BIOPHYSICS

Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses and develops theories and methods of physical sciences to investigate biological systems at all levels of organization: from the molecular scale to entire organisms, up to ecosystems.

The aim of the course is to provide an overview of Biophysics, providing students with the tools for the knowledge and understanding of the study of biological phenomena from a physical point of view (knowledge and understanding)

The course aims to provide the student with a sufficient familiarity with the basic concepts of Biophysics in order to develop the ability to use the concepts acquired for the interpretation and understanding of scientific articles (applying knowledge and understanding)

The course is intended to constitute an extension of the cultural base of physics students to a rapidly developing and very interesting sector, stimulating in the student the ability to critically evaluate the sometimes contradictory information obtained from literature (making judgments)

Particular attention will be paid to the acquisition and use of appropriate technical language and to the ability to present in a synthetic and clear way the contents of a scientific work, prerogative to the development of communication skills in scientific and professional fields (communication skills).

The methodology used in the course will tend to develop in the student both the ability to focus on the most relevant aspects of scientific information, and the ability to acquire adequate cognitive tools for the continuous updating of knowledge through specialized literature. (learning skills)

The course will be carried out through lectures. Audiovisual media will be used.
Class attendance is mandatory. The student must attend at least 70% of the lectures.

INTRODUCTION TO BIOPHYSICS
A brief history of life. The prebiological evolution. From eobionts to cells. Modeling principles to understand biological systems

INTRA AND INTERMOLECULAR INTERACTIONS
Atomic orbitals. Molecular orbitals. Covalent bond. Ionic bond. Hydrogen bond. van der Waals bond. Role of water

THE CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL LAWS THAT GOVERN BIOLOGICAL REACTIONS
Spontaneous reactions and the principles of thermodynamics. Role of enzymes

STRUCTURE OF BIOMOLECULES
Structure and formation of biomolecules. Functional groups. Carbohydrates. Lipids. Protein. Nucleotides and nucleic acids. Structural organization of proteins: primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary level of organization. The structure and physical properties of RNA DNA.

THE CELL
The cell as a basic unit of biological organization. The components: membranes, cytoskeleton, cytoplasm, organelles, nucleus. Basic structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Brownian motion, viscosity and their influence on the motion of particles in the cell. The cell membrane: the lipid bilayer. Modeling. The mechanical properties of cell membranes. The control of transmembrane flows: membrane proteins, passive transport compared to the active one, fusion and exocytotic release. Basic structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

PHYSICAL METHODS FOR THE STUDY OF MACROMOLECULES AND CELLS
Optical and electronic microscopy. X-ray diffraction. NMR spectroscopy. Fluorescence spectroscopy. Centrifugation

ENERGY FLOW AND INFORMATION IN CELLS
Mitochondria and ATP generation. Photosynthesis.

WATER AND LIFE
The structure of the water and its anomalies. Hydrogen bonding and information transfer. Water structuring models. Intracellular water. Role of water in biological systems.

1) Claudio Nicolini, Adelio Rigo : Biofiisca e Tecnologie Biomediche - Zanichelli 1992

2) Roland Glaser : Biophysics Springer-Verlag Gmbh 2004

3) Peter R. Bergethon: The physical basis of Biochemistry. – Springer 2000

4) G.H. Pollack : Cells, Gels and the Engines of Life Ebner and Sons Publishers 2001

5) Stephen L. Wolfe: Biologia molecolare e cellular- - EdiSES 2000

6) Martin Chaplin – Water Structure and Science - www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/