I. Lipid bilayer principle of biomembranes -- The lipid bilayer concept: Experimental realization and current applications; Dielectric and Electrical Properties of Lipid Bilayers in Relation to their Structure -- II. Ion Selectivity, Specificity, and Membrane Reconstitution -- Investigation of substrate-specific porin channels in lipid bilayer membranes; Reconstitution in planar lipid bilayers of ion channels synthesized in ovo and in vitro -- III. Biotechnology -- Systems Aspects of Supported Membrane Biosensors; Biosensors from interactions of DNA with lipid membranes -- IV. Light-induced phenomena and spectroscopy -- Photoinduced Charge Separation in Lipid Bilayers; Photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes in planar lipid membranes.