Winter Semester 2018/2019

The lecture provides an introduction into the statistical physics of soft matter systems, which are well known from everyday life and form the basis of living organisms. Characteristic for soft matter are length scales intermediate between atomic and macroscopic scales, thermal fluctuations, and self-assembly. In the lecture, these characteristic aspects will be investigated in exemplary systems such as polymers, proteins, and membranes. The lecture includes simple models for these systems, as well as an introduction into atomistic modeling and molecular dynamics simulations.  

In this course we will introduce some of the standard tools of stochastic modeling. Following examples and case studies, the course covers the main theory of Markov chains in discrete and continuous time. We will investigate main methods of the renewal theory and its widespread applications. We also touch some elementary aspects of information theory, hazard rate theory and a few elementary aspects of data analysis.

Note that the lectures on Thursday will take place at 12:15 pm

Carbohydrates as part of glycan structures occur in all domains of life. Due to their ubiquitous role in cell-surface based signaling and information exchange a variety of glycan-based research fields has emerged during the last two decades. Especially developments in molecular biology and modern analytical methods have increased our knowledge about the ubiquitous role of carbohydrates in animals, plants, and bacteria.

The course will enable participants to develop an interdisciplinary perspective on the field of glycobiology. For this, in the beginning, a carbohydrate structure-based understanding of glycan biochemistry will be developed. This covers qualitative and quantitative carbohydrate analytics as well as the fundamental biophysical principles underpinning interactions of carbohydrates with proteins.

Aim of this course is an insight into the interdisciplinary field of glycobiology. It will present an actual survey of the biochemistry of sugar building blocks, oligo- and polysaccharides in pro- and eukaryotic systems. Moreover, qualitative and quantitative carbohydrate analytics will be covered as well as the fundamental biophysical principles underpinning interactions of carbohydrates with proteins. Subject areas: Fundamentals on glycoconjugates. Structural and functional principles of the glycan conformational space. N-and O-linked glycosylation. Glycan analysis. Lectins and carbohydrate binding modules. Physicochemical principles of protein-carbohydrate interactions. Glycan arrays. Microbial glycobiology and pathogenesis.

This module teaches the theoretical basics for simulation of simple stochastic systems (e.g. molecular models, ising models, diffusion in model potentials). Physical principles for stochastic trajectories and ensembles are combined with a discussion of simulation techniques that are able to generate appropriate data. In more detail, we will cover: Statistical mechanics: basis and derivations to the most important physical ensembles. Boltzmann distribution, Partition function, Expectations Monte-Carlo simulation: Theory, construction, and convergence of Monte Carlo methods for the computation of stationary expectation values Molecular dynamics simulation: Theory, construction, and convergence of MD simulations for the computation of dynamical expectation values Kinetics: Rate theories, time correlations and other time-dependent expectations

Non-equilibrium thermodyanmics (Entropy production, Onsager relations), causality and fluctuations, stochastic processes (Markov processes, Master equation, Langevin and Fokker-Planck equation), kinetic theory, phase transitions (Landau theory, Gaussian fluctuations, correlation functions, renormalization theory), theory of liquids, hydrodynamic and elasticity theory

Compact course. Please contact Prof Haag for more information.

Exam on October 29 from 9 am to 12 am

Compact course. Please contact Prof Haag for more information.

The exam will be on December 03.12. from 9-12.