Biology for engineers

This course consists of an introduction to (cell)biology and more particularly to biology as a multidisciplinary field. We will emphasise natural examples of materials engineering and what parts of the living world are affected / can be manipulated by materials. It should therefore allow engineering students to find inspiration from biology in future materials research problems. 

Week 1 = online questionnaire on fundamental knowledge and videos.

The course is given in 3 blocks, with 3 lectures on the blackboard (no video!) followed by 1 week of exercises. 

BLOCK 1: Introduction and engineering with cellular components

Lecture 1.      Intro to biology and cells  (February 26)

Lecture 2.      Proteins and protein based materials  (March 5)

Lecture 3.      DNA and DNA-based materials   (March 12)

Exercise 1.  Proteins, peptides and DNA  (March 19)

BLOCK  2: Inter- and intracellular action 

Lecture 4.    ECM, adhesion and artificial matrices  (March 26)

Lecture 5.    Virus, antibodies and immune engineering  (April 2)

Lecture 6.  Bacteria  (April 9)

Exercise 2.  Nanoparticles and Scaffolds  (April 16)

=== easter break ==== 

BLOCK 3: Physics of biological action

Lecture 7.   Receptors and targeting  (April 30)  

Lecture 8.    Endocytosis   (May 7)

Lecture 9.  Signaling and communication  (May 14)

Exercise 3.  Engineering functionality  (May 21)

Lecture 10.    Revision and conclusion  (May 28)

Dear MSE 212 students

We are soon starting the new semester, and I write you with key info for the first week of MSE 212. As this course is split in 3 themed blocks, each with an exercise session, I decided to shift the first classroom lecture with 1 week so that the easter break week falls after the first block is finished. You can find the weekly planning on the moodle at the top. 

The first week of our course will therefore be adapted as follows: 

You do not need to come to class, but I ask you to do the following: 

[1] take the online questionnaire (anonymous) so that I get a better idea of your starting level. Do this in time as it will close at the end of the week.  (you can find it at the top at the general section)

[2] to become familiar with the various sources we will use and to understand stat this is not a “classical” biology course but a means to become proficient in the parts of biology that engineers need, watch these TED talks:

Watch how to engineer biology to use synthetic life for energy and resource production.  

https://www.ted.com/talks/craig_venter_on_the_verge_of_creating_synthetic_life?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

Watch what the newest research toward early detection of cancer is:

https://www.ted.com/talks/hani_goodarzi_what_if_a_simple_blood_test_could_detect_cancer?referrer=playlist-most_mind_blowing_ted_talks_of_2024&autoplay=true

Watch how we can engineer meat from cells to feed our planet without animals: 

https://www.ted.com/talks/uma_valeti_is_cultivated_meat_the_future_of_food?autoplay=true&referrer=playlist-most_mind_blowing_ted_talks_of_2024

A final note on the class: The majority will be on the blackboard. As such, there will not be any recordings. I will provide background ppt slides, but these serve as support rather than being covering everything. 

iBiology Proteins 

Roger Tsien about Green Fluorescent Protein:

https://www.ibiology.org/talks/fluorescent-proteins-short-course/

Ron Vale about Kinesin motor proteins:

https://www.ibiology.org/sessions/session-6-cytoskeletal-motor-proteins/

Nobel Lectures  ( there are PDFs to read the lecture under the video!)

Frances Arnold on Directed Protein Evolution

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2018/arnold/lecture/

David Baker on Computational De Novo Protein Design 

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2024/baker/lecture/

Background info and videos for Lecture 3: DNA

 DNA transcription and translation:

https://youtu.be/gG7uCskUOrA?si=9W3WBIromSj6C2TD

Crispr-Cas9

Explained: 

https://youtu.be/6tw_JVz_IEc?si=1QvjJG8zrLRcMj7c

Jennifer Doudna on the ethics and risks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PU5bCflzEM

DNA origami 

TED talk on DNA origami by inventor Paul Rothemund

https://youtu.be/WhGG__boRxU?si=9akAxrC5MFMBxVyW

DNA origami explained by William Shih

https://www.ibiology.org/biophysics/nanofabrication/#part-1

Lecture 1.      Intro to biology and cells  (February 22)

Lecture 2.      Proteins and protein based materials  (March 1)

Acides nucléiques : ADN, ARN

Exercise 1.  Proteins, peptides and DNA  (March 15)

TAs: 

Pauline Hendrickx pauline.hendrickx@epfl.ch  

Hugo Rodriguez hugo.rodriguezfranco@epfl.ch 

Lipides : partie 1

Lipides : partie 2

Matrice extracellulaire (ECM):

1. matrice interstitielle

voir les dias du 6 avril 2022

Matrice extra-cellulaire :

2. la membrane basale

(dias dans le pdf de la semaine précédante)

Système immunitaire / anticorps

Virus

Bactéries

Examen d'entrainement = examen 2022

We will discuss the lecture and exercises on lipids on March 17

We will discuss the material on DNA on March 23.

Cours annulé pour cause de maladie

1. fin des dias sur les organoïde

2. matrice extracellulaire partie 1

Matrice extracellulaire (partie 2)

Vacances