Biological & Quantum Physics

The mission of the Biological & Quantum Physics Group (P-21) is to apply the scientific and technical resources of Physics Division to the biosciences - to contribute to an understanding of biological phenomena by means of the scientific, technical, and conceptual resources of physics; to use biological systems to elucidate general physical principles underlying complex phenomena; and to apply, where appropriate, our scientific and technical capabilities to core Laboratory programs. Specifically, we

• investigate the relationships between structure, dynamics, and function of biological phenomena over a wide range of scales (from biomolecules to the whole human brain);
  

• attempt to achieve a detailed interplay between high-resolution physical measurement and large-scale computational modeling and analysis of complex systems;
  

• make extensive use of detection, imaging, and reconstruction techniques (x-ray crystallography, single-molecule electrophoresis, high-speed photon-counting optical imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetic-field measurements using technologies based on superconducting quantum interference devices [SQUIDs]); and
  

• develop new facilities in support of our scientific and technical goals.