This is an annually recurring seminar
Life sciences are one of the most innovative and fast changing fields of the 21st century. Advances in Molecular Biology, Systems Biology and Sequencing Technologies are gaining more and more impact on our personal lives – our health, the economy and the environment. The goal of this seminar is to give you an overview of the life sciences field and to enable you to engage in future debates on related topics.
In the introductory seminar “Life Sciences”, we go through some fundamentals and examples of Molecular Biology, DNA Sequencing, Antibiotic Resistance, Immunology, Tissue Biology, Biological Physics, and Ecology. The program includes practical courses in Molecular Biology as well as guided tours through lab facilities at the University of Zurich. We will extract and analyse our own DNA, experience what biosafety means in practice and learn how life sciences research is done. Furthermore, Prof. Christian Münz will share his insights on infection immunology, with a focus on how the immune system fights Epstein-Barr virus. Additionally, Dr. Annika Hausmann will discuss how cells of the intestine, the immune system, and the microbiota communicate to form a functioning organ and how the modern biology toolkit enables her to study these interactions.
The goal of this seminar is to give you an overview of the life sciences field and to enable you to engage in future debates on related topics. This introductory seminar is specifically tailored to people with no previous background in the field but may also be interesting for students studying life sciences.
Keynote speakers:
Prof. Christian Münz, University of Zurich (UZH)
Professor Christian Münz is a renowned immunologist at UZH, recognized for his pioneering research on viral immunology and the immune system’s response to Epstein-Barr virus.
Dr. Annika Hausmann, ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
Dr. Annika Hausmann is an excellent group leader at ETH with deep expertise and fascination for the intestinal mucosa and its dynamic relationship with the microbiota in both health and disease.
We are honored to have them share their insights as our keynote speakers.
Instructors:
Marco Barandun, Doctoral Candidate, Agroscope & Universität Zürich
Ester Simkova, Doctoral Candidate, Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, EPFL
Dea Müller, Doctoral Candidate, Microbiology, EPFL
Rya Riedweg, Doctoral Candidate, Roche’s Institute of Human Biology, Basel
Kathrin Laxhuber, Doctoral Candidate, Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden
Location:
University of Zurich, Irchel Campus
Working Language: English
Reader: A manageable reader will be sent in advance
Coordination: Marco Büsch (Swiss Study Foundation)
Administration: Nathalie Ellington (Swiss Study Foundation)
Participants: max. 20 participants
Deadline: Sunday, 7 September 2025
