Biophysics is a molecular science. It seeks to explain biological function in terms of the molecular structures and properties of specific molecules. These molecules, the sole building blocks of living organisms, assemble into cells, tissues, and whole organisms by forming complex individual structures with dimensions of 10, 100, 1000, 10,000 nm and larger. Proteins assemble into the casein micelles of milk, which aggregate to form the curd of cheese; proteins and ribonucleic acids assemble into ribosomes, the machinery for building proteins; lipids and proteins assemble into cell membranes, the external barriers and internal surfaces of cells; proteins and DNA wind up into chromosomes, the carriers of the genetic code; and so on.

Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that applies the theories and methods of physical sciences, especially those of physics, to the study of biological systems. Biophysicists have contributed significantly to the understanding of life sciences. For example, the discovery of the structure of the DNA double helix was attributed to Professor Francis Crick (co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine, 1962) who was a physicist by training. More recently, physicist Sir Peter Mansfield won the Nobel Prize in Medicine (2003) for discoveries concerning magnetic resonance imaging. Such studies can be divided into these different areas of interest:

• Bioenergetics
• Biophysical Theory and Modelling
• Cell Biophysics Channels, Receptors, and Transporters
• Electrophysiology
• Bio Membranes
• Nucleic Acids
• Photobiophysics
• Assemblies and folding/unfolding of proteins and other biological macromolecules
• Spectroscopy, Imaging, and other techniques

The primary objective of this programme is to educate and train students with the core knowledge of physical sciences to tackle biological problems. Biophysics students will learn the fundamentals of biology and physics to prepare them for further studies at an advanced level. These students will be capable of meeting the challenges of modern-age biophysics, and will be able to carry out independent or collaborative research work. Students equipped with the Minor in Biophysics will gain an advantage in their challenging careers in research, academia and industry related to the high value-added and knowledge-intensive Life Sciences industry.

To be awarded a minor in Biophysics, a student must pass the following courses:

• LSM1111 Biological Challenges and Opportunities for Humankind OR
  LSM1301 General Biology
• PC2267 Biophysics I
• PC3267 Biophysics II

Choose two courses from the following, where at least one has to be an LSM-coded course:

• PC2031 Electricity and Magnetism I
• PC2135 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
• LSM2106 Fundamental Biochemistry
• LSM2234 Introduction to Quantitative Biology
• LSM2241 Introductory Bioinformatics
• LSM3220 Genes, Genomes and Biomedical Implications
• LSM3243 Molecular Biophysics
• PC4267 Biophysics III
• LSM4231 Structural Biology

To be awarded a minor in Biophysics, a student must pass the following courses:

• PC1101 Frontiers of Physics OR PC1421 Physics for Life Sciences
• PC2267 Biophysics I
• PC3267 Biophysics II

Choose two courses from the following:

• PC2031 Electricity and Magnetism I
• PC2135 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
• LSM2106 Fundamental Biochemistry
• LSM2234 Introduction to Quantitative Biology
• LSM2241 Introductory Bioinformatics
• LSM3220 Genes, Genomes and Biomedical Implications
• LSM3243 Molecular Biophysics
• PC4267 Biophysics III
• LSM4231 Structural Biology