Biomolecules, as physical systems, are distinct molecular entities synthesized or utilized by living organisms that exhibit specific structural, thermodynamic, and dynamical properties enabling biological function. They include nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and diverse metabolites, each characterized by defined covalent connectivity, three-dimensional conformations, and interaction potentials with solvents, ions, and other biomolecules. Their behavior is governed by quantum-mechanical bonding, classical electrostatics, and statistical thermodynamics, leading to emergent phenomena such as self-assembly, allostery, enzyme catalysis, and molecular recognition. In physical systems research, biomolecules are studied through techniques like spectroscopy, crystallography, cryo-EM, and molecular simulations to elucidate structure–function relationships and energy landscapes.
A protein's function is determined by its structure, and structure—the way a protein folds—is determined by its sequence of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.
Biotechnology
Aug 27, 2026
0
49
The COVID vaccine is perhaps the first thing many people think of when they hear about mRNA-based drugs. Small packages of genetic material are sent into the body, prompting cells to produce useful proteins in the fight against ...
Bio & Medicine
Aug 27, 2026
0
6
A protein that sticks cells and tissues together has been found to have a surprising second job: helping cells that are packed into a continuous sealed layer, also known as epithelial cells, engulf nearby dead cells.
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 27, 2026
0
15
Researchers at Tampere University have developed a versatile hydrogel platform that makes it easier to create customized biomaterials for tissue engineering, disease modeling, drug discovery and regenerative medicine. Their ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 21, 2026
0
77
The decades-old scientific quest to create brand-new proteins has been turbocharged in the era of artificial intelligence.
Biotechnology
Aug 12, 2026
0
10
The use of nanoparticles in drug delivery offers key advantages: they can enable targeted drug delivery, protect active ingredients from premature degradation, extend their duration of action in the body and reduce side effects. ...
Bio & Medicine
Aug 12, 2026
0
37
Rice University engineers have developed a new strategy for controlling how therapeutic peptides are released from gelatin-based materials, a step that could make the small but powerful molecules more useful in tissue engineering ...
Biotechnology
Aug 9, 2026
0
20
Snails are particularly active after a rain shower. Even on the Max Planck Campus in Potsdam-Golm, common brown-lipped snails (Cepaea nemoralis) leave behind shiny trails of mucus. Researchers from the "Biomaterials" department ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 7, 2026
0
15
Most sensors are designed to do only one thing: detect what passes through them. But what if a sensor could do more? To create a new generation of technology, researchers have looked to living systems for inspiration. If ...
Nanomaterials
Aug 2, 2026
0
83
Roughly 20 million people receive a cancer diagnosis each year, and an estimated 1 in 5 people will receive a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. Cancer cells arise from damage to the cell's instruction manual: DNA.
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 27, 2026
0
7
