Biofísica

Objectives

After attending this course the student should have acquired a modern perspective of molecular and cellular biology as seen from the perspective of physics and understand the techniques and instrumentation used to investigate biological systems at the anatomical and nanoscale.

Syllabus

1. Cell architecture and biomembranes: membrane structures; dynamics and mechanical properties; diffusion. 2. Molecular biophysics: molecular motors and models of operation; cargo transport; zippers; rotors; ionic channels; intracellular transport. 3. imaging and biospectroscopy: Classical methods (TEM, SEM, AFM, Raman, IR, confocal); super-resolution - spatial (nanometer) and temporal (microsecond), i.e., 3D laser traps and laser interferometry; single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, stimulated emission depletion (STED); microscopy with ion beams. 4. Cellular Biophysics: mechanisms and models of cell excitation, movement, nervous conduction (action potential), oscillations. 5. Biophysics of specialized systems (optics, bio-acoustics, electrophysiology, electromagnetism): vision, heart; central nervous system. 6. Electromagnetic radiation: effects, diagnostic and therapy.