The Biophysics Institute’s mission is to pursue scientific investigation in the field of Life Sciences through methods and approaches that pertain to the Physics domain. 

IBF’s research studies fall within the areas of Human Health and the Environment, with special focus on the following themes: the molecular bases of neurological and neurodegenerative pathologies; communication mechanisms in cell membranes; molecular aggregation processes, the study of molecules relevant to drug design; plant bioenergetics and biochemistry; bacterial toxins; the design of photoactive systems/molecules for biotechnology applications; anthropic pollution problems.

The following IBF teams focus on phenomena that have an impact on Health research:

- Membrane communication within and between cells
Team: Anna Boccaccio, Armando Carpaneto, Franco Gambale, Cristiana Picco, Joachim Scholz-Starke, Massimo Vassalli; Mariachiara Chiantore, Alberto Diaspro, Mario Nobile, Gianfranco Prestipino, Cesare Usai

- Molecular aggregation processes
Team: Donatella Bulone, Rita Carrotta, Daniela Giacomazza, Fabio Librizzi, Rosalia Mangione, Mauro Manno, Vincenzo Martorana, Rosina Noto, Pier Luigi San Biagio; Silvestre Buscemi, Clelia Dispenza, Gaetano Giammona, Maurizio Leone, Valeria Militello, Antonio Palumbo Piccionello, Valeria Vetri

- Photoinduced processes in biomolecules and cells
Team: Giovanni Checcucci, Francesco Ghetti, Sabina Lucia, Antonella Sgarbossa; Giovanni Cercignani, Giuliano Colombetti, Francesco Lenci, Roberto Marangoni

- Modelling of structure and dynamics in complex systems
Team: Aldo Casaleggio, Santi Chillemi, Enrico De Micheli, Angelo Di Garbo, Michele Migliore, Rosanna Migliore, Giuseppe Rauch; Michele Barbi, Luciano Spadavecchia

- Protein structure and dynamics
Team: Ranieri Bizzarri, Patrizia Cioni, Edi Gabellieri, Margherita Gonnelli

- Molecular mechanisms of membrane permeability
Team: Paola Gavazzo, Carla Marchetti, Oscar Moran, Michael Pusch, Giovanni Zifarelli; Franco Conti

- Biological membranes, macromolecular complexes and biomolecular imaging
Team: Valeria Antonini, Daniele Arosio, Silvia Caponi, Mauro Dalla Serra, Carlo Musio, Laura Tosatto, Gabriella Viero; Gaetano Guella, Lorenzo Lunelli, Cristina Potrich, Manuela Zanetti

Biophysical research studies into plant cells and microorganisms are also carried out with the aim of understanding the structure, function and thermodynamics of plant photochemistry as well as photoreceptive processes in microorganisms. The IBF teams who focus on these investigation domains are:

 - Plant bioenergetics and molecular biology
Team: Barbara Basso, Mario Milani, Eloise Mastrangelo, Giulia Romani, Stefano Santabarbara, Giuseppe Zucchelli; Martino Bolognesi, Lucia Colombo, Maria Ida De Michelis, Giorgio Forti, Robert C. Jennings, Piero Morandini, Anna Moroni

- Biodevices and biomolecules
Paolo Gualtieri

Another team based in Pisa studies Biophysics and molecular biology in environmental processes. This work addresses environmental biophysics issues in order to further knowledge of biological processes and mechanisms that occur in ocean and other water environments and which have an impact on echosystems.
Team: Biancaelena Maserti, Elisabetta Morelli, Chiara Santinelli, Stefano Vignudelli; Luciano Nannicini, Torquato Ristori, Alfredo Seritti, Marcella Simili

Seeking to explore biophysical issues in  biomolecules, cells and biological systems, scientists at IBF are also active in molecular modelling research, specifically within the following teams:

- Modelling of structure and dynamics in complex systems
Michele Migliore

- Molecular mechanisms of membrane permeability
Oscar Moran