Biophysicists work to develop methods to overcome disease, eradicate global hunger, produce renewable energy sources, design cutting-edge technologies, and solve countless scientific mysteries.
Biophysics considers how molecules are organized in cellular structures and how the latter interact to perform their specialized functions. For example, the cell's DNA bears the genetic code that determines the shape and tasks of cells and their macromolecular constituents.
Biophysics has been critical to understanding the mechanics of how the molecules of life are made, how different parts of a cell move and function, and how complex systems in our bodies—the brain, circulation, immune system, and others— work.
Biophysics is a bridge between biology and physics. Biophysics studies life at function, and how complex systems in our bodies—the brain, circulation
They work in universities, hospitals, tech startups, and engineering companies developing new diagnostic tests, drug delivery systems, or potential biofuels.
Cell biophysics is a sub-field of biophysics that focuses on physical principles underlying cell function.
Sub-areas of current interest include statistical models of intracellular signaling dynamics, intracellular transport, cell mechanics, molecular motors, biological electricity and genetic network theory.
The field has benefited greatly from recent advances in live-cell molecular imaging techniques that allow spatial and temporal measurement of macromolecules and macromolecular function.
Specialized imaging methods like FRET, FRAP, photoactivation and single molecule imaging have proven useful for mapping macromolecular transport, dynamic conformational changes in proteins and macromolecular interactions.
Super-resolution microscopy allows imaging of cell structures below the optical resolution of light.
Combining novel experimental tools with mathematical models grounded in the physical sciences has enabled significant recent breakthroughs in the field.
Multiple centers across the world are advancing the research area
Asymmetric sigmoid function
The Gompertz curve or Gompertz function is a type of mathematical model for a time series, named after Benjamin Gompertz (1779–1865).
It is a sigmoid function which describes growth as being slowest at the start and end of a given time period.
The right-side or future value asymptote of the function is approached much more gradually by the curve than the left-side or lower valued asymptote.
This is in contrast to the simple logistic function in which both asymptotes are approached by the curve symmetrically.
It is a special case of the generalised logistic function.
The function was originally designed to describe human mortality, but since has been modified to be applied in biology, with regard to detailing populations.