ABC-S : Understanding Biology through Structure
PSL Master in Life Sciences - ENS – M2
2025-2026 - Semester 1
UNBIO1-121 (PG-ABCS-S1) | ABC-S - Advanced Biology Course : Understanding Biology through Structure
3 ECTS
—Download Planning—
Year : 1 (M1) / 2 (M2) and PhD
Semester : 1 (S1)
Duration : 12 sessions of 2 hours
Hours : From September 10th to December 10th on Wednesdays, 5:15-7:15 p.m.
Where : ENS Biology Department (46 rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris)
Maximum class size : 24 students
Coordination
Anne Houdusse, Curie Institute
Antoine Taly, IBPC
Vincent Morin, IBENS
Bofei MA (Contact ENS for administration)
Credits : 3 ECTS
Keywords :
Molecules of life, Molecular interactions and structural cell biology, Physics and Chemistry of Life, Single molecule functional assays, Molecular dynamics and modelling, Allostery, Missense mutations and disease, Drug design, Alphafold and structure prediction by AI.
Course prerequisites :
The curriculum of the courses encompasses subjects such as fundamental biology. A description of the fundamental principles that allow acquiring function by the molecules of life will be given with principles in chemistry and physics as well as molecular biology. There is no specific prerequisite, as long as the student is sufficiently motivated to embrace broad subjects with interdisciplinary points of view.
Course objectives and description
Aims and themes :
Structural underpinnings are at the base of all molecular mechanisms that control the biological processes of life. The importance and power of combining exquisite molecular functional experiments and structural information has been continually demonstrated in the milestones that built knowledge in biology. The past two decades have seen a dramatic transformation take place in the field of structural biology. An integrative approach, the revolution in resolution of cryo-electron microscopy and cryo-electron tomography, the AI transformation for structure prediction and continuous advances in the depiction of macromolecular assemblies of RNA, DNA, proteins and lipids brings to scientists a treasure trove of insights. The course will demonstrate how structural and molecular dynamics studies can inspire testing new models with functional experiments and how dysfunction or deregulation that cause human pathologies can be better understood via structural studies. At last, the importance of structural approaches to accelerate the findings and development of future drug candidates will be presented in light of the AI revolution.
The lectures will revolve around seminars given by brilliant researchers, experts in different approaches of molecular biology. They are pioneers in new emerging topics and approaches at the frontier of science and are particularly keen to build their research together with other complementary disciplines of biology, physics and chemistry.
Organisation :
For each session, selected landmark papers will be shared with all students in advance. Two students will I) briefly present these key papers as an introduction to the seminar given by an expert and ii) will act as moderator of the discussion taking place after the presentation.
Assessment :
Validation for M1/M2 (with grades) : assiduity (presence to at least 80% of the sessions), article presentation + animation of class debate. Maximum 10-12 students.
– Validation for ENS diploma / Doctoral school (without grades) : assiduity (presence to at least 80% of the sessions), article presentation + animation of class debate. Maximum 10-12 students.
– Possibility to attend the course without validation in the limit of room availability
Course material (hand-outs, online presentation available, …) :
Slides and online presentations will be made available (with agreement of the speaker of each session)
Application procedure
Please send your application for registration, along with a short motivation letter and your CV, before the deadline of June 30th, 2025 to bofei.ma chez bio.ens.psl.eu.