Physics of Living Systems Arun Paramekanti Associate Professor, Physics Reductionist viewpoint does not imply we can construct macroscale physics from knowledge of microscale physics Basis of condensed matter physics, complexity, physicists’ attempts to understand biological systems Marian Smoluchowski Ludwig Boltzmann Max Delbruck Erwin Schrodinger Dorothy Hodgkin Rosalind Franklin Francis Crick Physics and Biology Max Delbruck Among the earliest “biophysicists” who converted many physicists to studying problems of biological interest Nobel Prize in Medicine for work (with Salvador Luria) showing that immunity of bacteria to drugs is caused by random mutations rather than adaptation Ludwig Boltzmann Thermodynamics and statistical physics Atoms do exist Kinetic theory of gases Founder of statistical physics Randomness Marian Smoluchowski Albert Einstein Studied Brownian motion and provided a theoretical understanding of diffusion - a process of great biological importance as we will see Erwin Schrodinger Quantum Physics Theory of Quantum Mechanics (Nobel Prize, Physics) Author of an influential essay “What is Life?” inspired by Max Delbruck Dorothy Hodgkin Physics Tools [X-ray diffraction] Applied X-ray crystallography to study an amazing variety of biological molecules - Penicillin, Vitamin B12, Insulin (Nobel Prize in Chemistry) Rosalind Franklin Francis Crick Worked on the structure of DNA PERIODICITY Regular in time Regular in space Oscillations Embryogenesis RANDOMNESS Body Clocks Light and Sound Quantum mechanics Probability Chance Molecular Events Genetics Epidimiology Physics Tools Thermodynamics X-ray diffraction (Crystal structure) Nuclear magnetic resonance (MRI) When and Where and Why Lectures When: Tue 2pm, Thu 2pm Where: MP134 Labs/Tutorials When: Fri 2-4pm (alternate 1 or 2 hrs) Where: MP238 Books Textbook Biological physics: Energy, Information, Life Philip Nelson (W. H. Freeman) Reference Random Walks in Biology, H. Berg Evaluation Tutorials and Labs: 30% Homework assignments: 20% Midterm: 25% Final Exam: 25% H1N1 preparedness http://www.preparedness.utoronto.ca If unwell, must get doctor’s note or check how to access the “Absence Registry” for any missed term work or exams. If you are at home on account of illness but wish to send in completed term work, you can scan and email it to the TA. Email: Please put “PHY231” in subject.