Course Information
SemesterCourse Unit CodeCourse Unit TitleL+PCreditNumber of ECTS Credits
7PHYS453MOLECULAR BIOPHYSICS I3+036

Course Details
Language of Instruction English
Level of Course Unit First Cycle
Department / Program PHYSICS
Mode of Delivery Face to Face
Type of Course Unit Elective
Objectives of the Course This is an elective course for the upper-level undergraduate physics students. Molecular Biophysics is a rapidly evolving interdisciplinary field that merges the concepts in physics, biology, chemistry, biochemistry, medicine and engineering. This promising course will focus on the understanding of the function, structure, dynamics, interactions and energetics of important biological macromolecules (cells, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids…) on the molecular level using the ideas from mechanics (classic-quantum) and thermodynamics. The goals are for the students to have a perspective on the building blocks of the living world, to have a general impression of how structural transitions, stabilizing interactions, reaction dynamics and equilibrium of biomolecules can be properly interpreted applying the physical concepts, and to expand the horizon of physicists to be involved in the multidisciplinary research areas. Example papers from the scientific literature for each of the topics considered will be used in lectures. Thus, students will gain practice in reading and interpreting the primary literature in the field as well.
Course Content Molecular forces in biological structures (interactions, force fields, energy functions); Structure and dynamics of biological macromolecules (proteins, enzymes, nucleic acids, lipids…); Compartmentalization of cells; Thermodynamics and bioenergetics; Ionization equilibrium and charge of biomolecules; Physics of neurons; Interaction of radiation with biomolecules; Radiation processes (optic, scattering, absorption).
Course Methods and Techniques
Prerequisites and co-requisities None
Course Coordinator None
Name of Lecturers Instructor Dr. GÜNNUR GÜLER
Assistants None
Work Placement(s) No

Recommended or Required Reading
Resources
Molecular and Cellular Biophysics (Meyer B. Jackson, Cambridge Univ. Press 2010) Fundamentals of Biophysics (Andrey B. Rubin, Wiley, 2014, ISBN: 978-1-118-84275-1) Biochemistry (RH. Abeles and PA. Frey; Jones and Bartlett Series in Biology, 1992) Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences (PW Atkins and J. Paula, Oxford Univ. Press, 2011) Relevant materials (research reviews and articles) will be provided to students.

Course Category

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Activities are given in detail in the section of "Assessment Methods and Criteria" and "Workload Calculation"

Assessment Methods and Criteria
In-Term Studies Quantity Percentage
Midterm exams 0 % 0
Quizzes 0 % 0
Homeworks 0 % 0
Other activities 0 % 0
Laboratory works 0 % 0
Projects 0 % 0
Final examination 0 % 0
Total
0
% 0

ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload
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Course Learning Outcomes: Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
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Weekly Detailed Course Contents
WeekTopicsStudy MaterialsMaterials
1 Introduction of the instructor and the course: What is Molecular Biophysics? What will you learn? Outline and perspectives. Molecular forces in biological structures: interactions, binding, force fields, energy functions
2 Molecular mechanics, energy potentials, and stabilizing interactions in macromolecules
3 Biological macromolecules
4 Amino acids as building blocks of proteins
5 The hierarchy of protein structure and stabilizing forces
6 Ionization equilibrium and charge of biomolecules
7 Nucleic acids: DNA, RNA, microRNA
8 Lipids as building blocks of biological membranes
9 Structure, dynamics and properties of biological membranes
10 Thermodynamics and bioenergetics: heat, work, entropy, equilibrium (1st and 2nd law)
11 Compartmentalization of cells
12 The physics of neurons (electric signals in cells, resting potential of membranes)
13 Radiation Processes (emission, scattering, absorption) and properties of light
14 Interaction of radiation with molecules, energy levels in molecules, vibrational modes; absorption spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Lambert-Beer Law, electronic and vibrational transitions in biological molecules, energy, intensity, dipole moment


Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10

Contribution: 0: Null 1:Slight 2:Moderate 3:Significant 4:Very Significant


https://obs.iyte.edu.tr/oibs/bologna/progCourseDetails.aspx?curCourse=261912&lang=en