FY833: Biophysics

Study Board of Science

Teaching language: Danish or English depending on the teacher, but English if international students are enrolled
EKA: N510041102
Assessment: Second examiner: Internal
Grading: 7-point grading scale
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Spring
Level: Master

STADS ID (UVA): N510041101
ECTS value: 5

Date of Approval: 31-10-2022


Duration: 1 semester

Version: Approved - active

Comment

Cancelled spring 2023

Entry requirements

A bachelor's degree in chemistry or biochemistry & molecular biology.
The course can be taken as an elective course for bachelor students in physics.

Academic preconditions

Students taking the course are expected to:

  • have knowledge of basic thermodynamics and/or physical chemistry
  • have knowledge of basic mechanical physics
  • be able to apply simple mathematical modeling of experimental phenomena
  • be able to apply simple statistical concepts to describe data and observations
  • have knowledge of basic programming in e.g. Matlab or Python

Course introduction

The aim of the course is to enable the student to understand and use key concepts in biophysics, which is a field dedicated to applying tools and methods from physics to a wide selection of problems in biology. 

The course builds on the knowledge acquired in elementary courses in physics and thermodynamics / physical chemistry, and gives an academic basis for doing individual projects in biophysics or soft matter physics in bachelor, or master projects or as individual study activities (ISA) that are part of the degree.

In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:
  • Based on the laws of physics to establish a mathematical description of a system and solve it quantitatively.
  • Solve problems in natural sciences by using a combination of theory, numerical simulations and experiments 

Expected learning outcome

The learning objective of the course is that the student demonstrates the ability to:
  • Describe the most important biological structures and processes at the cellular level
  • Describe the physical mechanism behind specific biological phenomena
  • Establish and solve physical models for a biological problem, either analytically or using a computer.  

Content

The following main topics are contained in the course:

  • Building blocks and organization of cells. Bioenergetics 
  • Forces and interactions, molecular self-assembly 
  • Themodynamic concepts in cells
  • Dynamical processes in cells, transport, diffusion
  • Computational biophysics 
  • Membrane biophysics, curvature, nerve conduction, membrane proteins

Literature

See itslearning for syllabus lists and additional literature references.

Examination regulations

Exam element a)

Timing

June

Tests

Oral examination

EKA

N510041102

Assessment

Second examiner: Internal

Grading

7-point grading scale

Identification

Student Identification Card

Language

Normally, the same as teaching language

Duration

30 minutes

Examination aids

To be announced during the course

ECTS value

5

Indicative number of lessons

40 hours per semester

Teaching Method

The teaching method is based on three phase model.
  • Intro phase: 28 hours
  • Skills training phase: 12 hours, hereof 8 hours problem solving and 4 hours presentation day by the students.
Activities during the study phase:
  • Solution of assignments in order to discuss these in the exercise sections.
  • Solution to written assignments
  • Self study of various parts of the course material.
  • Preparation and presentation of a research article

Teacher responsible

Name E-mail Department
Adam Cohen Simonsen adam@sdu.dk Fysik

Additional teachers

Name E-mail Department City
Daniel Wüstner wuestner@bmb.sdu.dk Institut for Biokemi og Molekylær Biologi
Himanshu Khandelia hkhandel@sdu.dk Kemi og Farmaci

Timetable

Administrative Unit

Fysik, kemi og Farmaci

Team at Educational Law & Registration

NAT

Offered in

Odense

Recommended course of study

Profile Education Semester Offer period

Transition rules

Transitional arrangements describe how a course replaces another course when changes are made to the course of study. 
If a transitional arrangement has been made for a course, it will be stated in the list. 
See transitional arrangements for all courses at the Faculty of Science.