Biophysics

Biophysics is a young, interdisciplinary science at the intersection of physics, chemistry, and biology. It explores the structures, properties, functions, and dynamics of living matter, using methods and approaches from all three branches of the natural sciences.

• Typical biophysical questions include:
• What does the three-dimensional structure of a biomolecule—such as an enzyme—look like?
• What new methods can be used to study very large and complex structures?
• How does a molecular machine, like a motor protein in muscles, work?
• How fast do processes occur at the molecular level, such as when an enzyme catalyzes a chemical reaction? Can we control these processes?
• How do diseases arise at the molecular level?
• How can we improve computer simulations of biomolecular behavior?
• How is energy transformed, stored, and utilized in living organisms?
• How does signal perception and processing work? For example, how are we able to see and hear?

If you have a broad interest in the natural sciences and aren’t afraid of mathematics, biophysics might be the perfect fit for you!

The biophysics degree program at the Riedberg Campus of Goethe University is a collaboration between three departments (Physics, Chemistry/Biochemistry/Pharmacy, and Biosciences). This partnership ensures an exceptionally wide range of topics in your education and offers a broad selection of research groups across all three departments for your bachelor’s thesis.

The focus of the program is on molecular and cellular biophysics. This means we concentrate more on the properties of molecules, protein complexes, biomembranes, organelles, and entire cells, rather than on topics like the biomechanics of bird flight or the energy balance of ecosystems.

Another unique feature of the Riedberg Campus is its proximity to research institutes that work on biophysical topics and are also involved in the biophysics degree program: the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, and the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies.

In the bachelor’s program, you will receive a solid fundamentals education over six semesters in physics (experimental physics, theoretical physics, mathematics), chemistry (general, inorganic, organic, physical, and theoretical chemistry), and biology (protein structure and function, molecular biology, genetics, elective subject). Starting in your first semester, you will also take an introductory course in computer programming.

These fundamentals are integrated into the core field of biophysics through the Biophysics 1-5 modules: How do we “build” physical models of biological systems that can then be described mathematically? How do biophysics investigation methods work (various types of spectroscopy and microscopy, biochemical techniques, and more)? What computer-based approaches are used (simulations, machine learning methods, AI applications, and data analysis)? The courses include lectures with exercises, various hands-on training sessions (physics, chemistry, biophysics), and a unique multi-day biophysics seminar held in the summer at the Goethe University guesthouse in the Alps. This seminar features scientific presentations and discussions by students, complemented by recreational activities in the mountains.

In your bachelor’s thesis during the sixth semester, you will have the opportunity to contribute to current research.

For more detailed information about the program structure, please visit the website of the Institute for Biophysics.