Biol/Phys 323
Introduction to Biophysics
the chemical physics of biology
(Dr. Pete Nelson)

Fundamental physical principles are applied to biological systems at the subcellular and molecular level. Concepts from classical and statistical physics are applied to important biological problems including the physiology of ion channels. Topics will be selected from:

• Conservation of energy and momentum
• Newton's laws applied to molecules in biology
• Molecular kinetics and equilibrium
• Statistical thermodynamics and the Boltzmann factor
• The law of corresponding states
• Molecular simulation methods (Molecular Dynamics and Monte Carlo methods)
• Principles of molecular self-assembly
• Fick's Laws of diffusion (molecular and thermal transport)
• Biophysics of ion permeation (ionic transport and the Nernst equation)
• Single-file transport, Michaelis-Menten kinetics and Ohm's Law

Special emphasis will be placed on the biophysics of ion channel proteins - the electrical enzymes that run the nervous system - these enzymes are the target of roughly a third of all drugs.
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This page was last updated on January 7, 2003 by pHn.