If you choose this programme option you either specialize in biological physics or medical physics. Biological and medical physics is an interdisiplinary science using physics as a tool to understand structures and processes within biology and medicine. Biological physics covers all scales of biological organisation of from molecules to cells, organisms and populations. We give research based education within an area where jobs are made. Medical physics solves challenges within diagnosing and treatment by using physics based technology and theory. Relevant topics we work within: brain research, medical diagnostics and cancer treatment.
We use our knowledge to develop and improve methods within life science.You choose the theoretical curriculum based on which direction you specialize in and the master project can be tailored to fit your interest or your best qualities.
Medical physics
We try to understand why things are the way they are, and how to proceed. A master thesis can involve working at the cell laboratory where you grow your own cells, irradiate them and study various effects of the radiation. The Department of Physics is currently the only Norwegian facility where you may work with proton radiation of cancer cells. We also offer thesis in medical diagnostics in which you will work with radiation therapy, MR, CT or PET. Project within radio nuclei therapy and bioimpedance can also be an option for you.
The University of Oslo currently has the most courses within biological and medical physics in Norway, and there is no similar programme anywhere else in Norway. We have a close working relationship, both in research and teaching, with experts at other departments at UiO and the hospital in the Oslo region.
After graduation you can get a job anywhere physicists are wanted. Radiobiology gives you a step up when it comes to jobs where special competence in radiation is required. Thus we have placed our research and education close to the new guidelines for patient treatment.
Biological physics
The main focus for this specialization is how basic physical laws decide the quality of complex biological systems. It will give you the opportunity to partake in the incredible revolution within life science today. After the first revolution "Molecular biology" and the second revolution "genomics" a high rate of discovery is now driven by interdisciplinarity in the intersection between bioscience and physics, chemistry, mathematics and informatics. Big questions such as "what is life", "what is intelligence" and "what is cancer" and all the other questions are on the agenda.
The theoretical curriculum will let you be absorbed within theory, modelling and experiments, and at the same time use them on biological problems. Your master project will be interdisciplinary as we work closely with the Department of bioscience, the Medical faculty, hospitals and Norwegian School of Sport Sciences.
Study environment
We want you to thrive as a master's student! There are various activities, such as daily lunch, weekly cake lunches, weekly lectures where students, employees and other invited people hold lectures, and other professional and social meetings. As the final exams approaches the master students give their lectures to the group and get feedback on their presentations to prepare them for the exam.
Every Friday we take turn in baking cake for the group. Student study rooms are in the middle of the group, thus making a short distance between students and academic staff.