The doctoral program "Cells and Organisms: From Genes to Evolution" brings together research activities that integrate a broad perspective — from subcellular to the single-cell level to entire organisms and their interaction — encompassing genetic regulation, molecular structures, and regulatory networks within functional and evolutionary contexts.

Model systems range from prokaryotes (bacteria and Archaea) and eukaryotic microbes to plants and animals including disease models, thereby enabling the identification of conserved principles. Furthermore, platforms are available for the analysis of genomes, transcription signatures, large scale protein identification, metabolomics, imaging, as well as large scale analysis and quantitative modelling, covered by faculty members who are experts in bioinformatics.