The Biophysical Science entry point gives you access to a quantitative grounding in the sciences of biology, chemistry and physics before concentrating on Biophysical Science. As a result, you will be equally comfortable engaging with physics as with biology, and will be able to apply the distinctive conceptual frameworks of these different disciplines to problems at the boundary between physics and the living world. This Natural Sciences programme draws together the work of four key science disciplines – biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics – to produce new ways of thinking about the big challenges in biology. You will gain an understanding of how the rigorous, quantitative methods of physics and mathematics are being used to sharpen the intellectual tools available to the study of biological systems, from the molecular level to that of whole organisms and even ecosystems. York recently appointed Oxford’s Mark Leake as Professor of Biological Physics. Mark has spearheaded the formation of the Biological Physical Sciences Institute here at York, which is rapidly drawing together academics from a wide range of disciplines, including electronics (face recognition); psychology (imaging the brain); chemistry (biomedical materials); biology (improving rice yields); mathematics (improving biofuel production); and physics (low temperature plasmas as potential cancer therapies).

Many of both our BSc and MSci graduates will want to develop their intellectual passion with a career in research and academia – however, this degree will also give you the skills and profile to work with pharmaceutical and biotech companies, venture capital firms, scientific consulting firms, medical and scientific journals, legal firms dealing in intellectual property, NGOs, science-focused not-for-profit organisations and foundations, government agencies.