FY814: Experimental biophysics (5 ECTS)

STADS: 07006801

Level
Master's level course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: adam@memphys.sdu.dk

Additional teachers
koji@sdu.dk
needham@sdu.dk
kloesgen@memphys.sdu.dk
brewer@memphys.sdu.dk
bagatolli@bmb.sdu.dk

Timetable
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Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
Knowledge of the content in the courses Electromagnetism I (FY503) and Thermal Physics (FY509) is necessary.

Course introduction
That the students become familiar with modern experimental methods for fabrication, manipulation and characterization of biological model systems, soft matter materials and biomolecular interfaces.

Expected learning outcome
Upon completion of this course students are expected to be able to

• Describe the phenomenological background of the techniques used and assess their applications.
• Work with advanced scientific measurement equipment (under supervision), and implement quantitative data processing.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate in writing the outcome of own results and results from relevant scientific literature.

Subject overview
The course introduces a series of modern experimental methods for studying soft materials and biophysical model systems.

The following topics are covered:

1. Surface sensitive techniques  for characterizing biomolecular interfaces including atomic force microscopy (AFM), imaging ellipsometry and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). Examples of systems studies are: Supported bilayers and monolayers (Simonsen).
2. Micromechanical methods for fabrication, manipulation and characterization of micro and nanoparticles (Needham).
3. Fabrication of Langmuir monolayers of surfactant molecules and characterization of these with X-ray and neutron reflectometry (Klösgen).
4. Confocal fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) for studying membranes and cells (Bagatolli).

Course format: The experimental part of the course contains a 2x2 introduction to each of the topics above. This is followed by a 4 hours exercise on research equipment conducted as a mix of demonstration and hands-on experiments. After the completion of each exercise, each 2-man group submits a short written report of 3-4 pages.

As part of the exercises, selected scientific literature (journal papers) is distributed to the participants relating to each of the topics above. Every participant in the course will be assigned one of these papers and will responsible for preparing an oral presentation of the content. The presentations from all participants are given jointly at the end of the course.

Literature
There isn't any litterature for the course at the moment.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:
Approximately 10 days before the end of the course, each participant will be given (by random) a subject covered in the course. On the basis of this topic the students write a comprehensive report (~15 pages)  which includes own results, scientific literature and answers to specific questions. The report is evaluated with a grade after 7-scale (internal censorship).

Reexamination in the same termin. (Does not require new experiments)
The mode of exam at the reexamination may differ from the mode of exam at the ordinary exam.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 16 hours
Skills training phase: 24 hours, hereof:
 - Tutorials: 24 hours

Educational activities
The experimental part of the course contains a 2x2 introduction to each of the topics above. This is followed by a 4 hours exercise on research equipment conducted as a mix of demonstration and hands-on experiments. After the completion of each exercise, each 2-man group submits a short written report of 3-4 pages. As part of the exercises, selected scientific literature (journal papers) is distributed to the participants relating to each of the topics above. Every participant in the course will be assigned one of these papers and will responsible for preparing an oral presentation of the content. The presentations from all participants are given jointly at the end of the course.

Language
This course is taught in English.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.