The discoveries of biophysicists have a broad impact on biotechnology and medicine. By understanding how proteins fold and accelerate chemical reactions, biotechnologists will be able to design proteins to carry out specific tasks, such as digesting crude oil and toxic wastes. Biophysicists use methods and instruments designed by physicists and physical chemists. Computers are used extensively for data collection and analysis, as well as for modelling learning and memory, the flow of material through metabolic pathways and motion of atoms within large molecules. In the future, as larger, faster computers become available, biophysicists will use them to analyse the mass of information about the chemical structure of human genes and chromosomes that the Human Genome Project will provide.
Biophysicists work in universities, industry, medical centres, research institutes and government.
Currently there are numerous research groups in Australia and overseas who indicate that there is a shortage of qualified Biophysics Graduates to fill research positions. 12 rural students entering Science studies at university for the first time. Applications close the Friday before commencement of first semester in the year in which the student is enrolled.