To provide the students with a basic knowledge of methods from physics that can be applied with success to gain knowledge about biological systems, ranging from single molecules to cells.
In addition, research activities of biological physics at the Department of Physics and Department of Nanotechnology will be presented through guest lectures.

• Explain basic constituents (molecules, organelles) of procaryotic and eucaryotic cells.
• Explain passive and active transport in biological systems.
• Explain basic principles of motility in selected biological systems, in particular at low Reynolds number
• Recognize and explain relevant biological terms. Knowledge of typical length- and timescales for cellular (biological) processes
• Calculate properties of simple biophysical systems, based on arguments from basic mechanics, thermodynamics, electrodynamics and statistical physics.
• Explain which physical principles that may be applied to give a simple description of a given biological system
• Explain the physical principles behind experimental methods for determination of forces and structures, applied in biological physics.
• Describe and discuss biophysical experiments that apply one or several of the methods mentioned above.
• Explain ion-transport across membranes via equivalent electrical curcuits and describe how these can be used in the description of propagating nerve signals

Basic cellular physiology. Thermal movement and diffusion. Active versus passive transport. Low Reynolds-number dynamics Entropic forces, temperature. Enzymes and molecular machines. Basic electrophysiology. Examples of experimental methods in modern biophysics.

The course is recommended for 5th semester.