Biophysics sits at the fascinating intersection where the laws of physics meet the complexity of living systems. This field uses tools like light, electricity, and mechanical forces to decode how cells move, how proteins fold, and how our senses translate the world around us. Rather than just observing biology, biophysicists measure and model life to understand the fundamental machinery that powers every organism.

On Gist.Science, we make these discoveries accessible by curating the latest preprints directly from bioRxiv. Our team processes every new submission in this category, providing both clear, plain-language overviews and detailed technical summaries so readers of all backgrounds can grasp the cutting-edge science. Below are the most recent biophysics papers from bioRxiv, ready for you to explore.

⚛️ biophysics

Droplet on Demand Tape Drive and XES Prototypes for Time-Resolved Serial Crystallography at VMXi, Diamond Light Source

This paper presents prototype experiments at Diamond Light Source's VMXi beamline demonstrating the feasibility of combining droplet-on-demand tape drive sample delivery with X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) for time-resolved serial crystallography on a third-generation synchrotron, a methodology previously restricted to XFELs.

Aller, P., Sanchez-Weatherby, J., Telfer, A., Bosman, R., Devenish, N. E., Hinchliffe, P., Horrell, S., Ip, J., Littlewo (…)2026-02-04
⚛️ biophysics

Going around phase defects: reliable phase mapping for realistic data

This paper introduces an improved "extended phase mapping" method that explicitly detects and accounts for phase defects caused by conduction blocks or anatomical boundaries, thereby eliminating false detections and providing a more reliable, physiologically consistent characterization of rotational drivers in cardiac arrhythmias across simulated, experimental, and clinical datasets.

Verstraeten, B., Lootens, S., Van Den Abeele, R., Van Nieuwenhuize, V., Okenov, A., Hendrickx, S., Santos bezzera, A., N (…)2026-02-04
⚛️ biophysics

The monomeric conformational ensembles of Aβ40 and Aβ42 encode their differential amyloid aggregation propensity

Through extensive simulations and advanced analysis, this study demonstrates that the distinct aggregation propensity of Aβ42 compared to Aβ40 is encoded at the monomer level by Aβ42's higher β-structure propensity, more extended conformations, and greater hydrophobic exposure, particularly in the C-terminal region.

Cadenelli, I., Ciccolo, A., Tagliabue, A., Rossi, G., Conti Nibali, V., Bochicchio, D.2026-02-02
⚛️ biophysics

Lipid droplet isolation as a novel platform for spectroscopic investigation of cargo modifications

This study utilizes label-free Raman spectroscopy of isolated lipid droplets to reveal distinct, treatment-specific metabolic remodeling and lipid heterogeneity in normal Schwann cells versus malignant MPNST cells following cannabidiol treatment, ionizing radiation, and their combination, thereby establishing a novel platform for investigating lipid-mediated radiosensitization mechanisms.

Chrabaszcz, K., Panek, A., Pogoda, K.2026-02-02
⚛️ biophysics

From biting to engulfment: curvature-actin coupling controls phagocytosis of soft, deformable targets

This study utilizes a Monte Carlo-based membrane simulation framework to demonstrate that the mechanical properties of soft, deformable targets, particularly membrane bending rigidity and tension, fundamentally determine whether phagocytosis results in full engulfment, pushing, or partial biting (trogocytosis), thereby explaining how immune cells navigate the physical challenges of ingesting non-rigid biological targets.

Sadhukhan, S., Cornell, C. E., Sandhu, M. K., Peeters, Y., Penic, S., Iglic, A., Fletcher, D. A., Jaumouille, V., Vorsel (…)2026-01-30
⚛️ biophysics

Nonlinear Relationships of Fibrin Network Structure as a Function of Fibrinogen and Thrombin Concentrations for Purified Fibrinogen and Plasma Clots

This study quantitatively establishes multiplicative scaling laws that define how fibrinogen and thrombin concentrations distinctly program fibrin network architecture, revealing that thrombin primarily governs single-fiber growth kinetics while fibrinogen controls space-filling density and pore size across both purified and plasma clots.

Cai, C., Zhang, Z., Nameny, A., Bonin, K., Bannish, B., Hudson, N. E., Marrs, G., Baker, S., Guthold, M., nelli, d.2026-01-29
⚛️ biophysics

Community Web Portal for Open Collaboration in the Martini Force Field Initiative

To address the fragmentation of resources within the Martini Force Field Initiative, the authors introduce a sustainable, open-source web portal built on static site generation and serverless architectures that unifies parameters, tools, and workflows while lowering technical barriers for community contributions.

Ramirez-Echemendia, D. P., Borges-Araujo, L., Brown, C. M., Alessandri, R., Marrink, S.-J., Telles de Souza, P. C., Tiel (…)2026-01-29
⚛️ biophysics

A Competitive Fluorescence Immunoassay Based on Intermolecular Quenching Using an N-Terminally Fluorescent-Labeled IgG Antibody

This paper introduces a competitive fluorescence immunoassay called intermolecular Quenchbody (iQ-body), which utilizes intermolecular FRET between an N-terminally fluorescent-labeled IgG antibody and an antigen-quencher conjugate to enable sensitive detection of small molecules like thyroxine using publicly available antibodies.

Fukunaga, K., Watanabe, T., Hohsaka, T.2026-01-27