Introduction to Medical Biophysics

Biophysics

branch of science that uses the methods of physics to study biological processes

when was biophysics introduced?

• introduced in 1892

who introduced biophysics and where?

by Karl Pearson in The Grammar of Science to describe the science that links the physical and biological sciences

what is SDG 3?

good health and well-being

what are the categories under SDG 3

• health technologies

• environmental health

• disease prevention and control

• mental health

SDG 3: biophysics can drive advancements in medical devices, drug delivery systems, and diagnostics tools, improving health outcomes

Health technologies

SDG 3: biophysics can help understand the effects of pollution on human health and develop strategies for mitigating environmental risks

Environmental health

SDG 3: Biophysics can inform research on infectious disease dynamics, vaccine development, and antimicrobial resistance, contributing to disease prevention and control efforts

Disease prevention and control

SDG 3: Biophysics can play a role in understanding the biological underpinnings of mental health conditions and developing therapeutic interventions

Mental health

what is SDG 4?

quality education

what are the categories under SDG 4

• health education

• environmental science education

• technology education

SDG 4: biophysics provides the foundation for understanding human health and disease, contributing to the development of effective health education programs

health education

SDG 4: biophysics is essential for understanding environmental processes and their impact on human health and well-being, supporting quality environmental education

Environmental science education

SDG 4: as technology plays an increasingly important role in healthcare and environmental monitoring, biophysics is crucial for educating the workforce in these fields

technology education

what is SDG 13?

climate action

what are the categories under SDG 13

• understanding climate impacts on health

• developing sustainable technologies

• environmental monitoring

• climate-resistant infrastructure

SDG 13: biophysics can help understand how climate change affects human health and develop strategies for mitigating these impacts

Understanding climate impacts on health

SDG 13: biophysics can contribute to the development of sustainable energy technologies and other climate-friendly innovations

developing sustainable technologies

SDG 13: biophysics is essential for monitoring environmental changes, including climate change indicators, and assessing the effectiveness of climate action strategies

environmental monitoring

SDG 13: biophysics can inform the design and implementation of climate-resilient infrastructure and buildings, reducing vulnerability to climate impacts

Climate-resilient infrastructure

what is the history of biophysics through dates

1. 1892

2. 1942

3. 1946

4. 1953

5. 1957

6. 1980

history of biophysics 1892?

the Grammar of science of Karl Pearson

history of biophysics 1943?

Erwin Schrodinger gave his now-famous lecture series titled “What is life?” The Physical Aspects of the Living Cell

history of biophysics: 1946?

the Medical Research Council of King’s College in London established the Biophysics Research Unit of King’s College

• X-ray diffraction, DNA

History of Biophysics: 1953?

Watson and Crick made one of the most far-reaching discoveries of our time when they used Rosalind Franklin’s X-ray diffraction data to discover the double helix structure of DNA

History of Biophysics: 1957?

The Biophysical Society was founded to encourage the growth and dissemination of knowledge in biophysics

History of Biophysics: 1980 onwards?

Numerous universities offered graduate degrees in biophysics

what are the categories under Biophysical topics based on the relative size of the subject

1. Molecular and subcellular biophysics

2. Physiological and anatomical biophysics

3. Environmental biophysics

what are the categories under biophysical techniques and applications

1. Preparative technique

2. Analytical techniques

• General biophysical techniques

• imaging biophysics

• medical biophysics

what are the categories under molecular and subcellular biophysics?

• the structure and conformation of biological molecules

• structure-function relationships

• conformational transitions

• ligand binding and intermolecular binding

• diffusion and molecular transport

• membrane biophysics

• DNA and Nucleic acid biophysics

• protein biophysics

• energy flow and bioenergetics

• thermodynamics

• statistical mechanics

• kinetics

• molecular machines

• allosterics

• determining the structure, size, and shape of biological molecules

The structure and conformation of biological molecules

many biological molecules are?

polymers

• a polymer is a large molecule made by connecting together many smaller molecules

the smaller molecules in a polymers are called?

residue (because that’s what’s left over when you break a polymer into pieces)