r/Biophysics

There's a small but growing set of work that approaches aging not descriptively but through physics — non-equilibrium thermodynamics, entropy production, dynamical-systems stability, mortality scaling. The first Global Conference on Gerophysics happened in 2025, so the label is starting to stick.

I've been working in this space myself (aging as the decline of a dissipative structure) and I'm building Gerophysics — a diamond open-access journal and a small ecosystem around exactly this intersection of physics and the biology of aging.

I'd love to connect with people who think this way — whether you work on quantitative/theoretical aging, statistical physics of living systems, or just find the framing compelling. Happy to talk science, and if you have relevant work (or want to get involved as it grows), even better.

What's the most convincing physical/quantitative account of aging you've come across?

What could be a good alternative to molecular dynamics except monte carlo simulation?

Hello guys! So I was really into physics back in high school and then around junior year, I learned about biophysics, so I always wanted to major in it. But, when I went to my old university, they didn’t offer it so I decided to major in my other interest instead which is computer engineering (not cs). But I had to leave my old uni and the us because of visa issues, but now my new university offers CpE and Biophysics so I’m
tempted to double my degree! I was just wondering what job prospects I could get in this field, a lot of people tell me they aren’t as good as my current degree, so the ROI isn’t as good, but I still kind of want to have a degree in it just for my own interest. I just kind of want to know what fields within biophysics yall went to or recommend! In highschool I even got a textbook on biophysics but wasn’t mathematically skilled enough then to understand it lol.

Hola a todos,

Actualmente curso el segundo semestre de Física en la Universidad de Carabobo, Venezuela. Aunque me apasiona la física desde siempre, la he considerado mi base científica. Mi objetivo siempre ha sido aprender a "pensar como un físico" y usar sus principios para explicar el mundo, con la intención de explorar otras áreas a futuro.

Últimamente, me he dado cuenta de que mi verdadera pasión se encuentra en la intersección de la física y la biología. Me fascina la biología molecular, la biotecnología y, sobre todo, la biología sintética (como las aplicaciones de CRISPR). Estoy seguro de que quiero realizar estudios de posgrado en esta área.

Como aún me quedan algunos años para terminar mi licenciatura, quería preguntarles a la comunidad un par de cosas:

¿Qué actividades interesantes o divertidas puedo hacer ahora mismo mientras termino mi licenciatura? ¿Hay algún curso en línea (Coursera, edX, etc.), libro de texto o proyecto de código abierto que recomienden para un estudiante de física que busca dar el salto a la biología molecular?

Si eres físico y trabajas actualmente en biología/biotecnología, ¿cuál es tu experiencia? ¿Cómo fue la transición y cómo es tu día a día?

¿Qué consejos profesionales me darías en mi situación?- Dado que estudio en Venezuela, cualquier información sobre oportunidades internacionales, becas o subcampos específicos (como Biofísica o Biología Cuantitativa) sería de gran valor.

Estoy a su disposición y espero con interés sus consejos e información. ¡Gracias de antemano!

To all prospective PhD applicants, this is a critical warning regarding the Chemical Physics and Biophysics PhD programs at IPST, University of Maryland (UMD). Save yourself time, money, and frustration — avoid these two programs entirely.

The core and long-standing issue is zero reliable stable funding support. Students in these tracks receive no TA or RA positions. UMD’s other departments do not open TA roles for IPST students at all, cutting off a key funding source for graduate students. Most importantly, IPST faculty won't tell you before you go to these two programs.They are extremely irresponsible regarding student funding. They take no initiative to secure research grants or resolve funding shortages, leaving students completely unsupported.

This terrible systemic problem has led to severe consequences. Many past and current students have been forced to drop out, leave the program, pay tuition fee out of pocket, or master out due to unaffordable financial pressure.

These two IPST PhD tracks now have a notoriously bad reputation within the graduate community for their lack of basic student support and unaccountable faculty.They cannot provide the stable funding and mentorship that a PhD program should guarantee.

My sincere advice: Do not apply here. Choose other reputable universities or well-funded, reliable PhD programs for your graduate study.

#PhDAdmissions#UMD#IPST#ChemicalPhysics #Biophysics#GradSchoolWarning#PhDLife

Hello, I’m a rising junior biochemistry major. This summer I’m working within a biochemistry lab looking at various aspects of protein assembly. However, it’s felt lackluster so far. I still have not decided on specific target grad programs, so I’ve floated around the idea of biophysics as a possibility instead of biochemistry as a target. To this end I’m looking at taking intro physics sequence, statistical thermodynamics, modern physics, and quantum. Additionally for supporting math I’ll take linear algebra. Lastly I would like to work with MD, I’ve had a bit of experience with MD modeling with VMD but not a whole lot of formal experience.

So my task for the summer has been freshening up by self-studying intro physics with serway and Jewett textbook and self-studying python

A couple questions:

-is this recommended coursework in prep for grad school, if not what would it be?

-I won’t have all of the physics courses like fluids, general relativity and electromagnetic theory, is that okay for biophysics grad programs specifically?

-Also at this point I would be starting from scratch with no research, so the follow-up is how important is research opportunities for the biophysics pivot?

-Is there anything else I should know for getting into MD?

-Any lifestyle commentary to add?

-Any additional advice/tips/scrutiny?

The prevailing model of the human spine treats it as a passive load-bearing structure. My research proposes a radical alternative: the human spine as a macroscopic piezoelectric and electro-hydrodynamic power plant.

The framework predicts a verifiable phenomenon that current anatomical models omit: the spinal canal functions as a Maxwell Body, converting physiological oscillation into a quantifiable, longitudinal DC biopotential field.

The Hypothesis: Human bipedal gait, cardiac ballistics, and paraspinal micro-tremors create rhythmic mechanical shear stress against the dural-pial interface. This motion provides the necessary shear to strip hydration shells from magnesium complexes and generate a streaming current.

The Challenge: I am seeking collaboration with a research laboratory capable of SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) magnetometry or distributed fiber-optic calorimetry to empirically validate this model.

• The Prediction: A rhythmic magnetic flux in the picotesla range (10^-12 T) synchronized with the gait cycle, distinct from surface EMG artifacts.
• The Incentive: The first lab or graduate candidate to empirically isolate this flux and successfully correlate it with spinal oscillatory frequency will be the foundational partner in the validation of this framework.

The governing equations for this flux are available for open-source testing. If you have the magnetometry or calorimetry equipment and are interested in high-impact, non-incremental research, let’s test the hypothesis that the human spine functions as an active biological battery.

Are you ready to test the physics? DM me for the full technical breakdown.

#Biophysics #Neuroscience #Biomechanics #OpenScience #SpinalResearch #Electrophysiology