Economic Principles in Cell Biology          

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Summer school “Economic principles in cell biology” - July 4-6, 2022

Welcome  -  Schedule and teachers  -  Exercises  -  Practical information

Our first summer school on economic principles in cell biology was organized as a 3-day block course at the Learning Planet Institute Paris (previously CRI). Like our following summer schools in 2023 and 2024, the school was related to the open book project “Economic principles in cell biology”. The summer school targeted undergraduate and graduate students as well as postdoctoral researchers with a natural sciences background (including biological sciences, physics, engineering, or mathematics). The lectures followed the general scope of the planned book. Holding the lectures helped us streamline the chapters towards teaching, and to prepare a first set of lecture slides, which can later be extended. We also hope to get feedback from students for improving the book, and to recruit students or colleagues for participating in our project. We plan to organise other summer schools in the future, with new topics and based on advanced versions of our book.

Lecture slides


1. Exploring the economy of the cell

2. What makes up a cell?


3. Optimality problems in cells

4. A dynamic view of metabolism

5. Balanced growth

6. Flux Balance Analysis

7. The cost of metabolic pathways

8. Optimal metabolic states

9. Self-replicator models (slides) (notes)

10. Resource allocation models

11. Optimal cell behavior in time


Financial support