The Biophysics of Cells and Tissues - 2025 entry

This module describes the fundamental physical properties of biomolecules, cells and tissues and introduces some of the biophysical and biomechanical challenges in understanding the behaviour of normal tissues and their failures in disease.

Pre-requisite modules: PHY1021, PHY1024 and PHY2023 or equivalent modules.

The physical properties of tissues and their constituent cells and biomolecules are central to their biological functions. Physical processes are also vital to normal growth and development and diseases, ranging from arthritis to cancer, may be related to failures in these processes.

A student who has passed this module should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:

1. describe the physical consequences of the biochemical structure of extracellular and cytoskeletal macromolecules;

2. apply hydrodynamics and statistical physics to the problems of water and solute transport through polymer matrices;

3. use core physics knowledge to explain, and solve quantitative problems inspired by, the properties of cells and tissues and to construct

4. apply concepts from solid- and fluid-mechanics to membrane properties and processes;

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:

5. use physics knowledge and techniques in a multi-disciplinary context;

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge:

6. undertake co-operative learning though peer-group discussions.

I. Introduction to cells, tissues and the extracellular matrix

1. Proteoglycans

2. Diffusion of solutes

3. Hydraulic conductivity

4. Poroelasticity

5. Viscoelasticity

6. Fibrous proteins

7. Fibre composites

II. Cells

1. Cell membranes

2. Membrane proteins

3. Cytoskeleton

4. Cell mechanics

5. Mechanotransduction

III. Tissues

1. Cartilage

2. Tendon and ligament

3. Bone

4. Muscle

5. Blood and vessels

IV. Experimental models

V. Repair, replace, and regenerate

An original assessment that is based on both examination and coursework, tests, etc., is considered as a single element for the purpose of referral; i.e., the referred mark is based on the referred examination only, discounting all previous marks. In the event that the mark for a referred assessment is lower than that of the original assessment, the original higher mark will be retained.

Physics Modules with PHY Codes

Referred examinations will only be available in PHY3064, PHYM004 and those other modules for which the original assessment includes an examination component - this information is given in individual module descriptors.

Alberts B (2022) Molecular biology of the cell, 7^th edition. WW Norton & Company, New York.

Boal DH (2012) Mechanics of the cell, 2^nd edition. Cambridge University Press.

Pruitt LA & Chakravartula AM (2011) Mechanics of biomaterials: fundamental principles for implant design. Cambridge University Press.

Ethier CR & Simmons CA (2007) Introductory biomechanics: from cells to organisms. Cambridge University Press.

Herring N & Paterson DJ (2018) Levick’s introduction to cardiovascular physiology, 6^th edition. CRC Press, Boca Raton.

Young HD, Freedman RA, Ford AL and Sears FW (2020) Sears and Zemansky’s university physics with modern physics, 15^th edition. Pearson, Boston.

Reading list for this module: