Bio-PhysNano – Biophysics and Nanosystems Group

The main goal of the BioPhysics and Nanosystems Group is to understand and to improve the characterization of biosystems by studying them as physical systems, and to develop adequate instrumentation and theoretical tools.

The group is organized in 2 sub-groups :

* MagNano (Magnetism & Nanosystems) is a team with a large experience in magnetism, electronic/atomic configuration studies and in the development of nanotechnology methods and techniques, recently focused on biological systems and applications

* PBS (Physics of Biological Systems) was created in 2008 as the first FCT research group in physics of biological systems, with protein physics as its major focus. On-going research includes other topics in complex systems, using analytic and computational methods rooted in statistical or quantum physics

Each team has independent scientific aims using the approach of physics in different ways to tackle relevant issues and innovative applications in biology and in health. The MagNano team develops experimental/theoretical research centred in the study of electronic properties of nanostructured systems, and nanoscale experiments using atomic force microscopy related techniques. The PBS team develops coarse-graining and computational methods for theoretical analysis that provide a unique contribution to the understanding of biological systems.

Bio-PhysNano is the core group of the BioPhys thematic line, but its researchers are involved in all other thematic lines either through joint projects or sharing of facilities.