CU Biological Physics Major
CU Biological Physics MajorThese pages are dedicated to information regarding a potential CU Biophysics Major. Please add to the discussion!
Why does CU need a biological physics major?
There is a great interest in biological physics, both from our students (as evidenced by the success of the minor) as well as nationally, and internationally. In 1999, when I first came to Creighton, Harold Varmus, M.D., director of the NIH addressed the American Physical Society (March Meeting) and advocated for a greater role of physicists in contemporary biological and medical research.
In the birth of modern molecular genetics, physicists contributed their analytic skills but they were not really doing physics, and many were not even using the computational or imaging tools of physics as many biologists do. But contemporary biology, especially decipering of genomes by nucleotide sequencing, is about to change that. Biology is rapidly becoming a science that demands more intense mathematical and physical analysis than biologists have been accustomed to, and such analysis will be required to understand the workings of cells.
He also addressed the limitation imposed by artificial disciplinary boundaries within the sciences:
In talking about the effects of one field on others, I have generally ignored the “boundary problem” – how do we distinguish among fields? We do this now, in part, by self identification…linked to the source of one’s graduate degree, and departmental names on dipolmas can become limits to exploration in adjacent field. But many of us in biology expect that, as studies of cells and molecules become more obviously in need of several disciplinary approaches, it will become increasingly difficult to label the science and to predict the kinds of degrees people do it should have…
While these statements were made ten years ago, the need for interdisciplinary training in the sciences remains. Five years ago, Bialek and Botstein echoed Varmus' call for interdisciplinary training for biologists
The emergence of new frontiers of research in functional genomic, molecular evolution, intracellular and dynamic imaging, systems neuroscience, complex diseases, and the system-level integration of signal transduction and regulatory mechanisms require an ever-larger fraction of biologists to confront deeply quantitative issues that connect to ideas from the more mathematical sciences. At the same time, increasing numbers of physical scientists and engineers are recognizing that exciting frontiers of their own disciplines lie in the study of biological phenomena. Characteristic of this new intellectual landscape is the need for strong interaction across traditional disciplinary boundaries [1].
The liberal arts, undergraduate institution is the ideal environment to implement this kind of training. And Biological Physics in particular, with its heavy emphasis of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Material Science and Physics, requires the broadest scientific training.
At present, Creighton has a he biophysics minor that has been well accepted by biology and chemistry majors, in particular. The minor broadens the training in these two disciplines by requiring an extra year of physics (and an additional semester of calculus). The proposed Biological Physics major will build upon the success of the biophysics minor to provide the broad, yet deep training in the sciences that Varmus and others have long advocated, within the appropriate context of a liberal arts education.
[1] W. Bialek and D. Botstein (2004) “Introductory Science and Mathematics education for 21st-century biologists” Science 303:788-790.
What is the target student population?
What is the trajectory for biophysicsajors ?
Biophysics programs like ...
Physics Graduate school?
Medical School?
Brandeis
Brandeis
Equiv. Course Requirements:
Physics (19-20 hours) Gen Phys with lab (2 sem), Modern Physics (1 sem), Quantum (1 sem), Adv. Lab (1 sem), Thermodynamics (1 sem)
Biological Physics (2 hours): Seminar in Biological Physics (1 year)
Chemistry ( 8 hours) Gen Chem with lab (2 sem),
Mathematics (8 hours) Calc I and II
Biology (8 hours) General Biology with lab (2 sem)
Electives (6 - 18 hours) Between 2 and 5 elective courses depending on specialization
Total: (At Creighton this would be 51 - 64 credit hours)
Documents:
The biological physics major is designed to provide the quantitative skills and the biology background for students interested in the study of the physics of biological systems on the molecular scale. This program provides a strong foundation in the physical sciences, which underpins much of the modern revolution in biology. It should be of particular interest to students wishing to pursue careers in fundamental or applied research in biophysics, quantitative biology and biotechnology.
How to Become a Biological Physics Major
Students should plan on entering the program as early as possible due to the substantial number of core science courses required to complete the major. The Biological Physics Seminar, BIPH 11a and BIPH 11b, provides an important introduction to biological physics at the most basic level, and should be taken in the first or second year.
To plan a course of study in detail, students should contact Professor Robert Meyer, Professor Jané Kondev or any of the biological physics committee members.
The foundation of the biological physics program is the set of required courses in the physical and life sciences. The core courses, divided by fields, are:
- Physics: PHYS 11a, b, PHYS 19a, b, PHYS 20a, PHYS 31a, PHYS 39, PHYS 40
- Biological Physics: BIPH 11a, b
- Mathematics: Two courses at the level of MATH 10 or above
- Chemistry: CHEM 11a, b and CHEM 18a, b or equivalents
- Biology: BIOL 22a, b and BIOL18a, b
Students with high enough Advanced Placement Examination scores may place out of some of the core courses. Students who place out of Physics 11b ("Electricity and Magnetism") will be required to take Physics 30a, the intermediate-level course in this subject. Likewise, students placing out of first-year calculus must take higher-level courses. Other courses, including Physics 11a and Chemistry 11a, need not be replaced by higher-level courses, although that is strongly encouraged.
