Biophysics

Jenkins 110

Students can: Major

Degrees Offered: BA, BA/MA, Masters, PhD

In the 21st century, new fields of scientific inquiry are emerging at a breathtaking pace. In the biological sciences, emphasis will be increasingly on quantitation and prediction of living systems—precisely the focus of biophysics. Biophysics is a discipline that sits at the interface between biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computation, and engineering. It is uniquely well suited for the study of biology in the post-genomic era. Besides its role in contributing fundamental understanding of the properties of molecules, cells, and complex biological systems, biophysics is also central to the development of novel medical technologies and to the bioengineering and biopharmaceutical industry.

Biophysics was first established as an independent discipline at Johns Hopkins. The Thomas C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics has a remarkable tradition of excellence in research and teaching and of developing leaders in the scientific community.

The undergraduate major in biophysics constitutes a rigorous program of study that will help students develop the broad set of skills in science, math, and computation necessary to compete in the interdisciplinary environment of modern science, medicine, and engineering. The biophysics major emphasizes independent thinking and critical reasoning, problem-solving skills, and it teaches students how to move with ease across disciplines.

What can you do with your degree?

Biophysics majors follow many different professional paths after leaving Hopkins. A very large number of biophysics majors are accepted each year to medical schools in the nation. Biophysics majors also enter highly ranked graduate programs in biophysics, cell biology, public health, physiology, computational, quantitative and systems biology, biomedical engineering, and neuroscience. Many of our graduates are active in biomedical research, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical R&D. Others pursue degrees in law or environmental sciences, or become involved in consulting, governmental regulatory agencies, science education, science journalism, and other fields.

Related Programs and Centers

Biology

Biology Website

[email protected]

Mudd 144

Students can: Major

Degrees Offered: BA, BS, MS, PhD

The Johns Hopkins Biology Department is home to 25 research laboratories investigating a wide range of biological problems, with the unifying goal of obtaining explanations or models in quantitative and molecular detail. As one of the first biology departments in the United States, it has a long history dating back to the inception of Johns Hopkins University in 1876.

Biology faculty train students and researchers pursuing bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, as well as postdoctorals and visiting scientists. In addition to the BA in biology, the department offers a BS in molecular and cellular biology, a five-year combined BA or BS/MS program, and a PhD program.

The department emphasizes molecular, cellular, and developmental biology, biochemistry, and biophysics. Department members use the Integrated Imaging Center, the BioNMR center, the X-ray crystallography facility, and many other university resources to pursue their research and teaching objectives.

The Department of Biology plays a prominent role in training and educating undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, and visiting scientists to prepare them for the next steps in their careers.

What can you do with your degree?

The requirements of the biology major satisfy all the requirements for admission to medical school.

In addition to medical school, graduates of the program are prepared for graduate school and a variety of professions.

Related Programs and Centers

The Program in Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology, and Biophysics (CMDB)

History of Science and Technology

History of Science and Technology Website

[email protected]

Gilman 301

Students can: Major Minor

Degrees Offered: BA, PhD

The Department of the History of Science and Technology in collaboration with the Department of History of Medicine offers an undergraduate major and minor in the history of science, medicine, and technology. Courses combine an appreciation of the developments in science, medicine, and technology with an awareness of their cultural impact. Requirements include courses in natural science, engineering, or mathematics. The program is well suited to double majors in the sciences and to premedical students. Courses offered by scholars from the Smithsonian Institution are a regular feature of the program. An optional senior thesis allows students to get practical experience and explore topics in depth.

Faculty interests extend from the Renaissance to the present. In addition to research on the main disciplines within science and medicine, faculty interests include science and exploration, science and religion, history of environmentalism and public health, East Asian history of science and technology, and science in Latin America.

What can you do with your degree?

An education in the history of science, medicine, and technology prepares students for the growing number of careers—medicine, teaching, journalism, law, public policy, business—in which an understanding of the impact of science is important.

The program offers a liberal arts education that meets all the requirements for premedical students. Graduates of the department have been accepted to some of the top medical schools in the country. Some students pursue graduate work in the public health disciplines. Others go on to law school or to graduate school in the natural sciences. Some graduates have become science writers, historians, teachers, or have gone into business or museum work.