Curriculum

The Master program takes two years, divided into four semesters, and covers two major and one minor subject. The first, required, major is biochemistry, the second may be chosen from inorganic, organic or physical chemistry, or cell biology. For each major subject, students have to take three lecture courses and one laboratory course. The minor can be chosen from any subject in biochemistry, chemistry, or biology and comprises two lecture courses and one lab course. Course work should be completed within the first three semesters; the fourth semester is devoted to the master’s thesis, a six-month research project in one of the participating labs. For a full description of the program, see <download>.

Major Biochemistry	Description	Links
WS T1SD-M BC 5 L Prof. Beckmann	Biochemistry 5 - This lecture course covers the life cycle of proteins from their birth and maturation to adult life and death. We focus on protein folding, modification, sorting, and, finally, ... Read more > Biochemistry 5 - This lecture course covers the life cycle of proteins from their birth and maturation to adult life and death. We focus on protein folding, modification, sorting, and, finally, ... Biochemistry 5 - This lecture course covers the life cycle of proteins from their birth and maturation to adult life and death. We focus on protein folding, modification, sorting, and, finally, degradation by proteases. Throughout the course, we connect these topics to ongoing research at the Gene Center and at the MPI of Biochemistry and discuss their relationship to protein-based diseases and their potential for medical application.	Description Exam Registration
SS T1SE-MN BC 6 L Prof. Dr. Gaul	Biochemistry 6 - This lecture course introduces students to the most important model organisms used in modern research, including budding and fission yeast, worm, fly, Arabidopsis and mammals. F... Read more > Biochemistry 6 - This lecture course introduces students to the most important model organisms used in modern research, including budding and fission yeast, worm, fly, Arabidopsis and mammals. F... Biochemistry 6 - This lecture course introduces students to the most important model organisms used in modern research, including budding and fission yeast, worm, fly, Arabidopsis and mammals. For each model organism, we will provide a brief history, its major scientific contributions, advantages and disadvantages, as well as an overview over the most commonly used techniques.	Description Exam Registration
WS T1SF-M BC 7 L Prof. Hopfner	Biochemistry 7 - This lecture course provides a detailed overview of the molecular mechanisms underlying genome biology in pro-and eukaryotic cells. We discuss DNA replication and repair, cell cycle c... Read more > Biochemistry 7 - This lecture course provides a detailed overview of the molecular mechanisms underlying genome biology in pro-and eukaryotic cells. We discuss DNA replication and repair, cell cycle c... Biochemistry 7 - This lecture course provides a detailed overview of the molecular mechanisms underlying genome biology in pro-and eukaryotic cells. We discuss DNA replication and repair, cell cycle checkpoints, chromatin structure, gene transcription and protein translation, with special emphasis on structural, mechanistic and methodological aspects.	Description Exam Registration
WS/SS T1SA-M BC PC Instructors in Biochemistry	Research lab course in Biochemistry Read more > Research lab course in Biochemistry Research lab course in Biochemistry	Description
WS/SS T1SB-M BC PC Sem Instructors in Biochemistry	Seminars in Biochemistry Read more > Seminars in Biochemistry Seminars in Biochemistry	Description Registration Seminar

