Biological physics examines living processes through the application of physical principles. Core-faculty research in the department focuses on cell motility, cellular biomechanics, neuroscience, and imaging.
Biological Physics Faculty
The Visscher group’s research integrates biophysics, advanced imaging, and data analysis, with strong ties to translational and industrial applications. Following a two-year (2016-2018) leave at the neurotechnology start-up Inscopix, Inc. (Mountain View, CA), Visscher continued as Incopix’s Director of R&D (overseeing/managing the optics and opto-mechanics development team) and Scientific Advisor (remote) until Aug. 2024. During this time, Visscher contributed to the successful development and commercialization of miniaturized one- and two-photon fluorescence microscopy platforms for imaging neural activity in behaving rodents, resulting in multiple granted patents. This industrial experience has directly informed research at UA, including projects in machine-learning-based image restoration and spatiotemporal network analysis of neural activity, with substantial undergraduate involvement, as well as the inspiration for conducting a career workshop for Physics graduate students who seek careers outside of academia. More recently, the group has refocused on membrane biophysics, investigating light-directed membrane disruption and fusion by molecular plasmon-phonon coupling, establishing a new direction for the laboratory.
The Wolgemuth group combines theoretical, computational, and experimental methods to study the physics of living systems, including bacterial motility in complex environments, the forces and mechanisms involved in cancer metastasis and wound healing, the mechanics of cellular membranes, and the dynamics of active suspensions. A major focus of the group is understanding the physical mechanisms underlying spirochetal diseases (such as Lyme disease, syphilis, and Leptospirosis) including the development of novel assays to quantify bacterial migration through tissue-like environments. Recent work integrating computation and experiment demonstrated that the wall-less bacterium Spiroplasma uses bending movements (as opposed to twisting) to drive the traveling chiral waves that propel it through fluids. This work was highlighted as an Editor’s suggestion in Physical Review Letters and featured in the magazine Physics. The group has also advanced models of bilayer membrane mechanics and low Reynolds number suspensions, while maintaining strong training outcomes, including multiple PhD graduates who have transitioned to both academic and industrial careers.
Formation and deformation of giant vesicles using optical excitation of dye molecules.
