An overview of metals in biology -- Basic coordination chemistry for biologists -- Biological ligands for metal ions -- Structural and molecular biology for chemists -- An overview of intermediary metabolism and bioenergetics -- Methods to study metals in biological systems -- Metal assimilation pathways -- Transport, storage and homeostatis of metal ions -- Sodium and potassium - channels and pumps -- Magnesium-phosphate metabolism and photoreceptors -- Calcium: cellular signalling -- Zinc: Lewis acid and gene regulator -- Iron: essential for almost all life -- Copper: coping with dioxygen -- Nickel and cobalt: evolutionary relics -- Manganese: water splitting, oxygen atom donor -- Molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium and chromium -- Metals in brain and their role in various neurodegenerative diseases -- Biomineralization -- Metals in medicine and the environment.