Encyclopedia of Biophysics

The Encyclopedia of Biophysics is envisioned both as an easily accessible source of information and as an introductory guide to the scientific literature. It includes entries describing both Techniques and Systems. In the Techniques entries, each of the wide range of methods which fall under the heading of Biophysics are explained in detail, together with the value and the limitations of the information each provides. Techniques covered range from diffraction (X-ray, electron and neutron) through a wide range of spectroscopic methods (X-ray, optical, EPR, NMR) to imaging (from electron microscopy to live cell imaging and MRI), as well as computational and simulation approaches.In the Systems entries, biophysical approaches to specific biological systems or problems - from protein and nucleic acid structure to membranes, ion channels and receptors - are described. These sections, which place emphasis on the integration of the different techniques, therefore provide an inroad into Biophysics from a biological more than from a technique-oriented physical/chemical perspective. Thus the Encyclopedia is intended to provide a resource both for biophysicists interested in methods beyond those used in their immediate sub-discipline and for those readers who are approaching biophysics from either a physical or biological background. The entries include concise introductions to the major concepts and methods, and outlines of more specific topics, in each case with links to carefully selected key reviews and/or papers in the scientific literature. There are also short definitions explaining key terms. Extensive cross-referencing (hyperlinks in the online version) between different articles will allow rapid and user-friendly access to related topics, including hyperlinks to key articles in the scientific literature.