Zocchi Laboratory for Molecular Biophysics
Lectures
Physics M215D Nonequilibrium Statistical Mechanics and Molecular Biophysics (Part A)
 
Fall 2008
Instructor: Giovanni Zocchi
Office: 3-124 Knudsen;
Phone: (310) 825-4018;
Lab: PAB A-425, A-429;
Phone: 206 0715
E-mail: zocchi@physics.ucla.edu
Office hours: by appointment.
Time and location Tues. & Thu. 12:30-2:00 in Knudsen 6-107.
Textbook: K. Sneppen and G. Zocchi: Physics in Molecular Biology (Cambridge 2005).
Grading: based on the presentation of a paper in the literature

 

Approximate lecture schedule

Week
 Lecture Description
1 Molecular interactions. Osmotic pressure; depletion forces; electrostatics in water; hydrophobic interaction; hydrogen bonds; Van der Waals forces.
2 Polymer Physics (chapter 2).

3-4 		DNA (chapter 3). DNA structure; recombinant DNA technology; phase transitions in DNA (DNA melting): models & experiments.
5 Protein structure and protein folding (chapters 4, 5).
6-7 Conformational transitions in proteins. Allosteric networks; nanotechnology approach to artificial allostery.
8-9 Genetic regulation: the λ-phage in E. coli (chapter 7)
10 Models of evolution (chapter 9).

 

Lecture Notes (pdf)

1 Molecular Interactions_A
2 Osmotic pressure & depletion forces
3 Electrostatics in water
4 Molecular Interactions_B
5 Polymers
6 DNA structure
7 Protein structure
8 Genetic regulation

 

Copyright @ Zocchi Lab @ Physics Department @ UCLA [Updated: 02/08/2010]