Structural Biology and Biophysics Seminar (SBBS)
D6: Structural Biology and Biophysics I – 79575 (Fall 2026)
D7: Structural Biology and Biophysics II – 81233 (Spring 2027)
(2 hrs/week; 1 CP)
Sebastian Hiller, Rod Lim, Timm Maier
The Structural Biology and Biophysics Seminar series (SBBS) is organized by PhD students of the Biozentrum, University of Basel since 2009. World-leading scientists are invited to present their current work to an audience of students, researchers and PIs. Typical lectures in this series describe applications of advanced structural biology and biophysics methods to solve biological problems. Methods include NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, surface plasmon resonance and atomic force microscopy, but not only. The list of the past SBBS speakers is accessible here.
The talks take place on Tuesdays at 12:15, room U1.197/U1.191
Unless mentioned, attendance is open to all interested people, without registration. The program for the fall semester 2026 is as follows:
October 27th, 2026 at 12:15, room U1.197
Embodied motility in single-celled organisms
How do cells and organisms coordinate complex movement without centralized control? For this, nature has devised many elegant solutions, especially in the microscopic realm. Many of these motility and navigation strategies emerge spontaneously from the collective interactions between molecular motors and cytoskeletal filaments. Indeed the same basic symmetry-breaking processes underlie the mysterious gliding motility of diatoms, the undulatory gaits of algal flagellates, and even the mesmerising metachronal waves of ciliary bands… In this talk, we explore the connections between sub-cellular organisation and whole-organism behaviour, combining live imaging, ultrastructural studies, micro-manipulation, and computational modelling to reconstruct morphology-function relationships across diverse species. We ask how a living organism, even a single cell, can actively select from a rich repertoire of behavioural possibilities in response to its environment, highlighting the importance of physically embodied sensors and actuators.
Prof. Kirsty Wan
University of Exeter
Exeter, UK
November 17th, 2026 at 12:15, room U1.197
Prof. Carolin Seuring
University of Hamburg
Hamburg, Germany
November 24th, 2026 at 12:15, room U1.197
Prof. Michael Webster
John Innes Center
Norwich, UK
December 8th, 2026 at 12.15, room U1.197
Prof Florian Wilfling
Max Planck Frankfurt
Frankfurt, Germany
Important information for students enrolled at the University of Basel:
- You can earn one credit point (CP) by registering to the course.
- To get the CP for this course, all of the proposed seminars have to be attended from start to finish and a written exam in the form of an essay must be passed.
- It is your responsibility to check this website for eventual updates/changes to the program.
- Each in-person seminar is followed by a lunch with the speaker. Contact the host if you are interested in participating.
The SBBS Organizing Committee of the current semester is composed of:
- Laetitia Rožić (S. Hiller lab)
- Mariia Melnik (B. Engel lab)
- Max Pokutta (T. Maier lab)
Contact us for any question, suggestion and/or feedback.