Leake, Mark Christian orcid.org/0000-0002-1715-1249 (2025) Single-molecule biophysics. Contemporary Physics. ISSN: 1366-5812
Abstract
Biological molecules, like all active matter, use free energy to generate force and motion which drive them out of thermal equilibrium, and undergo inherent dynamic interconversion between metastable free energy states separated by levels barely higher than stochastic thermal energy fluctuations. Here, we explore the founding and emerging approaches of the field of single-molecule biophysics which, unlike traditional ensemble average approaches, enable the detection and manipulation of individual molecules and facilitate exploration of biomolecular heterogeneity and its impact on transitional molecular kinetics and underpinning molecular interactions. We discuss the ground-breaking technological innovations which scratch far beyond the surface into open questions of real physiology, that correlate orthogonal data types and interplay empirical measurement with theoretical and computational insights, many of which are enabling artificial matter to be designed inspired by biological systems. And finally, we examine how these insights are helping to develop new physics framed around biology.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Biology (York) The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Physics (York) |
Date Deposited: | 02 Sep 2025 10:50 |
Last Modified: | 01 Oct 2025 14:20 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1080/00107514.2025.2556579 |
Status: | Published online |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/00107514.2025.2556579 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:230873 |
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