Minor Molecular Cell Biology	Description	Links
WS T1SH-MN BC MCB L Prof. Beckmann	Posttranscriptional gene regulation - After transcription, gene expression is significantly regulated at multiple levels. Messenger RNAs are processed co- and post-transcriptionally, their expor... Read more > Posttranscriptional gene regulation - After transcription, gene expression is significantly regulated at multiple levels. Messenger RNAs are processed co- and post-transcriptionally, their expor... Posttranscriptional gene regulation - After transcription, gene expression is significantly regulated at multiple levels. Messenger RNAs are processed co- and post-transcriptionally, their export out of the nucleus is regulated, as is their targeting to distinct sites within the cell. mRNA translation is also regulated in multiple ways, even feeding back into transcription regulation. Finally, the activity of microRNAs and the degradation of mRNAs provide additional layers of regulation.	Description Exam Registration
SS T1SF-MN BC MCB L Dr. Feldmann	The genetics of aging - The question why people age is an ancient one. Over the past two decades, scientists have begun to unravel the mechanisms underlying aging, not only in humans but in many... Read more > The genetics of aging - The question why people age is an ancient one. Over the past two decades, scientists have begun to unravel the mechanisms underlying aging, not only in humans but in many... The genetics of aging - The question why people age is an ancient one. Over the past two decades, scientists have begun to unravel the mechanisms underlying aging, not only in humans but in many organisms. Some of these aging mechanisms appear to be conserved from the single cell eukaryote yeast to mammals. Based on current literature, this lecture course focuses on selected mechanisms influencing aging, the underlying genetic networks, the protein players and potential ways of controlling the aging processes.	Description Exam Registration
Summer break 18052 BC MCB PC Prof. Beckmann	This lab course covers the principles of molecular and cellular genetics. The students carry out RNAi in tissue culture cells, GFP-tag proteins by homologous recombination in yeast, and determin... Read more > This lab course covers the principles of molecular and cellular genetics. The students carry out RNAi in tissue culture cells, GFP-tag proteins by homologous recombination in yeast, and determin... This lab course covers the principles of molecular and cellular genetics. The students carry out RNAi in tissue culture cells, GFP-tag proteins by homologous recombination in yeast, and determine their sub-cellular localization using fluorescence microscopy. They reconstitute macromolecular complexes in vitro and map protein-protein interactions using yeast two hybrid screens.	Description Registration Practical Course

Minor Structural Biochemistry	Description	Links
WS T1ES-BMN BC SB L Prof. Cramer	Structural Biology 1 - This lecture course teaches modern structural biology at an advanced level. We focus on methods to reveal the three-dimensional structure of proteins and multiprotein complexes,... Read more > Structural Biology 1 - This lecture course teaches modern structural biology at an advanced level. We focus on methods to reveal the three-dimensional structure of proteins and multiprotein complexes,... Structural Biology 1 - This lecture course teaches modern structural biology at an advanced level. We focus on methods to reveal the three-dimensional structure of proteins and multiprotein complexes, including X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy. The course prepares the students for the laboratory course in structural biology and enables them to read publications in structural biology publications.	Description Exam Registration
spring break T1FO-BMN BC SB PC Prof. Hopfner	Structural Biology lab course - This course covers X-ray crystallography by determining the crystal structures of two proteins using state-of-the-art computational techniques. The students perform bas... Read more > Structural Biology lab course - This course covers X-ray crystallography by determining the crystal structures of two proteins using state-of-the-art computational techniques. The students perform bas... Structural Biology lab course - This course covers X-ray crystallography by determining the crystal structures of two proteins using state-of-the-art computational techniques. The students perform basic crystallization trials, assess the amino acid sequence using bioinformatic tools, process X-ray data sets from a synchrotron source and solve the protein crystal structure by MAD, thereby learning how to inspect and interpret electron density maps, and how to refine a protein structure. They then solve a second crystal structure by molecular replacement and build and refine the bound hetero-compound ligand, followed by determining protein structures in solution through SAXS analysis.	Description Registration Practical Course
SS T1FL-BM BC SB Sem Dr. Niessing	Structural Biology 2 - In this seminar, students will select, from a list of recent publications in top journals, a structural biology paper and present it to the class. They are expected to cover the... Read more > Structural Biology 2 - In this seminar, students will select, from a list of recent publications in top journals, a structural biology paper and present it to the class. They are expected to cover the... Structural Biology 2 - In this seminar, students will select, from a list of recent publications in top journals, a structural biology paper and present it to the class. They are expected to cover the scientific background, methods, and results, taking into consideration related publications in the field. The paper should also be critically evaluated, both with regard to its impact on the field and for possible weaknesses in methodology or reasoning.	Description

