Cells are fundamental units of living systems, and knowledge on the structure and function of cellular processes are crucial to all areas of biology and biomedical sciences. The course will provide a solid foundation in current cell biology methods, including microscopy, cell fractionation and live cell imaging, will focus on key areas of modern cell biology, including cell cycle, cell growth and differentiation, apoptosis, cell senescence, cell polarity, cell shape and cell motility and will discuss the basic concepts on evolutionary constrains in cellular functions and links between cellular functions and development. Cell biology is intimately interlinked with multiple biological disciplines, such as biochemistry, molecular, developmental and evolutionary biology, and it is our intention to blur the division lines and provide an interdisciplinary frame for the subject. We particularly encourage to take this course in conjunction with BS2060 Developmental Biology. Many topics on BS2040 and BS2060 Cell Biology and Developmental Biology will be explored further in depth in the 3rd year course BS3540 Cell and molecular biology of cancer.