How does a laser work and how can we use it as a tool to watch individual proteins at work and even manipulate them? What is fluorescence and how does it help to better understand biological processes in cells? Why can the actually dangerous radiation from radioactive substances help treat cancer? In this course you will learn which physical methods are used to answer questions in the life sciences. We will work on these and other topics both in XLAB's own laboratories and together with scientists in their research institutes on the campus.

Plastic is a double-edged sword: irreplaceable in medicine and other applications, but problematic in terms of production and disposal. In this course, we will investigate the production chains of petroleum-based plastics (e.g. PVC) and plastics based on renewable raw materials (e.g. wood). In addition to fractional distillation, catalytic cracking and decomposition by boiling under reflux, we perform modern analyses like mass spectrometry and gas chromatography. To analyze micro particles formed by decaying plastic, you detect them by fluorescence staining. If plastic waste is collected properly, however, it can be reprocessed with added value. We will produce nonwoven microfiber mashes that are used in modern filter systems by electrospinning. Basic knowledge of organic chemistry and laboratory techniques is recommended.

What happens inside our cells, and how are the molecular mechanisms investigated? How do modern gene-editing approaches such as CRISPR/Cas work? Dive into the fascinating world of molecular biology and discover how scientists perform modern research.
In this hands-on Science Camp, you will learn how to analyze DNA and proteins and apply a variety of laboratory techniques to explore biological processes. You will perform experiments ranging from PCR and gel electrophoresis to genetic transformation and the use of fluorescent proteins, and discover how immunological assays can be applied to analyze blood or to detect certain agents. 
Along the way, you will gain practical experience with both established laboratory methods and cutting-edge approaches in molecular biology.

coming soon!

Lakes host significant biodiversity and provide vital ecosystem services that support the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people worldwide. However, these services are declining due to stressors such as climate change, eutrophication, and overuse. For example, a quarter of the global population lives in the catchment areas of drying lakes.
In this course, you will investigate lake ecosystems through hypothesis-driven research. Using professional equipment, you will collect vertical profiles of physico-chemical parameters and phytoplankton biomass, analyze nutrient concentrations, and identify plankton under the microscope to explore their lifestyles and ecological roles.
You will learn how lakes function as ecosystems and how their productivity and stability are shaped by interactions between lake characteristics (e.g., size, depth) and catchment features (e.g., area size, land use). You will also develop ideas for sustainable lake management.

Understanding the anatomy of the nervous system is essential for understanding its function(s). In this course, the structure of the nervous system in invertebrates is illustrated using the migratory locust (Locusta migratoria) as an example. Another focus of the camp is sensory physiology: The conversion of a stimulus into an electrical signal that can be processed by the nervous system is a key process in perception and interaction with the environment. Through self-experiments and studies of the nervous system of the migratory locust Locusta migratoria, various aspects of signal transduction in photoreceptors as well as the central nervous system’s processing of sensory stimuli are investigated using electrophysiological methods. The precise control of the experiments and the quantitative analysis of the experimental data are typically computer-assisted. Under supervision, participants learn to independently conduct, record, and evaluate experiments.
In the experiment described here, participants work with live grasshoppers. Due to the procedures performed on the animals, they are euthanized (killed) at the end of the course. Nevertheless, the experiments conducted do not constitute animal experiments subject to reporting or approval requirements.