3050 Introduction to Biophysics focuses on theoretical and computational modeling of biological processes using tools and concepts from physics, including the statistical physics of polymers, electrostatics of aqueous solutions, free energy minimization, energy-entropy competition, random walks, diffusion, the Einstein relation and depletion forces. With these tools the course examines the physics of biological processes such as osmotic pressure in cells, folding and cooperativity of macromolecules, ligand-receptor binding, energy balance of the cell, cell membrane shapes, ion channels, and molecular motors.

PR: one of Computer Science 1510 or 1001 or PHYS 2820, and one of PHYS 2053 or Chemistry 2301