• Welcome to École polytechnique learning platform


    Student in hall


Available courses

Biology (BIO101) is a molecular and cellular biology course, which provides all the concepts required for a scientific understanding of living systems. This course aims both at preparing students for the biology option, which is available in the Mathematics & Computer Science and Mathematics & Physics majors, and at raising awareness about socio-economic issues related to biology, such as health, ethics or bioengineering.




Biology (BIO 101) is a molecular and cellular biology course, which provides all the concepts required for a scientific understanding of living systems. This course aims both at preparing students for the biology option, which is available in the Mathematics & Computer Science and Mathematics & Physics majors, and at raising awareness about socio-economic issues related to biology, such as health, ethics or bioengineering.

Prerequisite: BIO101
Cell Biology (BIO201) explores the mechanisms that cells use to communicate with their environment, produce force to move, acquire or lose identity in normal and pathological contexts, and organise during the development of an embryo. The course focuses on human cells, and emphasis is placed on human diseases where appropriate. The course alternates lectures, tutorials, and practical sessions of laboratory work. The intention is to allow students to develop their knowledge in the subject area, to acquire sound scientific reasoning, and to become familiar with the main techniques of modern cell biology, like quantitative microscopy imaging and computer-assisted data analysis.




 Cell Biology (BIO 201) introduces students to the mechanisms that cells use to regulate the physical properties of their dynamic architecture, to produce force and move, to compartmentalize and transport proteins, to regulate growth and death, and to communicate with their environment. The course focuses on human cells, and emphasis is placed on human diseases where appropriate. Upon course completion, students have a comprehensive understanding of the function and architecture of cells.

Because experimentation is at the heart of progress in cell biology, 50% of classes contain practical work, completed over the course of the semester. The intention is to allow students to develop their knowledge in the subject area, to acquire sound scientific reasoning, and to become familiar with the main techniques of modern cell biology, like quantitative microscopy imaging and computer-assisted data analysis.

Prerequisite: BIO201
Molecular Genetics (BIO202) provides an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms by which living organisms store, express and transmit genetic information and the basis of human genetic diseases. Lectures will cover a range of topics, including the molecular aspects of DNA replication and transcription, translation of RNA into  protein and gene regulations. This course will also cover the latest methodologies used in genomics analysis, like DNA sequencing. Because experimentation is at the heart of progress in cell biology, 50% of classes contain practical work, completed over the course of the semester. The intention is to allow students to develop their knowledge in the subject area, to acquire sound scientific reasoning, and to combine the modern techniques in molecular genetics with computer-assisted data analysis.




Molecular Genetics (BIO 202) provides an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms by which living organisms store, express and transmit genetic information and the basis of human genetic diseases. Lectures will cover a range of topics, including the molecular aspects of DNA replication and transcription, translation of RNA into protein and gene regulations. This course will also cover the latest methodologies used in genomics analysis, like DNA sequencing. Because experimentation is at the heart of progress in cell biology, 50% of classes contain practical work, completed over the course of the semester. The intention is to allow students to develop their knowledge in the subject area, to acquire sound scientific reasoning, and to combine the modern techniques in molecular genetics with computer-assisted data analysis.

Prerequisite: BIO201 and BIO202
The primary goal of the Biology practicals is to provide an overview of the most recent techniques to complement the practicals of BIO201 and BIO202. During this course, students will participate in research projects in the École Polytechnique laboratories where they will learn some of the most advanced techniques in biology under the supervision of researchers.




Prerequisite: BIO201 and BIO202
The primary goal of the Biology practicals is to provide an overview of the most recent techniques to complement the practicals of BIO201 and BIO202. During this course, students will participate in research projects in the École Polytechnique laboratories where they will learn some of the most advanced techniques in biology under the supervision of researchers.

The biomedicine course will include a series of lectures covering the molecular and cellular mechanisms of diseases and therapeutic strategies to treat them. In parallel, students will actively participate to research performed in laboratories of Ecole Polytechnique on campus. All research topics are related to biomedicine.




The biomedicine course will include a series of lectures covering the molecular and cellular mechanisms of diseases and therapeutic strategies to treat them. In parallel, students will actively participate to research performed in laboratories of Ecole Polytechnique on campus. All research topics are related to biomedicine.

Les théories de la biodiversité sont à l'interface entre l'écologie et l'évolution.

Les processus qui interviennent dans la genèse et le maintien de la biodiversité sont présentés. Ces processus sont de nature génétique (sélection naturelle, mutation, dérive, systèmes de reproduction), macroévolutive (spéciation, extinction), et écologique (maintien du polymorphisme, structuration biogéographique, niche écologiques).

Ces concepts sont abordés sous forme de modèles simples qui font intervenir la théorie des jeux, la génétique des populations et la dynamique des populations, mais aussi à l'aide d'étude de cas particuliers.

