Supramolecular Structure And Function

An enormous amount of new knowledge on the molecular basis of various biological phenomena has emerged in the rapidly expanding field of bioscience. Since the frontiers in scientific research are difficult to define‚ the creation of new knowledge depends not only on new methods and concepts but also on interaction with other fields of research. The principles and methods of biophysics should be a rational language for discussion not only between scientists of the different disciplines of natural sciences‚ such as physics‚ mathematics‚ biochemistry‚ molecular biology and biotechnology‚ but also for medicine and social sciences as well. This is the general philosophy behind the organization of the Summer Schools organized by Rudjer Institute‚ Zagreb‚ Croatia and the Croatian Biophysical Society. The International Summer Schools on Biophysics have a very broad scope. This is in contrast to the other workshops or schools which are centred mainly on one topic or technique. The intention was to organize courses which provided advanced training at doctoral or postdoctoral level in biosciences. Therefore‚ the Schools essentially have a catalytic role and are complementary to‚ rather than competing with‚ activities of parallel national or international programmes.

The molecular basis of life has been a rapidly growing field of science. There is perhaps no other field where such diverse profiles of scientists, ranging from applied mathematicians and theoretical physicists to experimental biologists and medical doctors (physicians), are compelled to communicate and even to col laborate. This diversity makes the exchange of information richer but at the same time more cumbersome. One way to facilitate the exchange of information and to overcome the barriers between the different languages used by physicists, chemists and biologists is to organize a meeting on a subject of common interest. A par ticularly suitable form of such a meeting for younger scientists is a school at an undergraduate or postgraduate level. This volume contains a collection of lectures presented at the International Summer School in Biophysics, held under the title "Supramolecular Structure and Function" in Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia, in September 1981. The topics discussed at the school were inter- and intramolecular interactions in biological systems, and structure, organization and function of biological macromole cules and supramolecular structures. Although not all the lectures could be prepared in a written form on time for publication, we hope that the present volume contains valuable up-to-date infor mation on various aspects of the molecular basis of life. We wish to express our gratitude to the eminent authors and to state that, having received so much valuable assistance from them, we as editors can only attach our names to apologies for any erro~s that may remain.

The book is based on lectures presented on the International Summer School on Biophysics held in Croatia in September 2009. The advantage of the School is that it provides advanced training in very broad scope of areas related to biophysics contrary to other similar schools or workshops that are centered mainly on one topic or technique. In this volume, tenth in the row, the papers in the field of biophysics are presented. The topics are biological phenomena from single protein to macromolecular aggregations structure by using variant physical methods (NMR, EPR, FTIR, Mass Spectrometry, etc.). The interrelationship of supramolecular structures and their functions is enlightened by applications of principals of these physical methods in the biophysical and molecular biology context.

The book is based on International Summer Schools on Biophysics held in Croatia which, contrary to other workshops centered mainly on one topic or technique, has very broad scope providing advanced training in areas related to biophysics. This volume presents papers in the field of biophysics for studying biological phenomena by using physical methods and/or concepts. Its scope should be of interest for students at doctoral or postdoctoral level and to experienced scientists.

This volume represents a collection of lectures delivered by outstanding specialists in the fields of biophysics and of related scientific disciplines th during the 7 International Summer School on Biophysics held in Rovinj, Croatia from 14 to 25 September 2000 under the title "Super molecular Structure and Function ". This scientific-educational event was organized by the Ruder Boskovic Institute ofZagreb, Croatia with substantial material and intellectual support of a number of national and international institutions including the Croatian Biophysical Society (CBS), the International Union of Pure and Applied Biophysics (IUPAB), the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and the UNESCO Venice Office - Regional Office for Science and Technology for Europe (UVO-ROSTE). The seventh edition of the series of International Summer Schools on Biophysics, which was started in 198I, attracted more than 120 young researchers and post-graduate students coming from 27 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Twenty-five outstanding experts in pure and applied biophysics presented the most advanced knowledge ofthis very interdisciplinary area of science during their lectures and round tables. It was commonly acknowledge that the Summer School achieved great success and fully reached its objectives. The success of the Rovinj Summer School was also due to the constantly growing attention being paid by scientific communities to younger generations of scientists, thanks also to the major outcomes of the World Conference on Science "Science for the Twenty-first Century: A New Commitment" held by UNESCO and ICSU in Budapest, Hungary in June 1999.

The book is based on lectures presented on the International Summer School on Biophysics held in Croatia in September 2009. The advantage of the School is that it provides advanced training in very broad scope of areas related to biophysics contrary to other similar schools or workshops that are centered mainly on one topic or technique. In this volume, tenth in the row, the papers in the field of biophysics are presented. The topics are biological phenomena from single protein to macromolecular aggregations structure by using variant physical methods (NMR, EPR, FTIR, Mass Spectrometry, etc.). The interrelationship of supramolecular structures and their functions is enlightened by applications of principals of these physical methods in the biophysical and molecular biology context.