Course detail

General Biophysics

FEKT-BPC-OBFAcad. year: 2025/2026

General biophysics covers the main study areas of general as well as medical biophysics, namely biophysics of membranes, senses, the cardiovascular and respiratory system, laboratory and clinical optical methods, hazards and biophysical interactions of some instrumentation methods including elements of radiobiology. Practical exercises and demonstrations to show the students how to measure non-electric parameters of living organisms, that correspond to the theoretical lessons.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

6

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Mgr. Daniel Vlk, CSc.

Department

Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno (LF MU)

Entry knowledge

Requires knowledge of the physical fields, i.e. knowledge gained in courses Physics I and Physics II. Furthermore, knowledge of general physical chemistry, i.e. knowledge in biochemistry.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Exam consists of a test and an oral part. More than 14 points out of 25 possible is a requirement for passing the test, oral and overall result is evaluated according to the classification practices LF MU. Exam aims to test knowledge from the the membrane, cell and organ biophysics and also tests knowledge of the impact of physical fields on the human body.
Laboratory exercises are compulsory (absence must be replaced after consultation with the teacher), attendance at lectures is optional.

Aims

To offer a review of the main issues of general and medical biophysics with focus on the physiological biophysics and the impact of physical factors on living organisms.
The student is able to describe and explain the principle of the influence of physical fields on the human body - at the cellular and organ level. Furthermore, he gains the knowledge from the selected parts of Molecular and Medical Biophysics as specified in the "Outline". In practical exercises, he gains related skills of spectrophotometry, refractometry, polarimetry, conductometry, measuring liquid viscosity, temperature or absorption of ionizing radiation.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

HRAZDIRA, Ivo a Vojtěch MORNSTEIN. Lékařská biofyzika a přístrojová technika. Brno: Neptun, 2004. ISBN 80-902896-1-4. (CS)
NAVRÁTIL, Leoš a Jozef ROSINA. Medicínská biofyzika. Praha: Grada, 2005. ISBN 80-247-1152-4. (CS)

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BPC-BTB Bachelor's 2 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Mgr. Daniel Vlk, CSc.

Syllabus

1. Introduction. Biological effects of ionizing radiation.
2. Thermodynamic laws and entropy
3. Thermodynamic processes in living organisms
4. Introduction to molecular biophysics – subject of study
5. Introduction to molecular biophysics II - methods of study
6. Biophysical functions of sensory receptors. Biophysics of the auditory system
7. Biophysics of the optical system
8. Biophysics of biological membranes. Bioelectric phenomena
9. Biophysics of the cardiovascular and respiratory system
10. Effects of mechanical forces and acoustic fields on living systems
11. Laboratory optical apparatus in medicine
12. Optical diagnostic device. Medical devices in medicine – an outline of biophysical interactions and
hazards

Laboratory exercise

39 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Mgr. Daniel Vlk, CSc.

Syllabus

1. Introduction to practical exercises
2. Spectrophotometry in UV and VIS
3. Analysis of acoustic elements - origin of human voice, acoustic elements of speech
4. Refractometry, polarimetry, measurement of lighting - luxmeter
5. Measurement of the resistivity of skin. Measurement of blood pressure, ergometer
6. Measurement of the viscosity of fluids
7. Measurement of the surface tension in fluids
8. Ultrasonic hemolysis of erytrocytes, ultrasonic diagnostics
9. Temperature measurement (thermistor, thermocouple, contactless thermometer)
10. Measurement of ionizing radiation absorption, x-ray diagnostic model
11. Audiometry, conductometry
12. Thermocamera, thermovision, refrigeration
13. Electrical methods in medicine, electrophoresis