NAT809: Assembling minimal living systems (5 ECTS)

STADS: 07010501

Level
Master's level course approved as PhD course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: steen@sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
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Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
For the chemistry, pharmacy and biology students, the course builds on knowledge acquired in their respective undergraduate courses (incl. knowledge about chemistry lab work). For the physics, computer science and engineering students the course builds on the knowledge acquired in their respective undergraduate courses (knowledge about simulations and/or electronics hardware/instrumentation).

Course introduction
The aim of the course is to enable the student to understand basic principles behind minimal living processes, which is important for a wide range of scientific and technological areas ranging from physics, chemistry and biology to artificial intelligence and engineering.

Since this course addresses the basic components and properties of simple living and life-like processes, and since simple living processes can be implemented in (bio)chemical (wetware), robotics (hardware) and computer systems (software), this course can be followed by chemistry, pharmacy and biology students as well as physics, engineering and computer science students.

In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:

• Develop competence about the fundamental principles, functions and processes of simple living systems 
• Provide skills to evaluate possibilities and limitations of implementing living and life-like processes in different materials (wetware, hardware, software and hybrids)
• Provide knowledge about technological possibilities of artificial or modified living processes

Expected learning outcome
The learning objectives of the course are that the student demonstrates the ability to:

• Explain the physicochemical properties of the molecules used in protocell design and how these properties contribute to protocell processes.
• Explain the interplay between the functional components in a simple living system, including the challenges and possibilities for implementing self-replicating robots or hybrid systems.
• Explain the role of autocatalysis, self-assembly, self-organization, evolution and energetics in minimal living systems.
• Explain the selected subject of their individual project and its significance in the field.
• Carry out initial experiments with or develop simple simulations of one of the selected system with the advice of appropriate supervisors. Interpret results and their relevance with respect to the larger context, i.e., what might the end result be? What would be the next experiment/simulation?
• Write a short report in the form of a short article.

Subject overview
The following main topics are contained in the course:

This course is intended as an introduction to the physics, chemistry and biology of Artificial Life, including Synthetic Biology and self-replicating computational- and robotics (3D printing) systems. We explore the functional nature of minimal living systems in order to develop an understanding of life itself. With an understanding of fundamental concepts of living systems, we investigate various approaches to create life in the laboratory, mainly focused on physicochemically based protocells but also within technological systems. Lectures will introduce the main science and engineering ideas, approaches, and accomplishments as well as outline current research directions of this field. Through a small individual project (experimental or computational) the students will develop some in depth knowledge in a narrow area chosen in consultation with one of the teachers. Furthermore, the students will be actively involved in the knowledge acquisition through mandatory readings of relevant research papers and the presentation of one or two papers related to their project.

Through the individual project, the students will develop his/her ability to propose and carry out actual research in the relevant area. Further, the students will be getting a broad overview of the subject through the presentation and discussion hours, which are mandatory.

The individual project is chosen together with one of the course teachers and can e.g. be selected as a problem from:

• Origin of life / Astrobiology
• Protocell assembly
• Self-replicating computational systems and simulations
• 3D printing of 3D printers

The course will both prepare the students for research within these areas, and expose them to novel methodologies developed to investigate and construct living, life-like and intelligent systems with broad application ranges in nanoscience, bio- and information technology, computing, pharmacy, novel materials and robotics.

Literature
There isn't any litterature for the course at the moment.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:

1. Oral examination based on report prepared by student (50%) as well as topic selected from the readings and discussions of texts and articles (50%). Evaluated by internal censorship by the Danish 7-mark scale. Allowed exam aids: Report written by student (5 ECTS). (07010502).

Reexamination in the same exam period or immediately thereafter. The examination type at reexamination may differ from the one at the ordinary examination.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 13 hours
Skills training phase: 36 hours, hereof:
 - Tutorials: 18 hours
 - Laboratory exercises: 18 hours

Educational activities

Educational form
Activities during the study phase: Individual project.

Language
This course is taught in English.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.