Biophysics - the science of physical principles of life itself, of biological systems - is presented here not merely as physics for biologists, but as an entirely independent subject with its own innate network of ideas and approaches. From the microscopic forces that constitute life, the intramolecular bonds and ionic interactions, to the macroscopic forces of the environment, temperature and pressure, the author presents and explains all aspects of life from a Biophysicist's point of view. Exciting biological themes such as neuronal processing and differentiation as well as current medical and environmental topics are introduced from a surprising perspective in this imaginative new textbook. TOC:1. Nature and Subject of Biophysics; 2. Molecular Structure of Biological Systems: Intramolecular Bonds; Molecular Excitation and Energy Transfer; Thermal Molecular Movement, Order and Probability; Molecular and Ional Interactions as the Basis for the Formation of Biological Structures;Interfacial Phenomena; 3. Energetics and Dynamics of Biological Systems: Some Fundamental Concepts of Thermodynamics; The Aqueous and Ionic Equilibrium of the Living Cell; The Thermodynamic Analysis of Fluxes; Non-equilibrium States of Ions in Cells and Organelles; The Mechanical Properties of Biological Materials; The Biomechanical Consequences of Fluid Behavior; 4. Physical Factors in the Environment: Temperature; Pressure; Mechanical Oscillations; Electromagnetic Fields; Ionizing Radiation; 5. The Kinetics of Biological Systems: The General Foundation of System Theory; Metabolism and Exchange Systems; Propagation, Growth and Evolution
From the reviews of the second edition:
"The book under review is one of the most recent releases on textbooks in Biophysics. ... the books presents all the difficulties in understand the physics of biology in a very natural language in a very straightforward format. I really recommend this book for all biology and life science students and I ask for the reader to pay attention to the problems and examples, because there is the true gold." (Philosophy, Religion and Science Book Reviews, bookinspections.wordpress.com, December, 2013)
"The second edition of Glaser's Biophysics is updated and expanded a bit, but retains the perspectives and strengths of the original ... . This is fine book that should be accessible to students in upper-level courses. ... It belongs in all college libraries. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above." (K. L. Schick, Choice, Vol. 50 (3), November, 2012)
"The book under review is one of the most recent releases on textbooks in Biophysics. ... the books presents all the difficulties in understand the physics of biology in a very natural language in a very straightforward format. I really recommend this book for all biology and life science students and I ask for the reader to pay attention to the problems and examples, because there is the true gold." (Philosophy, Religion and Science Book Reviews, bookinspections.wordpress.com, December, 2013)
"The second edition of Glaser's Biophysics is updated and expanded a bit, but retains the perspectives and strengths of the original ... . This is fine book that should be accessible to students in upper-level courses. ... It belongs in all college libraries. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above." (K. L. Schick, Choice, Vol. 50 (3), November, 2012)