We present 12CO (2-1) data for four spiral galaxies (NGC 4330, NGC 4402, NGC 4522, NGC 4569) in the Virgo cluster that are undergoing different ram pressure stages. The goal is to probe the detailed molecular gas properties under strong intra-cluster medium (ICM) pressure using high-resolution millime- ter data taken with the Submillimeter Array (SMA). Combining this with Institut de RadioAstronomie Millimetrique (IRAM) data, we also study spatially resolved temperature and density distributions of the molecular gas. Comparing with multi-wavelength data (optical, Hi, UV , Hα), we discuss how molecular gas properties and star formation activity change when a galaxy experiences Hi stripping. This study suggests that ICM pressure can modify the physical and chemical properties of the molecular gas sig- nificantly even if stripping does not take place. We discuss how this affects the star formation rate and galaxy evolution in the cluster environment.

Galaxy clusters as the densest and most prominent regions within the large-scale structure can be used as well characterizable laboratories to study astrophysical processes on the largest scales. X-ray observations provide currently the best way to determine the physical properties of galaxy clusters and the environmental parameters that describe them as laboratories. We illustrate this use of galaxy clusters and the precision of our understanding of them as laboratory environments with several examples. Their application to determine the matter composition of the Universe shows good agreement with results from other methods and is therefore a good test of our understanding. We test the reliability of mass measurements and illustrate the use of X-ray diagnostics to study the dynamical state of clusters. We discuss further studies on turbulence in the cluster ICM, the interaction of central AGN with the radiatively cooling plasma in cluster cooling cores and the lessons learned from the ICM enrichment by heavy elements.