Physik der Gene

What it is about

In this module you will learn the physical properties of DNA and RNA — from thermodynamics and secondary structure to topology, polyelectrolyte behavior and the physical aspects of replication, transcription and translation. In the end you will be able to apply these concepts to biotechnological, genetic engineering and nanotechnological questions and perform simple calculations on DNA structure and thermodynamics.

What you will be able to do

• Formulate and apply essential biophysical properties of nucleic acids
• Understand physical aspects of gene expression
• Follow and contribute to scientific talks on nucleic acid biophysics
• Independently conduct literature research based on the taught fundamentals
• Perform simple calculations on DNA structure and thermodynamics (possibly with software)

What the module consists of

• VorlesungPresentation of thematically structured content and integration into scientific discussions
• ÜbungDeepening through discussion of specific problems, calculation tasks and review of specialized literature

Teaching method

• VorlesungConveying the basics, promoting independent application through discussions
• ÜbungPractice and deepening of the content through tasks, computations and literature discussion