Scope in biophysics
Q.I am a Class XII student preparing for my board exams. I have taken physics, chemistry, maths and biology because I like all these. I have heard a lot about biophysics. Can you please tell me something about it? — Gaurav Handa
A.Biophysics applies the principles of mathematics, chemistry, biology and physics to study living cells and organisms, including structures and fine structures, bioelectric phenomena, radiation effects, molecular behaviour, photosynthesis, membranes and modelling.
Thanks to the breakthroughs in unravelling the DNA, it’s now possible to study the inner workings of biological systems with unprecedented precision. This includes investigating how the brain processes and stores information, how the heart pumps blood, how muscles contract etc.
Modern research in drug discovery is aimed at developing precision drugs that act in a specific way with minimal side effects while being demonstrably better than the existing therapies. Conventional drug discovery, on the other hand, is a long and an expensive process. Hundreds of thousands of samples have to be screened before arriving at some potential compounds with desired properties. However, with advances in determination of protein structure, structure-based drug design has become a powerful and swifter tool.
Biophysicists work in industry, medical centres, research institutes, academia and government.
While the applications of biophysics are remarkable in biochemistry, nanotechnology, bioengineering and systems biology, the range of research is vast and includes topics such as structural biology or enzyme kinetics etc
Like any other field of research, be prepared for extended study – a PhD and perhaps even post-doctoral research to make a headway in this field.
MSc Biophysics is also offered at Panjab University, Chandigarh, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, University of Mumbai and University of Madras amongst others.
The Department of Biophysics, at AIIMS is a centre of drug discovery and clinical proteomics which seamlessly combines structural biology, bioinformatics and proteomics (www.aiims.edu/aiims/departments/biophysics/home.htm).
Eligibility: BSc (H). Selection is on the basis of an online entrance exam.
How are GPA scores calculated?
Q.We are planning to send our son to the USA after he finishes school for higher education. What is GPA according to American education system and how is it calculated? — Harsh Kumar
A.Grade-point average (GPA) or ratio is a standard formula used by almost all colleges and universities, particularly in the US for evaluating the overall performance of students.
At the end of a term, each professor or instructor will evaluate your work and your test results to determine a grade for the course. At most US universities and colleges, you will be given a letter grade with a numerical equivalent. This number will be used, along with your other grades, to determine your Grade Point Average.
Grade points are evaluated by first multiplying the number of hours (units, credit, or credit hours) assigned for a course by the numerical value of the grade and then dividing the sum of all grade points by the total number of hours carried. The most common system of numerical value for grades is A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, and E or F=0. The values assigned to each letter grade may differ at some schools.
There are pre-programmed calculators available on websites like www.usnews.com to help you calculate your GPA in an instant.
Students in the US work very hard to maintain an above-average GPA because it caries considerable weight at the time of recruitment as well as for admission to graduate degree programmes.
If you receive an "F" or failing mark for a class, no credit will be awarded toward a degree for that class. If the class is required to complete the degree, you have to repeat the class and earn a passing or higher grade.
Job avenues after MSW
Q.I am a student of BA (Eco). I am interested in doing my master’s in social studies. Can you please tell me which colleges in India offer a postgraduate degree in MSW? I would also want to know what the scope for someone graduating in MSW? — Harshita Tewatia
A.A master’s in social work will equip you to work as a professional social worker in national and international social welfare organisations.
Many corporate houses that have a full-fledged community or Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) department also hire professionally trained social workers in the areas of medicine, education, family and women’s welfare , skilling and human rights etc to drive their CSR activities.
You can also work as a project officer, programme coordinator, development consultant, counsellor, instructor or lecturer.
Hundreds of universities across the country offer a master’s degree in social work (MSW). The better ones being TISS, XISS, Bhubaneswar, Mumbai, Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University, Punjab University, Jamia Milia Islamia, University of Mumbai, University of Pune, Bangalore University, and the University of Madras to name a few.
And while you’re at it, do check out some of the Development Studies programmes offered by TISS, Delhi’s Ambedkar University, TERI, Azim Premjee University, Tata-DHAN etc.
