PHYS580 - Biological Physics

The course will explore the basic physical principles behind the structure and function of life across many length and time scales (molecule, cell, organism, population). Emphasis will be given on overarching physical themes such as entropy and biological noise, and how they affect the organization of living matter and its emergent properties. Topics may include biopolymers and single molecule biophysics, molecular motors, gene and transcription networks, pattern formation in biological systems, phyllotaxis, neural computing and evolution. Prerequisite: Recommended: Basic background in biology.