The US National Academies (of Engineering, Medicine and Sciences) recently issued a decadal survey report on the field of biological physics titled Physics of Life, which can be read and downloaded at https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/biological-physicsphysics-of-living-systems-a-decadal-survey. The purpose of this editorial is to summarize a few prominent points discussed in the section on biophysics education and thereby stimulate readers of The Biophysicist to examine the report itself. In addition, we wish to solicit from the greater biophysics education community (including biology, chemistry, physics, bioengineering, materials engineering, and so on) a response as to how the findings of

As we review manuscripts submitted to The Biophysicist, we sometimes encounter misconceptions regarding the need for review and oversight of education research by internal review boards (IRBs). Clarifying this important requirement will help avoid unnecessary delays in publication processing. With this editorial, we hope our authors better understand which types of educational research require prior institutional ethics approval to ensure that all stakeholders' rights are respastected and protected.

Many scientists associate medical research with human subject protection, which certainly had its origins in this realm. Countless crimes against humanity in human subject research studies conducted during the 20th

ABSTRACT

Rheology and the study of viscoelastic materials are an integral part of engineering and the study of biophysical systems. Tissue rheology is even used in the study of cancer and other diseases. However, the cost of a rheometer is feasible only for colleges, universities, and research laboratories. Even if a rheometer can be purchased, it is bulky and delicately calibrated, limiting its usefulness to the laboratory itself. The design presented here is less than a tenth of the cost of a professional rheometer. The design is also portable, making it the ideal solution to introduce viscoelasticity to high school students as well as for use in the field for obtaining rheological data.

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Structural biology describes biological processes at the molecular level and is an integral part of undergraduate study programs in molecular biosciences. Students are often fascinated by the visualizations created by molecular graphics software, which allow them to see the molecular world for the first time. Today, molecular visualization and structural analysis do not require expensive high-end computers but can be performed on the students' own laptops and are therefore highly suited for active learning approaches. We have designed a semester-long learning path that integrates molecular graphics and structural analysis using PyMOL into an undergraduate course in biomolecular structure and function. Compared to stand-alone PyMOL introductions, the semester-long learning path allows for an improved pedagogical design. The path progressively introduces more advanced functions in relevant scientific contexts and allows for spaced repetition. Advanced analysis functions in PyMOL are available only via the command line, so the learning path also teaches basic scripting and serves as an accessible introduction to computational thinking because a few lines of code can produce stunning results. Student surveys carried out at the end of the course suggest that the learning path supported the ability to perform structural analysis to a high degree. Moreover, a simulated exam showed that almost all students were able to carry out basic visualization tasks using PyMOL scripts, while three-quarters could undertake advanced structural analysis after following the course. In summary, integration of molecular graphics software with teaching of structural biochemistry allows a hands-on approach to analyzing molecular mechanisms and introduces biologically oriented students to computational thinking.

A Homebuilt Experiment to Quantify the Mechanical Properties of Hair

Fabian Bennati Weis,

Tizian Schmidt,

Kilian Kuhlbrodt,

Ruth Meyer,

Charlotta Lorenz, and

Sarah Köster

National Academies Report and Biophysics Education

Understanding Internal Review Boards and Their Role in Biophysics Education

A Torsion-Based Rheometer for Measuring Viscoelastic Material Properties

ABSTRACT

A Semester-Long Learning Path Teaching Computational Skills via Molecular Graphics in PyMOL

ABSTRACT

History and Philosophy of a Biophysics Department

Prologue: not an ordinary biophysics department

Early history of the Department of Biophysics, University of Buffalo

A Homebuilt Experiment to Quantify the Mechanical Properties of Hair

An Entropy-Based Approach to Introducing Osmotic Pressure

A ChatGPT-Assisted Reading Protocol for Undergraduate Research Students

Exploring Viscoelasticity: An Outreach Workshop for Middle and High School Students

Visualizing Cell Structures with Minecraft