Biophysics Research

Biophysics Research at Bar-Ilan University: Life by the Numbers

Biophysics is the bridge between biology – which studies life in all its variety and complexity – and physics – which seeks out the mathematical laws and patterns that make nature’s physical existence both understandable and predictable. From Watson and Crick’s 1953 discovery of the structure of DNA to today’s ultra-fast “gene-chip” technologies, biophysicists study life at every level, from atoms and molecules to cells, organisms, and environments. At Bar-Ilan University, a significant number of scientists devote themselves to the study of the membrane – the living “fence” that encircles cells and sub-cellular organelles, stabilizing them energetically and mediating interactions with the outside environment. Other laboratories focus on characterizing fundamental signaling mechanisms in cells, or on quantifying the forces that affect individual proteins. Finally, Bar-Ilan biophysicists are creating important new tools for the observation, measurement and manipulation of biological processes. This “critical mass” of biophysics-oriented researchers is why Bar-Ilan is home to the only undergraduate and graduate study programs in biophysics that are approved by Israel’s Council of Higher Education. From drug discovery to disease prevention, from medical imaging to forensics, and from energy research to environmental protection, Bar-Ilan biophysicists are revealing the patterns and principles behind the dynamic process we call life. Their discoveries are creating hope that – in the not-too-distant future – life will be healthier than ever before. From drug discovery to disease prevention, from medical imaging to forensics, and from energy research to environmental protection, Bar-Ilan biophysicists are revealing the patterns and principles behind the dynamic process we call life.  

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