MA/MS in Physics and Astronomy: Biophysics and Biophotonics

This two-year track within the joint UvA-VU Physics and Astronomy master's applies the methods of physics to questions about how living systems work. Students examine topics such as organ function, tissue engineering, cell mechanics, protein function, and DNA unfolding, treating these biological processes as problems that can be approached using physical models and measurement. The track draws on prior grounding in optics, quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, classical mechanics, and mathematics, applying these physics fundamentals to biological systems within a setting that connects physics research groups with the life sciences. Students shape their own programme within the track and work alongside researchers active in the field, gaining direct exposure to ongoing research rather than working only from textbook material. The combination suits students who want to work at the boundary between physics and biology rather than choosing one discipline over the other.