Astrophysical constraints on particle Dark Matter and physics beyond the Standard Model

Astrophysics provides interesting constraints on the properties of dark matter particles and on possible extensions of the Standard Model. To corroborate this statement, I will give several examples of astrophysical constraints in selected theoretical scenarios. First, I will present the gamma-ray constraints on "MeV dark matter" candidates, recently proposed to explain the 511 keV emission line observed by INTEGRAL/SPI. Then I will briefly discuss how to use the EGRET gamma-ray data on the diffuse Galactic emission to set strong constraints on theories with large extra-dimensions. I will conclude with an update on indirect dark matter searches, also in light of the recent HESS, CANGAROO and VERITAS high-energy observations of the Galactic center.