Dresden, Germany

Protocell models: coacervates and vesicles

Compartmentalisation is a key property of life and its role can be understood from a chemical, biological, physical, and material standpoint with informed applications in biotechnology, origin of life, and cell biology. This course provides a glimpse into this fascinating, interdisciplinary world.

This school provides lectures and hands-on tutorials to introduce the key concepts of protocellular research. The Summer School includes webinars focused on the practical aspects of making coacervates, microdroplets, and lipid vesicles via bulk and microfluidic methodologies, networking opportunities and targeted careers sessions.

In addition to lectures and tutorials, we will feature plenary lectures by distinguished scientists working with compartmentalisation in the fields of origin of life and cell biology and host an afternoon focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, and careers. You will hear first-hand stories of how companies grew from fundamental research and have the opportunity to discuss and network with scientists from academia and industry.

The Summer School is intended for Master, Diploma, and early stage PhD students with a background in Natural Science and a keen interest in compartmentalisation in Origin of Life, Synthetic Biology, or Cellular Biology.

All aspects of this summer school will take place online.

A limited number of 40 students will be selected to participate in the summer school full-time.


Course Overview:

Compartmentalisation in origin of life and cell biology
Self-assembly of coacervates and lipid vesicles
Theory of phase diagrams and Ostwalds ripening
Enzyme kinetics in compartments
Principle of microfluidic fabrication and applications
Basic principles of light microscopy and image analysis
Networking & Focus on careers in academia and industry

Featured Speakers:

Simon Alberti (Technical University, Dresden, Germany)
Christof Flamm (University of Vienna, Austria)
Stephen Mann (University of Bristol, UK)
Sheref Mansy (University of Alberta, Canada)
Nicolas Martin (CNRS Bordeaux, France)
Kepa Ruiz Mirazo (University of Basque Country, Spain)
Tom Robinson (MPI-K, Potsdam, Germany)
Peter Walde (ETH, Zurich, Switzerland)
Christoph Weber (MPI-PKS, Dresden, Germany)

Course leader

Dora Tang (MPI-CBG, Dresden, Germany)

Target group

The Summer School is intended for Master, Diploma, and early stage PhD students with a background in Natural Science and a keen interest in compartmentalisation in Origin of Life, Synthetic Biology, or Cellular Biology.

Fee info

EUR 160: Registration fee includes access to virtual sessions, course materials, T-shirt, and certificate upon completion.