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PhD · Biophysics

Biophysics — PhD reading list.

The advanced references a doctoral scholar in Biophysics works from, and what each one is for.

All 22 subjects
7Titles listed
4Worked right through
3–6 yrsProgramme length
12Coursework credits
The subject

Biophysics as a research subject

ScopeStructural biology, protein folding and dynamics, membrane biophysics, spectroscopy and crystallography, single-molecule methods and computational structural analysis of drug targets.
Who can registerMSc Physics, Chemistry, Biophysics or Life Sciences, MTech, MBBS with a strong quantitative background.
How you get inEither the fellowship route — CSIR-UGC NET, ICMR, DBT-BET, DST-INSPIRE — straight to interview, or the institute entrance test, half research methodology and half biophysics.
CourseworkOne semester, at least 12 credits: research methodology and biostatistics, plus Research and Publication Ethics, before the research phase proper begins.
How this list is used

Reading for Biophysics

Biophysics doctoral reading is technique-driven: the thesis is usually defined by a method, and the reading follows that method. Cantor and Schimmel and van Holde carry the thermodynamics, hydrodynamics and spectroscopy theory that comprehensive exams draw from, and both are still the books a supervisor will hand over for a derivation. Dill and Bromberg is the statistical-thermodynamics text most scholars actually learn from, while Phillips and colleagues supply the order-of-magnitude modelling style now expected in quantitative biology chapters. Lakowicz and the Serdyuk-Zaccai methods volume are opened instrument by instrument, and Pattabhi and Gautham is the compact Indian text most MSc and early PhD syllabi in India are built on.

Titles are tagged core reading — the ones scholars work right through — or reference, the ones they look things up in. Editions are given where the current edition is what you want to buy.

  1. Biophysical Chemistry (Parts I-III)core readingCharles R. Cantor, Paul R. Schimmel · W.H. FreemanThe classical three-part reference for macromolecular conformation, techniques and behaviour — still the source for derivations.
  2. Principles of Physical Biochemistrycore readingKensal E. van Holde, W. Curtis Johnson, P. Shing Ho · Pearson Prentice Hall · 2nd editionThermodynamics, hydrodynamics, spectroscopy and diffraction taught at the level coursework problems are set from.
  3. Physical Biology of the Cellcore readingRob Phillips, Jane Kondev, Julie Theriot, Hernan G. Garcia · Garland Science / CRC Press · 2nd edition (2013)The estimation-and-modelling text — used to build simple quantitative models of cellular processes rather than describe them.
  4. Molecular Driving Forces: Statistical Thermodynamics in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Nanosciencecore readingKen A. Dill, Sarina Bromberg · Garland Science / CRC Press · 2nd edition (2011)Where entropy, free energy, binding and folding thermodynamics are actually learned before they are applied.
  5. Principles of Fluorescence SpectroscopyreferenceJoseph R. Lakowicz · Springer · 3rd edition (2006)The reference for anisotropy, quenching, FRET and lifetime measurements — read before designing a fluorescence experiment.
  6. Methods in Molecular Biophysics: Structure, Dynamics, Function for Biology and MedicinereferenceNathan R. Zaccai, Igor N. Serdyuk, Joseph Zaccai · Cambridge University Press · 2nd edition (2017)Technique-by-technique coverage of scattering, NMR, crystallography and calorimetry for the methods chapter.
  7. BiophysicsreferenceVasantha Pattabhi, N. Gautham · Narosa Publishing House · 2nd editionThe compact Indian text that most university biophysics syllabi follow — useful for revision and for teaching assignments.

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Alongside the subject list

The two lists every scholar also needs

Whatever the subject, the coursework semester is examined on research methodology, biostatistics and publication ethics, and the bench work runs on a handful of protocol volumes. Both lists are kept separately so you are not buying them twice.

Research methodology & biostatistics Laboratory methods & instrumentation Entrance routes Where it is offered
Other PhD subjects

Also on the site

All 22 subjectsAnatomyPhysiologyBiochemistryPharmacologyPathologyMicrobiologyCommunity Medicine and Public HealthBiotechnologyMolecular MedicineMedical Physics
Related on the site

Biophysics at postgraduate level

MD Physiology booksDNB Physiology books

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Frequently asked

PhD Biophysics — questions

Which books does a PhD scholar in Biophysics read?

The 7 titles on this page, of which 4 are worked right through and the rest are kept as references. Most scholars own two or three and use the department copy for the others.

Who can register for a PhD in Biophysics?

MSc Physics, Chemistry, Biophysics or Life Sciences, MTech, MBBS with a strong quantitative background.

What does a PhD in Biophysics cover?

Structural biology, protein folding and dynamics, membrane biophysics, spectroscopy and crystallography, single-molecule methods and computational structural analysis of drug targets.

Is the coursework examined?

Yes. One semester of at least 12 credits, assessed before the research phase begins, covering research methodology, biostatistics and Research and Publication Ethics.

Can you print this reading for me?

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