Biomedical Physics

Biomedical physics is a multidisciplinary research field and one of the study alternatives at the physics degree program at the University of Oulu. It studies the phenomena of life and living organisms with the methods of physics and other exact natural sciences, and teaches courses, practical skills and research methods of corresponding contents. In the University of Oulu biomedical physics is a new study field (starting in 2016–17) linking or combining physics biophysics and medical physics under one discipline. Biomedical physics also contributes to the International Master’s Programme in Biomedical Engineering. This provides an opportunity for physics students to study courses of biomedical engineering as a part of their master’s studies.

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Research group information

Unit and faculty

Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit
Faculty of Science

Contact information

Research group leader

Research group description

In general, all the life related issues, from molecules and cells to whole organisms and populations, are possible research subjects of biomedical physics. This includes also numerous physical applications of bio- and medical sciences. Scientific research of biomedical physics in the research units of physics focuses around the fields of molecular physics and neurobiophysics. Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit focus, among other things, in the basic study of different spectroscopy and imaging methods, applied also in biosciences and medicine. In collaboration with the Medical faculty of the University of Oulu, Neurobiophysics focuses on the electrical signals of nerve cells (or neurons), their molecular level generation mechanisms, and neural information coding and processing. Scientific research of imaging methods is also conducted in the Research Unit of Medical Imaging, Physics and Technique (MIPT) in the Faculty of Medicine.

Senior and post-doctoral researchers

  • Doc. Kyösti Heimonen (Biomedical Physics teaching)
  • Doc. Minna Patanen (Biomaterials)
  • Esa-Ville Immonen (OCEllab)

PhD students

  • Viivi Järvelä
  • Paulus Saari
  • Tuomas Mansikkala