Keira O'Donnell

Biological Physics Keira O'Donnell

Biological physics or biophysics is an interdisciplinary science which applies the principles and methods of physics to study biological phenomena. Biophysics encompasses the study of all scales of biological organization, by directly observing, modeling and manipulating the structures and interactions of molecules and molecular complexes. A number of techniques are used for the study of biological systems. Fluorescent imaging techniques include X-ray crystallography, electron microscopy, small-angle scattering, etc. to visualize structures of biological significance. Dual polarization interferometry and circular dichroism are used to measure conformational change in structure, and optical tweezers or AFM are used to directly manipulate molecules. Research in biophysics is interdisciplinary in its approach and often draws from the fields of physiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, nanotechnology, bioengineering, biomechanics, systems biology, among others. Different approaches, evaluations, methodologies and advanced studies on biological physics have been included in this book. There has been rapid progress in this field and its applications are finding their way across multiple industries. This book aims to equip students and experts with the advanced topics and upcoming concepts in biophysics.