biophysics
Physics of living things
Biophysics applies the methods and principles of physics to biological systems.
The field examines how physical forces and energy transfer govern living processes—from how proteins fold to how neurons fire to how birds navigate using Earth's magnetic field.
Her biophysics research focused on cell membrane dynamics.
Technique using powerful lenses
- fluorescenceLight emitted after absorption
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- electrophysiologyBiology's electrical activity science
- biosensorsDevices detecting via biological reactions
confocal · electron microscopy · tomography · scattering · diffraction
Amino acid polymers
- enzymesReaction-speeding proteins
- DNAHereditary code molecule
- RNAGene expression molecule
- amino acidsOrganic compounds forming proteins
peptides · nucleic acids · ribosomes · transcription · translation · replication · polymerase · protein folding
Strength or compulsion
- torqueRotational force measurement
- dynamicsStudy of forces
- kinematicsStudy of movement itself
- momentumProduct of mass, velocity
elasticity · stress · strain · viscosity · locomotion · gait · cytoskeleton · motility
Quantified chaos in systems
- enthalpyThermodynamic total heat quantity
- free energyWork-extractable energy measure
- ATPCell's energy molecule
- bioenergeticsStudy of biological energy
metabolism · phosphorylation · redox · activation energy · equilibrium · calorimetry · coupling · heat capacity
Fabricated body part replacements
- biomaterialsMaterials interfacing with living systems
- drug deliveryConveying medicine to tissues
- biosensorsDevices detecting via biological reactions
- biomimeticsNature-inspired design field
nanoparticles · medical devices · implants · biocompatibility · scaffolds
Light-to-sugar conversion in plants
- tunnelingDigging underground passages
- coherenceLogical internal consistency
- excitationStimulation of response
- energy transferPower moving between systems
Neuron's rapid electrical discharge
- voltage-gatedResponsive to electrical gradients
- brain imagingVisualizing cerebral structures or activity
- neural networksLayered computational learning systems
- axonNeuron's signal-sending projection
microscopy
Technique using powerful lenses
- fluorescenceLight emitted after absorption
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- electrophysiologyBiology's electrical activity science
biosensors · confocal · electron microscopy · tomography · scattering · diffraction
proteins
Amino acid polymers
amino acids · peptides · nucleic acids · ribosomes · transcription · translation · replication · polymerase · protein folding · receptors
force
Strength or compulsion
- torqueRotational force measurement
- dynamicsStudy of forces
- kinematicsStudy of movement itself
momentum · elasticity · stress · strain · viscosity · locomotion · gait · cytoskeleton · motility · actin
entropy
Quantified chaos in systems
- enthalpyThermodynamic total heat quantity
- free energyWork-extractable energy measure
- ATPCell's energy molecule
bioenergetics · metabolism · phosphorylation · redox · activation energy · equilibrium · calorimetry · coupling · heat capacity
prosthetics
Fabricated body part replacements
- biomaterialsMaterials interfacing with living systems
- drug deliveryConveying medicine to tissues
- biosensorsDevices detecting via biological reactions
biomimetics · nanoparticles · medical devices · implants · biocompatibility · scaffolds
photosynthesis
Light-to-sugar conversion in plants
- tunnelingDigging underground passages
- coherenceLogical internal consistency
- excitationStimulation of response
action potential
Neuron's rapid electrical discharge
- voltage-gatedResponsive to electrical gradients
- brain imagingVisualizing cerebral structures or activity
- neural networksLayered computational learning systems
- biologycells, DNA, cell, gene, bacteriology
- sciencechemistry, astronomy, geology, electron, genes
- scienceschemistry, astronomy, geology, mathematics, ecology
- academic fieldsmathematics, chemistry, history, philosophy, psychology
- Biomedicineanatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, immunology
- disciplineschemistry, mathematics, psychology, sociology, economics
biophysicsnatural history
Study of organisms and environments
taxonomy · phenomenology · naturalism · field observation · hermeneutics
biophysicsastrophysics
Physics of celestial bodies
particle physics · cosmology · pure mathematics · geophysics · materials science
biophysicspure mathematics
Mathematics pursued abstractly
classical mechanics · organic chemistry · molecular biology · theoretical physics