Microscopy – JPhys+

The forces involved in different processes in the cells range from few piconewtons to hundreds of nanonewtons. Image taken from Meenakshi Prabhune et al 2017 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 50 233001, © IOP Publishing, All Rights Reserved.

Size matters: Small force sensors reveal big information

By Georgia Longstaff on September 15, 2017

Biological cells have a wide range of complex functions, and a number of these are driven by tiny, molecularly generated forces acting within the cell. We asked Dr. Meenakshi Prabhune to talk to us about the latest tools for measuring… Read More ›

Super-resolving cell biology problems

By Andy Massey on August 4, 2017

How can we investigate the small structures inside our cells using super-resolution microscopy?

The cell membrane is more complex than we think

By Dean Williams on April 19, 2017

Can we understand the cell membrane structure using chemistry tricks?

Tilted-view SEM images of a GaN/InGaN microdisk with radius of 3.5 µm. (a) Before KOH wet-etch and on Si pedestals with radii of (b) 1.75 µm, (c) 1.05 µm and (d) 0.35 µm. The scale bars represent 2 µm. Image taken from Yiyun Zhang et al 2016 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 49 375103. © IOP Publishing, All Rights Reserved.

Image of the Week: GaN/InGaN microdisks, or “micromushrooms”

By Dean Williams on August 30, 2016

This week’s image of the week is taken from a recent paper in Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics from researchers at the University of Hong Kong, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications and the University of Sheffield. The image… Read More ›

Schematization of the electronic structure of perylene and graphene and the arrangements of the components in the hybrid structure. The spatial separation between the graphene crystal and the perylene molecules is also indicated (d). Note that perylene and graphene are coupled via near-field electromagnetic interaction and the electronic wave functions are separated by the insulating PMMA layer.

Spectacularly long range energy transfer to graphene

By Dean Williams on August 2, 2016

Can graphene be used as a nanoscopic ruler over a wide range of distances?

Illustration of the four major deformation classes contributing to membrane fluctuations: bending, membrane area change/stretching, membrane thickness change, and shearing. Bending is the dominant deformation in case of simple lipid bilayers. Stretching generates a high energetic cost. Thickness changes are particularly relevant in the presence of membrane proteins and heterogeneous membrane composition. Fluid membranes are, by definition, unable to support shear deformations, but for a membrane coupled to an external scaffold structure such as the cytoskeleton, shear deformations need to be considered.

Shape fluctuations in biomembranes: the physics and the biology

By Dean Williams on July 6, 2016

Novel physics-based experimental techniques and concepts from statistical mechanics may help understand why living cells use up precious energy to constantly ‘jiggle’ and ‘twitch’ their membranes.

Example of a plasma in contact with a cell culture from the 2012 Plasma Roadmap, Copyright IOP Publishing, All Rights Reserved.

Roadmap Reviews: a success story

By Dean Williams on June 28, 2016

Back in 2012, the Editorial Board of JPhysD had an idea for a brand new article type: a Roadmap Review. Of course, in several communities, the idea of a roadmap – a perspective article looking at past and future developments… Read More ›

Most downloaded papers of 2015

By Jennifer Sanders on January 4, 2016

Looking at some of the most downloaded content across the JPhys series of journals.

The 2015 super-resolution microscopy roadmap

By Jennifer Sanders on October 20, 2015 • ( 1 )

Overcoming the diffraction limit in optical microscopy has been a major barrier in obtaining high-resolution images in biophysical and biomedical research. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics (JPhysD) have just published “The 2015 super-resolution microscopy roadmap”, discussing how researchers have developed super-resolution microscopy to overcome this limit.

JPhysB Review Roundup

By Thomas Farrell on May 15, 2015

A roundup of the Topical Reviews and Tutorials JPhysB has published so far this year.