Beyond the core curriculum, students are expected to explore areas of further inquiry by taking at least two elective courses.
Molecular Structure
The use of physical techniques, including X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance, to elucidate the structure of biomolecules.
Elective courses:
- BIOL 102b
- BCHM 171b
- BIOL 104a
- BIOL126b
- BCHM 104b (required prerequisites for this course are not included in the core curriculum)
Single-molecule Biophysics
The study of biological processes on the single molecule scale, such as enzyme function, ion transport through membranes, protein folding and molecular motors.
Elective courses:
- CHEM 146a
- BIOL 25a
- BCHM 101a (required prerequisites for this course are not included in the core curriculum)
Modeling of Biological Structure and Function
The development and analysis of mathematical models for elucidating biological structure and function.
Elective courses:
- QBIO 110a
- CHEM 144a
- PHYS 105a
- NPHY 115a
- NBIO 136b
Systems and Networks
The study of topics including bioinformatics, neural networks and networks of genes and proteins.
Elective courses:
- BCHM 170b
- NBIO 140b
Haverford
Haverford| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Biophysics Program for Undr.pdf | 152.99 KB |
Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins
Undergraduate Program
The undergraduate major in biophysics is a great choice for students who enjoy math and physics but are interested in problems related to biology or medicine. In the first two years, students take foundation courses in math, physics, chemistry and biology. In the second two years, students take specialized courses in biophysics, physics and biology. They also do at least two semesters of independent research. This curriculum prepares students to succeed in today’s interdisciplinary research and technology environment.
Course Requirements:
Chemistry: Gen Chem (1 year with lab), Orgo (1 year w/1 sem lab)
Physics: Gen Physics (1 year with lab), Special Rel. + Waves (1 sem) + Modern (1 sem) or A biophysics version of these two courses.
Biology: Biochemistry (1 year with lab), Cell Bio (1 sem), Cell and molecular physiology (1 sem), Biophysical Chemistry, Spectroscopy, Biophysics lab, research problems in biophysics
Math: Calc 1, 2, 3, Linear Algebra (or a combo course in Linear + DEs)
1 or 2 advanced electives
Recommeded Courses for Graduate Programs in Biophysics
Recommeded Courses for Graduate Programs in BiophysicsCore Program:
- PHY (20): Seminar in Biophysics, 211, 212, 301, 353, Adv Biophysics Lab, Computational Biophysics
- CHM (12): 203, 204, 205, 206, 321, 322 (Orgo 2 + biochem? or new physbiochem course)
- BIO (8): 211, 362
- Quantum and Thermodynamics (4-6) Either CHM 341+342 or PHY 531, 541
- Mathmatical Methods (3) Either PHY 551 or CHM 532 (Mathematical Methods in Physics or Chemistry)
- Directed Independent Research (4, from Physics, Chemistry or Biology)
43-45 hours
New Courses to offer:
- Adv. Biophysics Lab
- Computational Biophysics
- Seminar in Biophysics
Major specializations are optional, and require an additional 1-2 courses. These are suggested to pursue graduate programs in specific sub-fields of biological physics.
- Molecular Biophysics:
- Structural Biophysics:
- Single Molecule Biophysics
- Medical Physics
For molecular biophysics programs: 1 year of Orgo + Physical Chemistry
Requirements for Harvard Biophysics Graduate Program
Requirements for Harvard Biophysics Graduate ProgramFrom Harvard Biophysics Program:
Suggested Undergraduate Preparation for Application
- For course descriptions, see the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Course Catalog
Students should have a strong background in the physical sciences, especially chemistry, physics, and mathematics. The list of courses below would provide an ideal background for a student's course work in specialized areas of biophysics. No undergraduate major would have taken all these courses in college. Harvard course numbers are provided for further reference:
Mathematics
MathematicsMultivariable Calculus/Linear Algebra and Differential Equations (Math 21a & 21b)
Advanced Calculus, Real Analysis (Math 112)
Complex Analysis (Math 113)
Structure and Organization of Programming (Computer Science 50)
Linear Algebra (Math 121)Physics
Classical Mechanics (Physics 15a)
Electromagnetism and Relativity (Physics 15b)
Wave Phenomena (Physics 15c)
Introductory Quantum Mechanics I (Physics 143a)
Laboratory Electronics (Physics 123)
Elementary Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics (Physics 181)Chemistry
Foundation of Chemistry (Chem 10)
Organic Chemistry (Chem 20 & Chem 30)
Physical Chemistry--Introductory Quantum Mechanics/Statistical Thermodynamics (Chem 160 & 161)Biological Sciences/Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Introductory Molecular Biology (Biological Sciences 10)
Basic Principles of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (Biological Sciences 11)
Neurobiology (Biology 25)
Classical and Molecular Genetics (Biochem 42)
Physical Biochemistry (Biochem 61)