Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 9, 2026
09:11
Using Expansion Microscopy to Physically Enlarge Whole-Mount Drosophila Embryos for Super-Resolution Imaging
Published on: April 28, 2023
2.6K
The case for biophysics super-groups in physics departments.
Bart W Hoogenboom1, Mark C Leake
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Biological Physics Research Group, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom. London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, 17-19 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AH, United Kingdom.
Physical Biology
|June 5, 2018
Summary
Physics is increasingly applied to biological questions, redefining biophysics. This abstract discusses how physics departments can best structure and name these evolving research and teaching roles.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Interdisciplinary research
- Physics of life
Background:
- Growing number of physicists are engaging in biological research.
- This trend is reshaping the definition and practice of biophysics.
- Many biophysicists are housed within traditional physics departments.
Discussion:
- Challenges in naming and structuring biophysics research groups.
- Strategies for integrating biophysics within physics departments.
- Optimizing departmental value for emerging biophysics research and teaching.
Key Insights:
- The interdisciplinary nature of modern biophysics requires new organizational models.
- Effective departmental structures can foster innovation in biophysics.
- Defining 'doing biophysics' is evolving with new research frontiers.
Outlook:
- Future integration of physics and biology research.
- Potential for new academic structures to support biophysics.
- Advancing the understanding of life through physics principles.
Related Concept Videos
02:57Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter
166.9K
The characteristics that enable us to distinguish one substance from another are called properties.
166.9K
01:06Physical Pendulum
2.8K
When a rigid body is hanging freely from a fixed pivot point and is displaced, it oscillates similar to a simple pendulum and is known as a physical pendulum. The period and angular frequency of a physical pendulum are obtained by using the small-angle approximation and drawing parallels with a spring-mass system. The small-angle approximation (sinθ=θ) is valid up to about 14°.
When dealing with complicated systems, the mass moment of inertia is an important parameter, as it...
When dealing with complicated systems, the mass moment of inertia is an important parameter, as it...
2.8K
01:37Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy
14.6K
Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (SRFM) provides a better resolution than conventional fluorescence microscopy by reducing the point spread function (PSF). PSF is the light intensity distribution from a point that causes it to appear blurred. Due to PSF, each fluorescing point appears bigger than its actual size, and it is the PSF interference of nearby fluorophores that causes the blurred image. Various approaches to achieving higher resolution through SRFM have recently been...
14.6K
01:17The Scope of Physics
53.4K
Physics is concerned with the interactions of energy, matter, space, and time, in order to discover the underlying mechanisms that underpin all phenomena. The word "physics" comes from the Greek word "phúsis", which means nature. Physics seeks to comprehend the natural world around us at its most fundamental level. It emphasizes the use of quantitative laws to do this, which could be valuable in other fields that want to push the performance boundaries of present...
53.4K
02:32Solving Problems in Physics
8.9K
Problem-solving is the ability to apply general physical principles to specific situations, usually expressed by equations. It is an essential skill in physics, and can also be useful for applying physics in everyday life as well. Analytical skills and problem-solving abilities can be applied to new situations, compared to a list of facts, which can never be extensive enough to include every possible circumstance. To solve physics problems, a certain amount of creativity and insight is...
8.9K
01:05Estimation of the Physical Quantities
7.9K
On many occasions, physicists, other scientists, and engineers need to make estimates of a particular quantity. These are sometimes referred to as guesstimates, order-of-magnitude approximations, back-of-the-envelope calculations, or Fermi calculations. The physicist Enrico Fermi was famous for his ability to estimate various kinds of data with surprising precision. Estimating does not mean guessing a number or a formula at random. Instead, estimation means using prior experience and sound...
7.9K