Minor Molecular System Biology	Description	Links
WS T1WS-P BC MSB L Master BC students and PhDs Dr. Söding, Dr. Tresch	Transcriptional regulation - experiments and quantitative models -This lecture course covers transcriptional regulation from a quantitative perspective (2h lecture, 1h tutorial). We begin by describin... Read more > Transcriptional regulation - experiments and quantitative models -This lecture course covers transcriptional regulation from a quantitative perspective (2h lecture, 1h tutorial). We begin by describin... Transcriptional regulation - experiments and quantitative models -This lecture course covers transcriptional regulation from a quantitative perspective (2h lecture, 1h tutorial). We begin by describing experimental high-throughput techniques for measuring important parameters, including transcription start sites, transcription factor binding affinities and occupancy, and transcription rates, discuss thermodynamics and statistical models for quantitative description of transcriptional output, and then describe statistical modeling techniques that can be used to extract knowledge about regulatory networks from genome-wide datasets of gene expression and factor binding.	Description

Special Courses	Description	Links
SS T1SM-M PhD and advanced Master's students Dr. Söding, Dr. Tresch	Graphical Models and Biological Networks Read more > Graphical Models and Biological Networks Graphical Models and Biological Networks	Description Exam Registration
SS T1SN-M PhD and advanced Master's students Dr. Söding, Dr. Tresch	Exercises in Graphical Models and Biological Networks Read more > Exercises in Graphical Models and Biological Networks Exercises in Graphical Models and Biological Networks	Description
SS T1SI-M PhD and advanced Master's students Dr. Berninghausen	Introduction to Single Particle Analysis - Electron microscopy. This laboratory course covers the principles of electron microscopy. In week 1, the students learn how to prepare samples and to work at... Read more > Introduction to Single Particle Analysis - Electron microscopy. This laboratory course covers the principles of electron microscopy. In week 1, the students learn how to prepare samples and to work at... Introduction to Single Particle Analysis - Electron microscopy. This laboratory course covers the principles of electron microscopy. In week 1, the students learn how to prepare samples and to work at the microscope. After a theoretical introduction into electron microscopy, students learn how to prepare samples for negative stain procedures and use these samples to master the use of the Morgagni 100 kV EM. These specimens will then be used for a demonstration of sample-vitrification and cryo-EM on a G12 Spirit microscope.	Description Registration Practical Course
SS T1SK-M PhD and advanced Master's students Prof. Beckmann	Introduction to Single Particle Analysis - Image Analysis. After an initial Linux primer, students gain hands-on experience with single particle reconstruction software such as SPIDER, EMAN and IMAGIC... Read more > Introduction to Single Particle Analysis - Image Analysis. After an initial Linux primer, students gain hands-on experience with single particle reconstruction software such as SPIDER, EMAN and IMAGIC... Introduction to Single Particle Analysis - Image Analysis. After an initial Linux primer, students gain hands-on experience with single particle reconstruction software such as SPIDER, EMAN and IMAGIC. Using their own experimental data, the students go through the entire analysis pipeline, beginning with calculating and validating power spectra to particle picking, alignment and 3D reconstruction.	Description Registration Practical Course
WS	English for Biochemists - In this English course for students of Biochemistry you’ll be working on English language skills for practical work in the laboratory, for discussing and presenting s... Read more > English for Biochemists - In this English course for students of Biochemistry you’ll be working on English language skills for practical work in the laboratory, for discussing and presenting s... English for Biochemists - In this English course for students of Biochemistry you’ll be working on English language skills for practical work in the laboratory, for discussing and presenting study-related topics and for dealing with English-language literature from the field. The course will help you develop relevant oral and written skills through classroom activities and online contributions to a course specific learning platform. Extensive use of the internet will be made to practise reading and listening competence and broaden your vocabulary for academic and specific purposes.	Description Registration Seminar