Molecular Biophysics

This course introduces students to the physical principles that govern biological processes at the molecular and cellular scale. Topics include diffusion, biopolymers, motor proteins, and stochasticity. Students will apply concepts from earlier courses—such as Mechanics and Optics, Structural Biochemistry, and Chemistry—and use Python to model diffusive processes and biopolymer behaviour. The course emphasizes how quantitative physical approaches can reveal insights into cellular mechanisms.

1. The assessment consists of: a final written exam (75%); and homework assignments and a final Python report (25%).
   1.a The written exam is scheduled for week 4.10.

   1.b The deadline for the final report is week 4.8.

2. The resit consists of: a retake of the written exam (75%) and homework assignment and the final Python report grade carried forward (25%).
   2.a The resit of the written exam is scheduled for week 5.3.

3. The assignment resit consists of: if the Python report is not submitted or receives an insufficient grade, the student must submit a revised report.
   3.a The deadline for the assignment resit is: week 5.3.

4. The final grade is composed as follows: 75% final exam and 25% homework assignment and the final report. Each must be passed with a minimum 5.0 grade, with an average of 5.8 to pass the course.

5. Registration for exams is done via: Osiris.

6. Students needing to turn work in late due to personal circumstances must contact the Academic Counsellor prior to turning it in to make arrangements. Other late work might not be graded.

Formative assessment:
Feedback is provided through in-class problem-solving sessions, code reviews during programming labs, and peer discussions. Weekly assignments offer students a chance to evaluate their own progress before the final assessment.