Course Identification

Title:

Biomineralization

Code:

20222211

Lecturers and Teaching Assistants

Lecturers:

Prof. Lia Addadi, Dr. Assaf Gal, Prof. Steve Weiner

TA's:

N/A

Course Schedule and Location

Year:

2022

Semester:

First Semester

When / Where:

Sunday, 11:15 - 13:00, FGS, Rm C

First Lecture:

24/10/2021

End date:

18/03/2022

Field of Study, Course Type and Credit Points

Chemical Sciences: Seminar; Elective; Regular; 2.00 points
Life Sciences: Seminar; Elective; Regular; 2.00 points
Life Sciences (Brain Sciences: Systems, Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience Track): Seminar; Elective; Regular; 2.00 points

Comments

N/A

Prerequisites

No

Restrictions

Participants:

30

Language of Instruction

English

Registration by

Registration By:27/10/2021

Attendance and participation

Obligatory

Grade Type

Numerical (out of 100)

Grade Breakdown (in %)

Attendance

20%

Seminar:

40%

Final:

40%

Evaluation Type

Seminar

Scheduled date 1

Date / due date

N/A

Location

N/A

Time

-

Remarks

N/A

Estimated Weekly Independent Workload (in hours)

2

Syllabus

Biomineralization Syllabus

1. Biomineralization- overview of the minerals and organic crystals formed by organisms and the big questions (2hrs)

2. Crystals, symmetries, structures, polymorphism (2hr)

3. Crystal growth, nucleation, organic-inorganic interface (2hrs)

4. Crystallization mechanisms (1hr)

5. Evolution of biomineralization (1hr)

6. Coccolithophoridae and diatoms: mineralizing single celled organisms (2hrs)

7. Echinoderms: exquisite control over crystal formation (2hrs)

8. From architecture to function: bones and teeth (2hrs)

9. Manipulation of light by biogenic minerals and organic crystals (colors, vision and photosynthesis) (2hrs)

10. Manipulation of light by organisms. The cellular approach (1hr)

11. Biological materials (1hr)

12 The future. How to address the big open questions (2hr)

13. Student presentations (2hrs)

14. Student presentations (2hrs)

15. Student presentations (2hrs)

Learning Outcomes

Insights into a field that integrates biology, chemistry and materials science, and has implications to historical sciences such as paleontology, archaeology, paleoclimate, as well as medical fields such as dentistry and orthopaedics.

Reading List

On Biomineralization by H.A. Lowenstam and S. Weiner 1989 (Oxford).

Website

N/A