551-0337-00L  Cell Biology of the Nucleus

SemesterAutumn Semester 2021
LecturersR. Kroschewski, Y. Barral, M. Jagannathan, S. Jessberger, K. Weis
Periodicityyearly recurring course
Language of instructionEnglish
CommentNumber of participants limited to 18.

The enrolment is done by the D-BIOL study administration.

General safety regulations for all block courses:
The COVID certificate is mandatory at ETH Zurich.
Only students who have a Covid certificate, i.e. who have been vaccinated, have recovered or have been tested, are entitled to attend courses in attendance.
-Whenever possible the distance rules have to be respected
-All students have to wear masks throughout the course. Please keep reserve masks ready. Surgical masks (IIR) or medical grade masks (FFP2) without a valve are permitted. Community masks (fabric masks) are not allowed.
-The installation and activation of the Swiss Covid-App is highly encouraged
-Any additional rules for individual courses have to be respected
-Students showing any COVID-19 symptoms are not allowed to enter ETH buildings and have to inform the course responsible.


AbstractIntroduction to the organizational principles of the nucleus using budding yeast, drosophila and vertebrate cells as model systems.
Learning objectiveThe aim of our course is to introduce the students to the organizational principles of the nucleus using budding yeast, drosophila and vertebrate cells as model systems. Emphasis is given to:
• Establishment of nuclear identity and nuclear-cytoplasmic communication
• Reorganization of the nucleus in aging
• Animal cells during the generation of cell diversity and neuronal differentiation

By the end of the course, based on lectures, literature reading and practical lab work, the students will be able to formulate open questions concerning the function of the nucleus. Thus, the students will know about the mechanisms and consequences of nuclear-cytoplasmic compartmentalization, nuclear positioning, DNA clustering in the nucleus and cytoplasm during cell divisions and aging.
ContentDuring this block-course, the students will
- learn how organelles establish and maintain identity with a focus on the nucleus
- discover the evolutionary and functional plasticity of the nucleus
- design, apply, evaluate and compare experimental strategies


Students - in groups of 2 or max. 3 - will be integrated into a research project connected to the subject of the course, within one of the participating research groups.

Lectures and technical notes will be given and informal discussions held to provide you with the theoretical background.
Lecture notesThere will be optional papers to be read before the course start. They serve as framework orientation for the practical parts of this block course and will be made accessible to you shortly before the course starts on the relevant Moodle site.
LiteratureDocumentation and recommended literature (review articles) will be provided during the course.