Universität Wien

301463 VU Biophysical chemistry of macromolecules (2025W)

Structurbiology

3.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 30 - Biologie
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle
Mo 15.12. 13:00-14:30 CCR03-Raum 1.113 Campus Vienna Biocenter, 1030 Wien

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 32 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

Dates:
20.10 13:00-14:30 (SR1) / 22.10 13:00-14:30 (VBC5 LH B) Bojan Zagrovic
(Mathematical Concepts)
27.10 13:00-14:30 (SR1) / 29.10 13:00-14:30 (VBC5 LH B) Thomas Leonard
(Expression, Purification, Centrifugation, Fractionation)
3.11 13:00-14:30 (SR1) / 5.11 13:00-14:30 (VBC5 LH B) Arthur Sedivy
(Scattering)
10.11 13:00-14:30 (SR1) / 12.11 13:00-14:30 (VBC5 LH B) Jonas Ries
(Spectroscopic Methods)
24.11 13:00-14:30 (SR 3.202) / 26.11 13:00-14:30 (VBC5 LH B) Jonas Ries
(Imaging-based approaches)
1.12 13:00-14:30 (SR 3.202) / 3.12 13:00-14:30 Robert Konrat (VBC5 LH B) & Georg Kontaxis (NMR)
15.12 13:00-14:30 (VC5 PC room) / 17.12 13:00-14:30 (VC5 PC room) Anton Polyansky (Computational approaches)

  • Monday 20.10. 13:00 - 14:30 BZB/Seminarraum 1/2, 6.Ebene 6.501/6.504, Dr.-Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030 Wien
  • Wednesday 22.10. 13:00 - 14:30 STB/Hörsaal B Campus Vienna Biocenter 5, 1030 Wien
  • Monday 27.10. 13:00 - 14:30 BZB/Seminarraum 1/2, 6.Ebene 6.501/6.504, Dr.-Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030 Wien
  • Wednesday 29.10. 13:00 - 14:30 STB/Hörsaal B Campus Vienna Biocenter 5, 1030 Wien
  • Monday 03.11. 13:00 - 14:30 BZB/Seminarraum 1/2, 6.Ebene 6.501/6.504, Dr.-Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030 Wien
  • Wednesday 05.11. 13:00 - 14:30 STB/Hörsaal B Campus Vienna Biocenter 5, 1030 Wien
  • Monday 10.11. 13:00 - 14:30 BZB/Seminarraum 1/2, 6.Ebene 6.501/6.504, Dr.-Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030 Wien
  • Wednesday 12.11. 13:00 - 14:30 STB/Hörsaal B Campus Vienna Biocenter 5, 1030 Wien
  • Monday 24.11. 13:00 - 14:30 BZB/Seminarraum, 3.Ebene 3.202/3.402, Dr.-Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030 Wien
  • Wednesday 26.11. 13:00 - 14:30 STB/Hörsaal B Campus Vienna Biocenter 5, 1030 Wien
  • Monday 01.12. 13:00 - 14:30 BZB/Seminarraum, 3.Ebene 3.202/3.402, Dr.-Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030 Wien
  • Wednesday 03.12. 13:00 - 14:30 STB/Hörsaal B Campus Vienna Biocenter 5, 1030 Wien
  • Wednesday 17.12. 13:00 - 14:30 CCR03-Raum 1.113 Campus Vienna Biocenter, 1030 Wien

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

This lecture course is aimed at students at the master level and covers the physico-chemical description of biological macromolecules, which is relevant for their function. In the course of this structure and dynamic behavior of biopolymers are covered. The central topics that will be discussed include: governing principles of conformational organization of biomolecules, biomolecular function and dynamic behavior. They are explained in terms of molecular driving forces, and related to basic (bio-)physical principles of thermodynamics and kinetics and polymer theory through a mathematical description. The aim of this course is to give students a fundamental understanding of the basics of molecular biophysics in terms of first principles. Emphasis is put on a consistent quantitative description of the biophysical phenomena. The course is held by different lecturers which will cover the subjects of their expertise.
The central topics that will be discussed include: advanced principles of conformational organization of biomolecules, biomolecular kinetics and thermodynamics, molecular driving forces, polymer theory and principles of macromolecular interactions.

Assessment and permitted materials

Written exam (75%) + take-home exercises in the course of the semester (25%).

UPDATE 12.11.25

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Compulsory attendance (>30%), active participation during the lecture course, take-home exercises and >50% correct answers of exam for passing grade.

Assessment criteria:
100-87%: excellent (1)
86-75%: good (2)
74-63%: satisfactory (3)
63-51%: sufficient (4)
< 50%: insufficient (5)

UPDATE 12.11.25

Examination topics

Contents of the lectures as given in the course lecture notes and handouts available on the Moodle.

Reading list

The MAJOR SOURCE for this lecture series is the book:
John Kuriyan, Boyana Konforti, David Wemmer - The Molecules of Life: Physical and Chemical Principles

Additional reading:
K Dill -Molecular Driving Forces; Cantor & Schimmel -Biophysical Chemistry

Association in the course directory

MMB III-1a:

Last modified: We 12.11.2025 13:07