 Ce cours traite aussi de l'application de ces théories à la gestion de la biodiversité, au niveau populationnel (diminution de la variabilité génétique, réponse à la sélection et potentialités adaptatives) et des communautés écologiques (réponse de communautés à des changements climatiques ou autres, rôle d'assurance de la biodiversité).

Langue du cours : Français




The theories of biodiversity lie at the interface between ecology and evolution.

The processes that occur in the genesis and the maintenance of biodiversity are presented. These processes are genetic (natural selection, mutation, genetic drift, systems of reproduction), macro-evolutionary (speciation, extinction), and ecological (maintenance of polymorphism, biogeography, ecological niches).

These concepts are approached in the form of models using game theory, spatially structured models, population genetics and population dynamics, but also with the study of particular cases.

This course also treats the application of these theories to the management of biodiversity, at the population level (reduction in genetic variability, response to selection and adaptive potentialities) and ecological communities (response of communities to climate changes or other, biodiversity assurance role)

Course Language: French

Ce cours illustre quelques pathologies et les méthodes les plus actuelles pour les prendre en charge. Les pathologies choisies sont celles qui représentent les plus grands défis pour nos sociétés développées. Ce cours de biomédecine insiste sur le substrat biologique des pathologies et des traitements et fait une place à l’économie de la santé.

Les 10 blocs sont :

  • Maladies génétiques et thérapie génique
  • Modèles animaux
  • Le médicament
  • Neuropsychiatrie
  • Maladies neurodégénératives
  • Le diabète
  • Origine des cancers
  • Thérapies des cancers
  • Vieillissement et cancer
  • Révisions

Il est préférable d’avoir assimilé les notions introduites dans les cours de Biologie moléculaire et information génétique (BIO452) et Biologie cellulaire et développement (BIO451) qui précèdent.

Cependant ce ne sont pas des prérequis, car les notions fondamentales seront rappelées et le cours a pour ambition de pouvoir être suivi par tout élève que la biologie et la médecine intéressent. Mais il faut savoir que c’est un cours exigeant beaucoup d’investissement personnel pour les élèves n’ayant pas fait de biologie au préalable.

Langue du cours : Français

 

 

 




This course illustrates some pathologies and current methods to take charge of them. The pathologies chosen are those that represent the greatest challenges for our developed societies. This biomedical course highlights the biological substrate of pathologies and treatments as well as the economy of health.

The 10 blocks are:

  • Genetic diseases and gene therapy
  • Animal models
  • Medicine
  • Neuropsychiatry
  • Neurodegenerative diseases
  • Diabetes
  • The origins of tumors
  • Therapies of tumors
  • Aging and tumors
  • Checking

It is suggested to have assimilated the courses of Molecular Biology and genetic information and Cell Biology and Development that precede this course.

These are not mandatory prerequisites, fundamental notions will be reviewed and the course aspires to be followed by any student who has an interest in biology and medicine. It should be pointed out that this course requires a lot of personal investment for those who have not done biology beforehand.

Course Language: French

 

 

 

La cellule est l’unité structurale et fonctionnelle de tous les organismes vivants. Le but de ce cours est de décrire l’organisation et le fonctionnement de la cellule, ainsi que la façon dont un organisme complexe se construit à partir de ces briques élémentaires. Ce cours permet la découverte de la biologie cellulaire et de la biologie du développement, disciplines centrales des sciences de la vie, à l’interface avec de nombreux autres aspects de la biologie, mais aussi avec la physique, la chimie, l’informatique et les sciences de l’ingénieur.

Les principales thématiques abordées seront :

  • l’organisation interne de la cellule (membranes, compartimentation, trafic)
  • l’intégration de la cellule dans son environnement
  • la multiplication et la mort cellulaire
  • la construction d’un organisme multicellulaire complexe (apparition de types cellulaires différents, cellules souches, mise en place d’axes de symétrie et régionalisation, morphogenèse).

BIO451 constitue une base solide et conseillée pour les autres cours de biologie d’année 2 et 3. Il est complémentaire de BIO452. Certaines notions vues en BIO452 sont réutilisées. Elles sont néanmoins rappelées en début de cours, et suivre BIO451 sans avoir suivi BIO452 est tout à fait possible.

 

 

 



The cell is the structural and functional unit of all living organisms. The aim of this course is to describe how the cell is organized and functions, and how a complex organism is built up from these elementary building blocks. This course introduces students to cell biology and developmental biology, central disciplines in the life sciences, at the interface with many other aspects of biology, as well as with physics, chemistry, computer science and engineering.

The main topics covered will be

  • the internal organization of the cell (membranes, compartmentalization, traffic)
  • integration of the cell into its environment
  • cell multiplication and death
  • the construction of a complex multicellular organism (appearance of different cell types, stem cells, the establishment of axes of symmetry and regionalization, morphogenesis).

BIO451 provides a strong foundation and is recommended for other second and third year biology courses. It is complementary to BIO452. Some concepts seen in BIO452 are used. However, they will be reviewed at the beginning of the course, and taking BIO451 without having taken BIO452 is not a problem.