Physics of Ionic Conduction in Narrow Biological and Artificial Channels

The book reprints a set of important scientific papers applying physics and mathematics to address the problem of selective ionic conduction in narrow water-filled channels and pores. It is a long-standing problem, and an extremely important one. Life in all its forms depends on ion channels and, furthermore, the technological applications of artificial ion channels are already widespread and growing rapidly. They include desalination, DNA sequencing, energy harvesting, molecular sensors, fuel cells, batteries, personalised medicine, and drug design. Further applications are to be anticipated.The book will be helpful to researchers and technologists already working in the area, or planning to enter it. It gives detailed descriptions of a diversity of modern approaches, and shows how they can be particularly effective and mutually reinforcing when used together. It not only provides a snapshot of current cutting-edge scientific activity in the area, but also offers indications of how the subject is likely to evolve in the future

Physics of Ionic Conduction in Narrow Biological and Artificial Channels

This is a book about ion channels. It has been written mostly by physical scientists and mathematicians, even though the most widespread and important manifestation of ion channels is in biology, where they are essential to life in all its forms. How do non-biologists get involved in such investigations? Everyone will have their own particular story but, for ourselves, it was the heady combination of scientific curiosity, a wish to contribute to the fundamental understanding of natural phenomena that clearly have crucially important applications, and the realisation that some of our physics knowledge and expertise might be relevant