and perturbations to the mechanical environment influences cellular growth, shape maintenance, decision-making, motility etc.

The course is based on a combination of classical cell mechanics in combination with recent research results. Hence, an important aspect of the course is critical assessment of primary literature.

Formal requirements

Important information for students outside of Denmark:

This course is primarily for students at the University of Copenhagen and other universities in Denmark. If you wish to participate in this course, but you are outside of DK, please send an email to the course responsible or the contact person to find out if you may be allowed to participate. Do not use the online application, as it will be voided. Thank you.

Learning outcome

Skills
The aim of the course is to make the students able to:

- describe biological polymers with continuous mechanics
- explain how entropy drives elasticity of biopolymers
- describe polymerization dynamics and how it drives pushing and pulling
- explain directed motion of molecular motors
- identify the few key parameters that drive cell motility
- apply non-equilibrium theories; including Jarzynski's Equality and Crooks theorem
- describe polymer networks and membranes with continuous mechanics
- classify viscous and elastic regimes for cellular micro-rheology
- derive analytical expressions predicting shapes of biomembranes
- classify the different physical interactions that exist between biomembranes
- derive analytic expressions for the different nano-scale interactions between biomembranes

Knowledge
The course aims at providing an overview of the field of cell mechanics; including single molecule systems such as molecular motors and nuclear acids, as well as the mechanics of membranes and the dynamic filaments of the cytoskeleton. Furthermore, the student will gain knowledge of particular examples from the forefront of experimental biophysics research.

Competencies
The aim of the course is that the student should be able to apply physics to obtain a quantitative understanding of complex biological systems. The course participants will understand how important force and mechanical properties are for the development of life at all scales. The course participants will also gain competences in understanding the principles, capabilities, and limitations of some techniques commonly used to study experimental biophysics. Finally, the students will learn to critically read scientific papers and to disseminate the content to fellow students.

Literature

See Absalon for final course material. Please apply as a Credit Student and you will have access to Absalon.

The following is an example of expected course literature:

Physical Biology of the Cell 2nd edition edited by Prof. R Phillips (ISBN 9780815344506) in combination with primary literature (scientific papers) and lecture notes.

Remarks

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree in biophysics, physics, or nanoscience.
However, in the past also students with, e.g., a biochemical, chemical or biological background have successfully completed the course.

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.

Click the search button to search Courses.

See which courses you can attend and when

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Publication of new courses
All planned PhD courses at the PhD School are visible in the course catalogue. Courses are published regularly.