Wilhelm Gruissem: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2016

Name Prof. em. Dr. Wilhelm Gruissem
FieldPlant Biotechnology
Address
Professur Pflanzenbiotechnologie
ETH Zürich, LFW E 18
Universitätstrasse 2
8092 Zürich
SWITZERLAND
Telephone+41 44 632 08 57
Fax+41 44 632 10 79
E-mailwilhelm_gruissem@ethz.ch
DepartmentBiology
RelationshipProfessor emeritus

NumberTitleECTSHoursLecturers
551-0002-AALGeneral Biology II
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.
4 credits6RU. Sauer, R. Aebersold, H.‑M. Fischer, W. Gruissem
AbstractMolecular biology approach to teach the basic principles of biochemistry, cell biology, cgenetics, evolutionary biology and form and function of vacular plants.

This is a virtual self-study lecture for non-German speakers of the "Allgemeine Biology II (551-0002-00L) lecture. The exam will be written jointly with the participants of this lecture.
ObjectiveThe understanding basic concepts of biology: the hierarchy of the structural levels of biological organisation, with particular emphasis on the cell and its molecular functions, the fundamentals of metabolism and molecular genetics, as well as form and function of vascular plants.
ContentThe structure and function of biomacromolecules; basics of metabolism; tour of the cell; membrane structure and function; basic energetics of cellular processes; respiration, photosynthesis; cell cycle, from gene to protein; structure and growth of vascular plants, resource acquisition and transport, soil and plant nutrition.

Specifically the following Campbell chapters will be covered:
3 Biochemistry Chemistry of water
4 Biochemistry Carbon: the basis of molecular diversity
5 Biochemistry Biological macromolecules and lipids
7 Cell biology Cell structure and function
8 Cell biology Cell membranes
10 Cell biology Respiration: introduction to metabolism
10 Cell biology Cell respiration
11 Cell biology Photosynthetic processes
16 Genetics Nucleic acids and inheritance
17 Genetics Expression of genes
18 Genetics Control of gene expression
19 Genetics DNA Technology
35 Plant structure&function Plant Structure and Growth
36 Plant structure&function Transport in vascular plants
37 Plant structure&function Plant nutrition
38 Plant structure&function Reproduction of flowering plants
39 Plant structure&function Plants signal and behavior
Lecture notesNo script
LiteratureCampbell et al. (2015) Biology - A Global Approach. 10th Edition (Global Edition)
Prerequisites / NoticeBasic general and organic chemistry

PLEASE NOTE This lecture is newly conceived and will be held for the first time in the spring semester 2017.
551-0108-AALFundamentals of Biology II: Plant Biology
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.
2 credits2RW. Gruissem
AbstractWater balance, assimilation, transport in plants; developmental biology, stress physiology.
ObjectiveWater balance, assimilation, transport in plants; developmental biology, stress physiology.
Lecture notesnone
LiteratureSmith, A.M., et al.: Plant Biology, Garland Science, New York, Oxford, 2010
Prerequisites / Noticenone
551-0205-00LChallenges in Plant Sciences Information
Number of participants limited to 40.
2 credits2KW. Gruissem, C. Sánchez-Rodríguez, further lecturers
AbstractThe colloquium introduces students to the disciplines in plant sciences and provides integrated knowledge from the molecular level to ecosystems and from basic research to applications, making use of the synergies between the different research groups of the PSC. The colloquium offers a unique chance to approach interdisciplinary topics as a challenge in the field of plant sciences.
ObjectiveMajor objectives of the colloquium are:

introduction of graduate students and Master students to the broad field of plant sciences
promotion of an interdisciplinary and integrative teaching program
promotion of active participation and independent work of students
promotion of presentation and discussion skills
increased interaction among students and professors
ContentChallenges in Plant Sciences will cover the following topics:
Chemical communication among plants, insect and pathogens.
Specificity in hormone signaling.
Genetic networks.
Plant-plant interactions.
Resilience of tropical ecosystems.
Regulatory factors controlling cell wall formation.
Chlorophyll breakdown.
Innate immunity.
Disease resistance genes.
Sustainable agroecosystems.
551-0311-00LMolecular Life of Plants Information 6 credits4VW. Gruissem, A. Rodriguez-Villalon, C. Sánchez-Rodríguez, O. Voinnet, S. C. Zeeman
AbstractThe advanced course introduces students to plants through a concept-based discussion of developmental processes that integrates physiology and biochemistry with genetics, molecular biology, and cell biology. The course follows the life of the plant, starting with the seed, progressing through germination to the seedling and mature plant, and ending with reproduction and senescence.
ObjectiveThe new course "Molecular Life of Plants" reflects the rapid advcances that are occurring in the field of experimental plant biology as well as the changing interests of students being trained in this discipline. Contemporary plant biology courses emphasize a traditional approach to experimental plant biology by discussing discrete topics that are removed from the context of the plant life cycle. The course will take an integrative approach that focuses on developmental concepts. Whereas traditional plant physiology courses were based on research carried out on intact plants or plant organs and were often based on phenomenological observations, current research in plant biology emphasizes work at the cellular, subcellular and molecular levels.

The goal of "Molecular Life of Plants" is to train students in integrative approaches to understand the function of plants in a developmental context. While the course focuses on plants, the training integrative approaches will also be useful for other organisms.
ContentThe course "Molecular Life of Plants" will cover the following topics in a developmental context:

Plant genome organization
Seed anatomy
Food reserves and mobilization
Seedling emergence
Heterotrophic to autotrophic growth
Chlorophyll biosynthesis, photoreceptors
Integration of metabolism
Hormones
Cell cycle
Cell differentiation and expansion
Environmental interactions—abiotic
Environmental interactions—biotic
Flower development and fertilization
Embryo and seed development
Fruit development
Senescence
551-1295-00LIntroduction to Bioinformatics: Concepts and Applications Information 6 credits4GW. Gruissem, K. Bärenfaller, A. Caflisch, G. Capitani, J. Fütterer, M. Robinson, A. Wagner
AbstractStorage, handling and analysis of large datasets have become essential in biological research. The course will introduce students to a number of applications of bioinformatics in biology. Freely accessible software tools and databases will be explained and explored in theory and praxis.
ObjectiveIntroduction to Bioinformatics I: Concepts and Applications (formerly Bioinformatics I) will provide students with the theoretical background of approaches to store and retrieve information from large databases. Concepts will be developed how DNA sequence information can be used to understand phylogentic relationships, how RNA sequence relates to structure, and how protein sequence information can be used for genome annotation and to predict protein folding and structure. Students will be introduced to quantitative methods for measuring gene expression and how this information can be used to model gene networks. Methods will be discussed to construct protein interaction maps and how this information can be used to simulate dynamic molecular networks.

In addition to the theoretical background, the students will develop hands-on experiences with the bioinformatics methods through guided exercises. The course provides students from different backgrounds with basic training in bioinformatics approaches that have impact on biological, chemical and physics experimentation. Bioinformatics approaches draw significant expertise from mathematics, statistics and computational science.

Although "Intoduction to Bioinformatics I" will focus on theory and praxis of bioinformatics approaches, the course provides an important foundation for the course "Introduction to Bioinformatics II: Fundamentals of computer science, modeling and algorithms" that will be offered in the following semester.
ContentBioinformatics I will cover the following topics:

From genes to databases and information
BLAST searches
Prediction of gene function and regulation
RNA structure prediction
Gene expression analysis using microarrays
Protein sequence and structure databases
WWW for bioinformatics
Protein sequence comparisons
Proteomics and de novo protein sequencing
Protein structure prediction
Cellular and protein interaction networks
Molecular dynamics simulation