1. COURSE DECRIPTION – GENERAL INFORMATION
1.1. Course teacher
Selma Supek, Assistant Professor
Biophysics
1.2. Name of the course
1.3. Associate teachers
1.4. Study programme (undergraduate,
graduate, integrated)
Integrated
Elective
1.5. Status of the course
1.6. Year and semester of study
1.7. Credit value (ECTS)
1.8. Type of instruction (number of hours
L+S+E+e-learning)
1.9. Expected enrolment in the course
1.10. Level of use of e-learning (1, 2, 3
level), percentage of instruction in the
course on line (20% maximum)
3., V semester or 4., VII semester
5
2 L + 1 S + 0 E + e-learning
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2. COURSE DESCRIPTION
2.1. Course objectives
2.2. Enrolment requirements and
required entry competences for the
course
2.3. Learning outcomes at the level of
the study programme to which the
course contributes
To introduce the students to interdisciplinary biophysics research. To give an insight into the basic concepts of the structure and
function of biological systems from molecule to the brain and to give an overview of the latest experimental methods. To
emphasize the close connection between biophysics and biotechnologies of the future. To stimulate students to present some
of the latest biophysics research in the seminars on the topics of their interest.
General Physics
At the level of the study program the learning outcomes of this course are expected to open vistas for the role of physics in
understanding the biological systems, understanding and appreciation of biophysics as an interdisciplinary research field, and
the fundamental role and close links of biophysics and biotechnologies. While serving as an introductory course and giving
foundations in molecular and cellular biophysics the course will also bring the latest research topics in biophysics and contribute
to exposing the students to the open and challenging issues in the field of biophysics. The learning outcomes of this course will
allow students to consider research and professional opportunities in a range of interdisciplinary fields related to studies of
biological systems and bio- or bio-inspired technologies such as biophysics, medical physics, biomedical engineering, etc.
The expected learning outcomes of the course include:
2.4. Expected learning outcomes at the
level of the course (4-10 learning
outcomes)
1.
2.
3.
4.
understanding and appreciation of biophyscs as an interdisciplinary research field;
understanding the link between the structure and functions of biological system from molecular to system level;
understanding fundamental characteristics of the living matter;
getting insight on how experimental methods and theoretical approaches from physics can give answers related to the
structure and functions of biological systems;
5. understanding diffusion processes and their role in the transport phenomena across the biological membrane;
6. understanding the relationship of the membrane transport mechanisms and the electrical activity of the cell;
7. understanding the relationship between membrane transport, cellular activity, and brain signals measured by
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magnetoencephalography and how they can give information at the system level of the human brain;
8. understanding relationship between the biophysics and bio- and bio-inspired technologies and bioengineering.
2.5. Course content broken down in
detail by weekly class schedule
(syllabus)
2.6. Type of instruction
2.8. Student responsibilities
2.9. Screening of student’s work (specify
the proportion of ECTS credits for
each activity so that the total number
of CTS credits is equal to the credit
value of the course)):
2.1. Grading and evaluation of student
work over the course of instruction
and at a final exam
Subject, role, and importance of biophysics. Biophysics – biotechnology.
Cellular organization of life.
Biosynthesis, structure and functions of nucleic acids and proteins.
Protein folding and dynamics.
Overview of experimental methods in examining structure and dynamics of biological systems.
Diffusion. Solute transport through biological membranes.
Solvent transport.
Ion transport and resting potential.
Molecular and cellular imaging.
Noninvasive imaging of neurodynamic, hemodynamic, and metabolic brain activity.
Neurobiology and biophysics of cognitive processes and emotions. Neuroimplants.
x lectures
2.7. Comments:
independent study
x seminars and workshops
multimedia and the internet
exercises
laboratory
online in entirety
work with the mentor
mixed e-learning
(other)
field work
To attend and actively participate in discussions during lectures and seminars, to propose seminar topic, write a seminar and
give a seminar presentation. In addition to a written exam student can opt for an oral exam to increase the written exam grade.
X
Class attendance
Research
Practical training
1.5 ECTS
Report
Seminar essay
Oral exam
Experimental work
Essay
Tests
Written exam
X
1.5 ECTS
Project
X 2 ECTS
optional
(Other--describe)
(Other—describe)
(Other—describe)
Student work is monitored during the course by multiple 10-minutes tests and active participations in discussions during
lectures and in particular during seminars which can increase the score of the final exam for half-a-grade. Writing and
presenting seminar and the written exam (plus optional oral exam) will contribute equally to the final grade.
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Title
Weiss, T.F. ''Cellular Biophysics I'' The MIT Press, Cambridge, USA, 1996
2.2. Required literature (available at the
library and via other media)
2.12. Optional literature (at the time of
the submission of the study
programme proposal)
2.13. Methods of monitoring quality that
ensure acquisition of exit
competences
PowerPoint presentations of the lectures and selected review articles.
Number of
copies at the
library
10
Availability via
other media
web
Cotterill R. ''Biophysics: An Introduction'' John Wiley & Sons, N.Y., 2002
DVD ''Inside the Living Cell'' 2008
Regular checking by short tests and discussions of the acquision of the physical and biological concepts relevant for
understanding biophysics as an interdisciplinary field and its foundational value for exploring structure, dynamics, and functions
of biological systems from molecular to cellular and system level. Evaluation of written and presented seminars which require
selecting a biophysical topic on experimental research at molecular or cellular level will demonstrate competencies of the
student to identify biophysical research, to engage into an indepth understanding of a selected experimental method and ability
to write a report on a recent biophysical resurch results using the selected experimental method and critically discuss the ability
of the experimental method to address the biological problem of interest.
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