| Venue: | Institute of Neurosciences and Biophysics 1, Cellular Biophysics Building: 15.1, Seminar-Room 249 |
| Start: | Wednesday, April 11th , 2007 |
| Time: | "Introduction to Statistical Physics": 13.30 - 15.00, |
| Break from 15.00 to 15.30, | |
"Molecules of Life": 15.30 - 17.00. |
11. April 2007: "Biopolymers & Cell Walls" (Schurr)
Biopolymers fulfill crucial roles in the structure of cells. A special example are cell walls of plants, which is a composite material of a variety of biopolymers that fulfill specific functions. Storage is another major function of biopolymers like starch or fructans.
25. April 2007: "X-ray crystallography and protein structure" (Büldt)
The beauty of protein structures at atomic resolution. What are protein structures good for? Scattering laws for X-rays, neutrons, electrons, and light. Fundamentals of protein crystallography. How to obtain crystals from water soluble proteins and membrane proteins? Ground state crystal structures of proteins. Crystal structures of intermediate states of the working cycle of proteins (bacteriorhodopsin and sensory rhodopsin). Time-resolved crystallography (myoglobin).
09. Mai 2007: "NMR-Spectroscopy" (Willbold)
Attention! The date of this lecture has changed. It will take place on Wednesday, 4th of July 2007 from 10.00 - 11.30!
The lecture will introduce the basics of nuclear magnetic-resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. This includes the basic principle, the Fourier-transform methods to collect data, and the principle of two- and more-dimensional experiments. The second part of the lecture introduces the principles of how to assign each resonance of the NMR spectra to single nuclei of a protein. It will be explained how a high-resolution three-dimensional structure of a protein is obtained from NMR data. Finally, other biomolecular applications of NMR will be presented.
23. Mai 2007: "Optical Spectroscopy I (Fluorescence spectroscopy)" (Seidel)
Attention!! Today, "Introduction to Statistical Physics" and "Molecules of life" changed times. This lecture will happen from 13.30 - 15.00; "Introduction to Statistical Physics" will happen from 15.30 - 17.00.
The lecture will introduce the basics of fluorescence spectroscopy. The physical foundations of light absorption and electronic excitation will be discussed using the Jablonski diagram. Methods are introduced to register and analyze the full parameter space of fluorescence. Using pulsed excitation and time-correlated single-photon counting the evolution of the eight-dimensional fluorescence information (fundamental anisotropy, fluorescence lifetime, fluorescence intensity, time, excitation spectrum, fluorescence spectrum, fluorescence quantum yield, distance between fluorophores) can be monitored simultaneously. If one strives for the ultimate sensitivity, fluorescence spectroscopy can be also applied to study the structure and dynamics of single molecules using the technique of fluorescence-resonance-energy-transfer (FRET).
06. Juni 2007: "Optical Spectroscopy II" (Enderlein)
The lecture will deepen various aspects fluorescence spectroscopy. Simple model of an absorbing/emitting molecule and electrodynamics of a dipole emitter. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) is one of the many different modes of high-resolution spatial and temporal analysis of extremely low concentrated biomolecules. In contrast to other fluorescence techniques, the parameter of primary interest is not the emission intensity itself, but rather spontaneous intensity fluctuations caused by the minute deviations of the small system from thermal equilibrium. In general, all physical parameters that give rise to fluctuations in the fluorescence signal are accessible by FCS. It is, for example, rather straightforward to determine local concentrations, mobility coefficients or characteristic rate constants of inter- or intramolecular reactions of fluorescently labeled biomolecules in nanomolar concentrations
20. Juni 2007: "Mechanical Methods" (Merkel)
In this lecture the basics of some mechanical techniques for the study of biomolecules and cells will be described. Adaptations necessary for biological studies will be discussed. Principles of scanning force microscopy (AFM), optical tweezers, and magnetic tweezers will be explained.
04. Juli 2007:
"NMR-Spectroscopy" (Willbold), from 10.00 - 11.30
The lecture will introduce the basics of nuclear magnetic-resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. This includes the basic principle, the Fourier-transform methods to collect data, and the principle of two- and more-dimensional experiments. The second part of the lecture introduces the principles of how to assign each resonance of the NMR spectra to single nuclei of a protein. It will be explained how a high-resolution three-dimensional structure of a protein is obtained from NMR data. Finally, other biomolecular applications of NMR will be presented.
"Electrophysiology" (Offenhäusser), from 15.30 - 17.00
Electrical potentials across membranes. Diffusion, Donnan, surface potentials. What generates an electrical potential: ion channels, ion pumps, and carriers. The basic of electrophysiological recording techniques.
18. Juli 2007: "Optical Microscopy" (Enderlein)
Anatomy of a microscope: illumination, detection, and resolution limit in optical microscopy. Differential interference contrast microscopy. Fluorescence microscopy: confocal microscopy; wide-field microscopy; near-field microscopy; super-resolution microscopy.
BioSoft