This text provides an introduction to the structure and function of biomolecules – especially proteins – and the tools used to investigate them. Biomolecules obey the same laws of physics as their constituent atoms, but their complexity introduces properties and behavior not found in simpler systems, including beautiful and subtle properties exploited by living systems. The text focuses on physical tools and properties, highlighting techniques that contribute to new developments. New tools appear regularly: synchrotron radiation, proton radiology, holography, optical tweezers, and muon radiography, and the book shows how these contribute to a richer understanding of biomolecules.
A leader in physics research for more than half a century, Hans Frauenfelder spent 40 years as a professor and researcher at the University of Illinois before moving on to Los Alamos Laboratory, where he was the director of the Center for Nonlinear Studies and is now a Laboratory Fellow. Frauenfelder has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Academy Leopoldina and the American Philosophical Society. He also is the recipient of numerous prestigious scientific fellowships and honors.