The topics studied include molecular devices, nanotechnology and surfaces, molecular ratchets, equilibrium and non-equilibrium statistical mechanics of polymers, biophysical chemistry and chemical dynamics.
The optical stretcher has since been developed into a versatile biophysical tool used by many groups world-wide for contact-free, marker-free measurements of whole-cell rheology.
A combination of biochemical, biophysical, immun-ochemical and ultra-structural techniques, followed by molecular biological verification, led to the definition and proof of the cellulosome concept.
While the simplicity and the elegance of this experimental approach is mind-boggling; the results are rather expected and consistent with most biophysical models.
In the second year, students attend courses on biochemistry, developmental biology, genetics, human physiology, immunology, molecular microbiology, neurobiology, structural biology and biophysical chemistry.