Biophysics

Biophysics interfaces physics with biology and medicine and is one of the most rapidly developing areas of physics. Because of their specialized training and knowledge, physicists have made major contributions in revealing the secrets of life and in the treatment of disease. These contributions are of great value to humanity. Moreover, biophysics provides challenging research opportunities for physicists.

Physics has contributed greatly to biological science both through conceptual advances and through the development of special techniques for studying matter, including X-rays, NMR, synchrotron and laser light sources, to name a few. Physicists have also been leaders in providing the conceptual framework for understanding both interactions among biological molecules and the way in which these interactions affect living systems. Biophysics draws interest also because biological macromolecules and macro-assemblies are a source of novel physics, and because bio-materials are beginning to find application in technological problems.
 

EXPERIMENTAL

    Researcher:  Areas of current interest

    Zimei Bu (Chemistry)    
    Ranajeet Ghose (Chemistry):    Structural biology of signal trans- duction, protein dynamics; NMR methodology
    Ronald Koder:   De Novo protein design for new energy materials and chemotherapeutics
    David Rumschitzki (Chemical Engineering):  Reaction engineering; transport and reaction aspects of artery disease
    Ruth Stark (Chemistry):  Protein-assisted fatty acid transport, melanin and plant biopolymer assemblies; NMR methodology
    Raymond Tu (Chemical Engineering):  Biomolecular self-assembly using a set of rationally designed peptide-based building blocks
 

COMPUTATIONAL

    Researcher: Areas of current interest

    Marilyn Gunner:  Computational studies electron and proton transfers in protein. computational molecular biological physics; electron and proton transfer reactions; solar energy. Electron transfer & proton transfer reactions Computational studies electron and proton transfers in protein. computational molecular biological physics; electron and proton transfer reactions; solar energy. Electron transfer & proton transfer reactions
    Themis Lazaridis (Chemistry):  Modeling of protein-membrane interactions and molecular recognition