Nanobiophysics

The master course teaches students the fundamentals of biophysics and bio-nanotechnology with two goals in mind: to prepare students to use nanotechnological approaches to better characterize and understand complex molecular machines such as biomolecules and also to harness these molecules in technological systems or use them as templates or model systems for a bottom-up nanotechnology.

The aims of the study programme are as follows: - inderdisciplinary training in the area of molecular and cellular biophysics - acquisition of in-depth knowledge of the scientific fundamentals of nanobiophysics - acquisition of in-depth knowledge of the recent methods of molecular cell biology and biochemistry, biophysics and nanotechnology.

The syllabus for the first semester comprises introductory courses in biochemistry and polymer science as well as courses on the fundamentals of biophysics and molecular modelling. In the second semester, the courses focus on biophysics and nanophysics. In the third semester, the students specialize in one field in which they choose four required elective courses from different specialisation fields (e.g. biophysics, biology, nanotechnology). The fourth semester is reserved for writing the master's thesis.

Molecules in our cells are genetically encoded nanomachines with amazing functionalities, and they work together in fascinating ways to provide the capabilities that make all life on earth possible. On the one hand it is essential that we describe, harness and engineer cellular machines, and on the other hand we need to understand the dynamics and activities that emerge when many such machines are put together to function in cells and tissues.

This goal can best be reached by providing interdisciplinary training and introducing students with a thorough education in physics or related quantitative subjects to the fascinating fields of molecular biology, quantitative cell and developmental biology, polymer science, biophysics and biophysical theory, bionanotechnology, and the amazing world of single molecule approaches.

The master program intends to teach students the physics of life. Our aim is to provide fundamentals in biophysics, biology and bionanotechnology in order to a) better characterize molecular machines, b) discover and understand emergent properties of molecular machines in cells and tissues, and c) harness these molecules in technological systems for bottom-up nanotechnology.

Selected students have a Fast Track option into the Dresden International PhD Program (DIPP).