How can aptamer technology be used to understand biological phenomena? How can nucleic acids be exploited as drugs or drug targets to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic applications? What are the underlying principles of nucleic acid evolution in the test tube and how can these be employed to generate novel compounds?To address these and other questions, we utilize in vitro selection procedures, in combination with chemical, biochemical, immunological, neurological and molecular cell biology techniques. Our aim is to identify sophisticated molecules that exert a specific function and utilize them to study biological systems. In this way we develop and investigate aptamers, riboswitches, small molecules and combinations thereof. Based on these compounds we seek to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in the fields of tumour biology, haematology, bacterial infections and neurological disorders.