Physics 414: Introduction to Biophysics
Fall Semester, 2018

Professor Henry Greenside

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Welcome to Physics 414, a course that discusses at a junior-level the exciting interdisciplinary subject of biophysics. Biophysics broadly concerns trying to understand biology in a quantitative way, using experimental techniques, theories, and concepts developed from different areas of physics such as statistical physics, nonlinear dynamics, polymer physics, mechanics, fluid mechanics, optics, quantum mechanics, and nanoscience. Biology and medicine in turn often suggest novel physics problems or experimental challenges. Indeed, some of the greatest unsolved questions in all of science involve biological questions of much interest to physicists, e.g. how does a long one-dimensional sequence of aminos acids (a protein) spontaneously fold over about a second to form a biologically active enzyme that can enormously speed up specific chemical reactions? How does life emerge from some collection of molecules? How does behavior emerge from a network of many interacting neurons?

Physics 414 is the first of a two-semester sequence of undergraduate biophysics courses. 414 focuses mainly on the biophysics of cellular and subcellular (molecular) structure and function, with a particular emphasis on studying how diffusion, energy, and entropy help to explain molecular and cellular structure and function. The companion course Physics 415 offered each spring builds upon and extends 414 to biophysical phenomena that span multiple time, length, and energy scales, addressing questions such as how does information obtained at the molecular level (say biomolecular sensors for chemicals or light) lead to macroscopic behavior such as chemotaxis of a bacterium or pattern recognition followed by movement of a person.

Further information about Physics 414 can be found from the course syllabus. Please also feel free to contact the course instructor, Professor Greenside at hsg@phy.duke.edu, if you have any questions.