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BiophysicsBiophysics (also biological physics) is an interdisciplinary science that applies theories and methods of the physical sciences to questions of biology.
Biophysics research today comprises of a number of specific biological studies. These studies do not share a unique identifying factor, or subject themselves to clear and concise definitions. This is the result of biophysics' relatively recent appearance as a scientific discipline. The studies included under the umbrella of biophysics ranges from sequence comparison to neural networks. In the recent past, biophysics included creating mechanical limbs and nanomachines to regulate biological functions. Nowadays, these are more commonly referred to as belonging to the fields of bioengineering and nanotechnology respectively. We may expect these definitions to further refine themselves.
Overview
Biophysics often does not have university-level departments of its own, but have presence as groups across departments within the fields of biology, biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, medicine, pharmacology, physiology, physics, and neuroscience. What follows is a list of examples of how each department applies it's efforts toward the study of biophysics. This list is hardly all inclusive. Nor does each subject of study belong exclusively to any particular department. Each academic institution makes it's own rules and there is much mixing between departments.
- Biology and molecular biology - Almost all biophysics efforts are included in some biology department somewhere. To include some: gene regulation, single protein dynamics, bioenergetics, patch clamping, phylogenetic tree, biological structures.
- Biochemistry and chemistry - biomolecular structure, siRNA, nucleic acid structure.
- Computer science - sequence comparison, neural networks.
- Mathematics - population modeling, fluid dynamics.
- Medicine and neuroscience - tackling neural networks experimentally (brain slicing) as well as theoretically (computer models), membrane permitivity, gene therapy, understanding tumors.
- Pharmacology and physiology - channel biology, biomolecular interactions, cellular membranes, polyketides.
- Physics - biomolecular free energy, biomolecular structures and dynamics, protein folding, stochastic processes, surface dynamics.
Many biophysical techniques are unique to this field.
Some of the research traditions in biophysics were initiated by scientists who were physicists, although many of the scientists who call themselves biophysicists today are not.
Topics in biophysics and related fields
Famous biophysicists
Other notable biophysicists
References
- Perutz M.F. Proteins and Nucleic Acids, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1962
- Perutz M.F. The haemoglobin molecule.- Proc.Roy.Soc., B 173, 1969, pp. 113-140
- Dogonadze R.R. and Urushadze Z.D. Semi-Classical Method of Calculation of Rates of Chemical Reactions Proceeding in Polar Liquids.- J.Electroanal.Chem., 32, 1971, pp. 235-245
- Volkenshtein M.V., Dogonadze R.R., Madumarov A.K., Urushadze Z.D. and Kharkats Yu.I. Theory of Enzyme Catalysis.- Molekuliarnaya Biologia (Moscow), 6, 1972, pp. 431-439 (In Russian, English summary)
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Advances in Biophysics
An international review journal published Elsevier Science. Most reviews are written in response to invitations and present a complete account of the author's work on a topic.
http://www.elsevier.com/locate/advbio
Biophysical Journal
A major journal published by The Biophysical Society. Contains the latest research and review articles.
http://www.biophysj.org/
Doklady Biochemistry and Biophysics
A journal containing English translations of current Russian research from the biochemistry and biophysics sections of the Doklady Akademii Nauk (Proceedings of the Russian Academy of Sciences).
http://www.maik.rssi.ru/cgi-bin/journal.pl?name=danbcbp&page=main
Annual Review of Biophysics and Biomolecular Structure
Primarily provides scholarly review articles in biophysics and structural biology.
http://biophys.AnnualReviews.org/
Quarterly Reviews of Biophysics
Official IUPAB journal covers the whole field, from ion channels to DNA topology and from X-ray diffraction to NMR. Published by Cambridge University Press.
http://uk.cambridge.org/journals/qrb/
Trends in Biochemical Sciences
TiBS covers discoveries in the fields of biophysics, biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, and cell biology. Aimed at both scientists and students.
http://www.trends.com/tibs/default.htm
Biophysical Chemistry
An international journal devoted to the physics and chemistry of biological phenomena.
http://www.elsevier.nl/inca/publications/store/5/2/2/4/9/9/
European Biophysics Journal
Journal of the European Biophysical Societies' Association published by Springer-Verlag. Includes the Biophysics Letters.
http://link.springer.de/link/service/journals/00249/index.htm
Progress in Biophysics & Molecular Biology
An international review journal that covers the ground between the physical and biological sciences. Published by Elsevier Science.
http://www.elsevier.com/locate/pbiomolbio
Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine
Covers the relationship between electromagnetic radiation and life by examining questions concerning the role of intrinsic electromagnetism in the regulation of living systems.
http://www.dekker.com/servlet/product/productid/JBC
Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics
A laboratory oriented journal devoted to illuminating the biomedical and biophysical mechanisms involved in regulating cell function. Published by Humana Press.
http://www.humanapress.com/JournalDetail.pasp?journal=4
Journal of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics
The Official Journal of the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists published by Harwood Academic.
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/gb/10258140.html
Evidence of a new type of protein-protein interaction
Desensitized actomyosin blocks Ca2+-sensitivity of the natural one. Physiological Chemistry and Physics and Medical NMR, 32: 167-179, 2000.
http://actomyosin.narod.ru/
Biophysics Textbook Online
A biophysics hyper-textbook, sponsored by the Biophysical Society and endorsed by International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics.
http://www.biophysics.org/btol/
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta
Comprehensive journal published by Elsevier Science. Topics covered include bioenegetics, biomemebranes, cancer, cell biology, genetics, and biochemistry.
http://www.elsevier.com/gej-ng/29/50/show/Products/BBA/index.htt
Virtual Journal of Biological Physics Research
This monthly virtual journal contains articles that have appeared in one of the participating source journals and that relate to biological physics research.
http://www.vjbio.org/
Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics
Presents articles in the developing areas of biochemistry and biophysics, especially those related to molecular biology, cell biology, and developmental biology.
http://www.elsevier.com/locate/issn/0003-9861
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Weekly journal published by Academic Press. Research areas covered include biochemistry, biophysics, cell biology, immunology, neurobiology, proteomics, and plant biology.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/0006291X
Physics in Medicine and Biology
Institute of Physics journal for all concerned with the applications of theoretical and practical physics to medicine, physiology and biology.
http://www.iop.org/EJ/journal/0031-9155
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