Introduction to Biophysics

Catalog description

This course focuses on utilizing the basic principles of physics to study biological systems at the molecular and cellular levels. The focus is on the physical aspects of structure and function of living cells and their subsystems. Physical models will be applied to understand many biological systems at a quantitative level. The topics covered during the course are divided to five parts: introduction part which provides basic information on biology such as description of cells, macromolecules, chemical components of cells, and physical aspects of cell function and structure. The mechanics part includes random walk, Brownian motion, diffusion, sedimentation. Osmotic pressure, beam theory, and mechanical properties of biopolymers such as elasticity. Bio-electricity part includes neuro-biophysics (nerve signals, action potentials; membrane potential, membrane channels and pumps and molecular motors, nerve impulses and cable equation). The fourth part includes an introduction to some techniques applied for biological discoveries such as electron microscopy, emission spectroscopy absorption, X-Ray diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance. Concepts of quantum mechanics that applied to biological systems, molecular potentials and chemical bonds, chemical reactions, molecular orbital, rates of actions and spectroscopy will be introduced.