In biophysics, physical tools are used
to investigate the structure and function of biological objects. This
field is already highly developed and tools such as lasers, advanced
microscopy techniques, X-ray and neutron scattering, and NMR have
helped to advance biology to its current level.
In biological physics, on the other hand, the goal is to
find and study physical concepts and laws, and to gain insight into
already known laws. This field is much younger but the more exciting as
an increasing interest of physicists in biological systems - often far
from equilibrium and frequently behaving in a highly nonlinear manner -
opens up new and unexpected fields for physical research.
As the twentieth century - the century of physics - winds
down, there are tremendous advances in our understanding of biology,
especially molecular biology, that will change our lives and that have
prompted the declaration of the next century as the one of biology. In
the light of these changes, contribution to and participation in this
development is the next big challenge for physics.
At CNLD, we are engaged in both biophysics and biological
physics in order to investigate and learn new science from the
cytoskeleton of cells, a polymer network inside most higher cells, the
diffusive behavior of single molecules in membranes, he pattern
formation of bacterial cultures driven away from equilibrium, and the
growth and control of neurons. The combination of soft condensed matter
physics and nonlinear dynamics with cell biology through advanced
microscopy, rheology, a newly developed laser tool, single particle
tracking techniques, novel nanotechnology, and molecular biology will
advance the understanding in fundamental science and provide novel
applications in biomedicine and materials sciences at the same time.
