Biophysics Research in the Department of Physics

There is a substantial amount of cutting edge biophysics research performed at the Department of Physics of the Ohio State University. Several groups in the department investigate a wide range of topics covering length scales from Ångstrøms to meters and timescales from femtoseconds to the age of the universe using a large variety of experimental and theoretical approaches. This interdisciplinary research involves collaborations within the department, with other departments, programs, and institutes at the Ohio State University, and with biophysics and biology groups all over the world.

The following list gives an overview over the biophysics activities in the Department of Physics. Please consult the web pages of the individual group members for more detailed information on each subject.

Riboflavin-binding protein
studied in D. Zhong's group
  • femtosecond studies of primary dynamics in proteins (D. Zhong)
  • energy transport in the photosynthetic reaction centers of unicellular algae using femtosecond pump-probe laser techniques (L. Van Woerkom)
  • approaches to imaging of cells and cellular components with a Magnetic Resonance Force Microscope (P. C. Hammel)
  • electronic sensors for the detection of biological molecules (L. Brillson)
  • DNA and protein sequence alignment, RNA secondary structure formation (R. Bundschuh)
  • noise regulation and time scales in genetic networks (R. Bundschuh, C. Jayaprakash)
  • optical response of networks of gold particles connected by DNA strands (D. Stroud)
  • formation of complex, pre-biological molecules in interstellar space (E. Herbst)

Biophysics seminar

The biophysics seminar takes place every other Wednesday 2:30pm-3:30pm the Robert Smith Seminar Room (1080 PRB). It serves as an opportunity to learn about the most exciting biophysics research elsewhere as well as a forum of discussion among the biophysics researchers at OSU. To this end, we alternate between external and internal speakers. For a current listing of speakers and dates see the seminar page. If you want to know more about the seminar, want to be included in the email list with seminar announcements, or are interested in meeting with a specific speaker, please contact Ralf Bundschuh.

Contact information

Name Phone Office Status Email
L. Brillson 614 292 8015 2018 PRB faculty brillson.1@osu.edu
R. Bundschuh 614 688 3968 2010 PRB faculty bundschuh@mps.ohio-state.edu
Ch. Hammel 614 247 6928 2000 PRB faculty hammel@mps.ohio-state.edu
E. Herbst 614 292 6951 4142 PRB faculty herbst@mps.ohio-state.edu
C. Jayaprakash 614 292 1670 2034 PRB faculty jay@mps.ohio-state.edu
D. Stroud 614 292 8140 2048 PRB faculty stroud@mps.ohio-state.edu
L. van Woerkom 614 292 9626 1040L PRB faculty lvw@mps.ohio-state.edu
D. Zhong 614 292 3044 2012 PRB faculty dongping@mps.ohio-state.edu
N. Chia 614 247 7934 2023 PRB graduate student chian@pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu
T. Liu 614 247 7934 2023 PRB graduate student tsunglin@mps.ohio-state.edu

Mailing address:
Department of Physics
191 West Woodruff Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210-1117

Related resources

On campus resources: Off campus resources:
Last update: 8/20/2003, Ralf Bundschuh