From Cell Membranes to the Nucleus: Experimental and Computational Biophysics at Physics at IIT

Life is an interplay between physics, chemistry, and genetics. Biophysics focuses on basic principles behind processes in living organisms. However, unlike core disciplines of physics and chemistry, our understanding of life's basic processes is at the level where both Physics and Chemistry were 100 years ago, and there is much to be discovered.

In this seminar, we will present an overview of the active projects in our labs and will discuss questions including:

• The science of breathing, and why our lungs have a froth like structure?
• What are antimicrobial peptides and how to combat drug resistant bacteria?
• Why do we have cholesterol in cell membranes, and does it have a special function in cell defense against various toxins?
• How are the functions of proteins related to their kinetics and thermodynamics?
• How can we combine computer simulations with experiments to understand the structure and dynamics of biological systems?
• How can the process of gene expression be controlled on the molecular level?