National Institute of
General Medical Sciences

The Division of Biophysics, Biomedical Technology, and Computational Biosciences (BBCB) facilitates advances in basic biomedical research by supporting the development of biophysical and computational methods and tools for understanding basic biological questions; physical and theoretical methodologies, bioinformatics tools, and sophisticated quantitative approaches to lay a foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention; and the creation of innovative tools and new technologies for the study of macromolecular, cellular, and organelle processes and function.

The long-term goals of the division are to leverage data, methods, and technologies to answer fundamental biological questions, to develop a more robust computing infrastructure for the biomedical research community, and to promote and facilitate the development and use of new biophysical, computational, and experimental technologies in biomedical research.

The division has three components: the Biomedical Technology Branch, the Biophysics Branch, and the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Branch.

Research areas NIGMS supports within this division and contact names are listed on the Contacts by Research Area page. For a list of all BBCB staff and links to their biographical sketches, see the Division Staff Contacts page.

Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Branch

This branch supports bioinformatics and computational approaches that join biology with the computer sciences, engineering, mathematics, biostatistics, and physics as well as general approaches that have the potential for broad applicability and usage by investigators with support from across NIH and other agencies. The branch collaborates with other parts of NIH on the Big Data to Knowledge initiative as well as with the National Science Foundation to support a program in mathematical biology.

Biomedical Technology Branch

This branch supports research to discover, create, and develop innovative technologies for biomedical research. Technology development often requires multidisciplinary and team-oriented approaches and can lead to new or improved instrument and methods development that has broad application to medical research. Areas of emphasis include computational infrastructure, molecular and cellular imaging and dynamics, and technologies to elucidate structural and functional biology. The branch also supports biomedical technology research resources.

Biophysics Branch

This branch supports studies that apply techniques and principles derived from the physical sciences to examine structures and structure-function relationships in biology. Areas of emphasis in biophysical research include the development and application of physical and theoretical techniques to biological problems from the molecular to cellular level of organization, and the application of engineering science and technology to the development of improved methods of measurement and analysis for physiological and biomedical research. Of interest are new applications of established techniques and the modification of existing instrumentation to yield improved resolution, sensitivity, or accuracy. Central problems include the fundamentals of molecular properties and interactions; relationships between sequences and molecular structures, dynamics, and functions; assembly and mechanism of supramolecular structures including cellular membranes, cytoskeleton, and viruses; and discovery of ways to selectively influence biological processes based on these structures.

For more information about the NIGMS Division of Biophysics, Biomedical Technology, and Computational Biosciences, contact:

Dr. Erica Brown
Acting Director, Division of Biophysics, Biomedical Technology, and Computational Biosciences
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institutes of Health
45 Center Drive MSC 6200
Bethesda, MD 20892-6200