Wilhelm Gruissem: Catalogue data in Spring Semester 2019

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
551-0002-00LGeneral Biology II Restricted registration - show details 4 credits4GU. Sauer, R. Aebersold, W. Gruissem
AbstractBasics of biochemistry (macromolecules, membranes, cellular structures, metabolism), molecular genetics (gene expression and its regulation; from gene to protein), and physiology of higher plants (structure, growth, development, nutrition, transport, reproduction)
ObjectiveThe understanding of basic concepts of molecular biology and physiology.
ContentHow cells function at the level of molecules and higher structures.
Molecular processes during gene expression.
Plant physiology.

The following Campbell chapters will be covered:

Week 1-5: Prof. Sauer
5 Biological macromolecules and lipids
7 Cell structure and function
8 Cell membranes
10 Respiration: introduction to metabolism
10 Cell respiration
11 Photosynthetic processes

Week 6-9: Prof. Aebersold
16 Nucleic acids and inheritance
17 Expression of genes
18 Control of gene expression
19 DNA Technology

Week 9-13: Prof. Gruissem
35 Plant Structure and Growth
36 Transport in vascular plants
37 Plant nutrition
38 Reproduction of flowering plants
39 Plants signal and behavior
Lecture notesNo script
LiteratureCampbell, Reece et al: "Biologie" (10th global edition); Pearson 2015.
551-0003-AALGeneral Biology I+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.
7 credits13RU. Sauer, R. Aebersold, W. Gruissem, O. Y. Martin, A. Widmer
AbstractGeneral Biology I: Organismic biology to teach the basic principles of classical and molecular genetics, evolutionary biology and phylogeny.

General Biology II: Molecular biology approach to teach the basic principles of biochemistry, cell biology, cgenetics, evolutionary biology and form and function of vacular plants.
ObjectiveGeneral Biology I: The understanding of basic principles of biology (inheritance, evolution and phylogeny) and an overview of the diversity of life.

General Biology II: The 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.
ContentGeneral Biology I:
General Biology I focuses on the organismal biology aspects of genetics, evolution and diversity of life in the Campbell chapters 12-34.

Week 1-7 by Alex Widmer, Chapters 12-25
12 Cell biology Mitosis
13 Genetics Sexual life cycles and meiosis
14 Genetics Mendelian genetics
15 Genetics Linkage and chromosomes
20 Genetics Evolution of genomes
21 Evolution How evolution works
22 Evolution Phylogentic reconstructions
23 Evolution Microevolution
24 Evolution Species and speciation
25 Evolution Macroevolution

Week 8-14 by Oliver Martin, Chapters 26-34
26 Diversity of Life Introdution to viruses
27 Diversity of Life Prokaryotes
28 Diversity of Life Origin & evolution of eukaryotes
29 Diversity of Life Nonvascular&seedless vascular plants
30 Diversity of Life Seed plants
31 Diversity of Life Introduction to fungi
32 Diversity of Life Overview of animal diversity
33 Diversity of Life Introduction to invertebrates
34 Diversity of Life Origin & evolution of vertebrates


General Biology II: The 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


This is a virtual self-study lecture for non-German speakers of the "Allgemeine Biology I (551-0001-00L) and "Allgemeine Biology II (551-0002-00L) lectures. The exam will be written jointly with the participants of this lecture.
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
551-0108-00LFundamentals of Biology II: Plant Biology2 credits2VO. Voinnet, W. Gruissem, S. C. Zeeman
AbstractWater balance, assimilation, transport in plants; developmental biology, stress physiology.
ObjectiveWater balance, assimilation, transport in plants; developmental biology, stress physiology.
Lecture notesPlant Biology: Handouts of the powerpoint presentation will be distributed. It can also be viewed in a password-protected web link.
LiteratureSmith, A.M., et al.: Plant Biology, Garland Science, New York, Oxford, 2010
551-0120-01LPlant Biology Colloquium (Spring Semester)
Only compulsory for Master students who started their Master in Autumn Semester 2017 or later.

This compulsory course is required only once. It may be taken in autumn as course 551-0120-00 "Plant Biology Colloquium (Autumn Semester)" or in spring as course 551-0120-01 "Plant Biology Colloquium (Spring Semester)".
2 credits1KC. Sánchez-Rodríguez, W. Gruissem, A. Rodriguez-Villalon, O. Voinnet, S. C. Zeeman
AbstractCurrent topics in Molecular Plant Biology presented by internal and external speakers from accademia.
ObjectiveGetting insight into actual areas and challenges of Molecular Plant Biology.
Contenthttp://www.impb.ethz.ch/news-and-events/colloquium-impb.html
551-0360-00LApplied Plant Biotechnology Restricted registration - show details
Does not take place this semester.
Number of participants limited to 8.

The enrolment is done by the D-BIOL study administration.
6 credits7GW. Gruissem
AbstractThe APB covers multidisciplinary aspects of green biotechnology. Students will acquire knowledge about transgenic crops in the world, processes to generate transgenic plants as well as strategies to engineer plants resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses. Development of new tools for plant biotechnology will be performed in the lab. Social aspects of green biotechnology will also be presented.
ObjectiveThe complete field of Plant Biotechnology shall be introduced in order to provide an overview over the diversity of this discipline, its connections with other disciplines, and its historical context. A major focus of the block course will be the potential of genetic modification as a tool for gene function in basic science as well as for agronomic and/or commercial application dealing with benefit and risk. Basic methods will be handled in practical experiments, lectures will provide the theoretical background including issues beyond the scientific scene like patent issues, ethical considerations, or legal regulation. The goal of this teaching unit is to educate interested students such that they overlook the discipline, are able to understand the basic methodical and intellectual approaches, understand and critically interpret the literature on this field and are able to further follow the development in this field after finishing their studies. Finally, the students should learn to develop own research projects and follow them including communication of their work to the public or the media.
ContentThe following theoretical topics will be presented:

- Plant tissue culture (N. benthamiana, cereals, cassava, cell cultures, somatic embryogenesis, regeneration)
- Methods for genetic transformation (Agrobacterium) and Molecular analysis of genetically modified (GM) plants (copy number, inheritance of transgenes etc)
- Selection systems (antibiotic and herbicide resistance, phosphor-mannose isomerase, marker-free systems, visible markers)
- Inducible promoters, tissue specific promoters
- Silencing and its application in plant biotechnology
- Biotechnological tools for crop improvement (the case of cassava and rice)
- Application potential (herbicide tolerance, pest and pathogen resistance, biofuel etc.)
- Public interest (ethical issues, patenting of GM-plants, GM food, public outreach).

Lectures will have a special focus on the contribution of biotechnology to the improvement of tropical crops such as cassava and rice. A visit to the greenhouse facilities is also planned to give the opportunity to discuss the different project performed at the ETH Plant Biotechnology Lab.

For the practical part of the blockcourse, students will perform their own research project. It will aim at the development of new promoters for green biotechnology. Students will clone the specific promoters from different plant species and subsequently produce transgenic plant cells using the methods presented during the course. Project to identify new plant resistance genes from genetically diverse set of rice lines will also be carried out as part of the practicals.
Lecture notesScripts will be distributed in the course for the practical parts and/or on Moodle platform.
LiteratureLiterature will be provided in the course
Prerequisites / NoticeLectures of APB are given in English.