In 1978, a five-year Biophysics and Chemical Physics (BCHF) study program was opened at the Faculty of Science of the Palacký University in Olomouc, the first of its kind in the country. Its fondation was realised the then head of the Department of Physics and Physics Didactics, prof. RNDr. Ivan Cabák, CSc. Until then, the department only guaranteed the teaching of future teachers of a combination of mathematics and physics. In 1989, the department was renamed the Department of Experimental Physics (KEF) and a separate divison of biophysics was established within the department. The head of the department became Prof. RNDr. Jan Nauš, CSc., who had worked at the department since 1980. Since 1991, it was possible to study biophysics as part of Ph.D. studies (field of Biophysics). In 2003, the master's degree in biophysics was divided into a bachelor's degree and a subsequent master's degree under the single name of Biophysics. Five years later, under the guaranty of the KEF biophysics division, another study program, Molecular Biophysics, was opened in both the bachelor's and master's study programs. In 2011, the divison of biophysics separated from KEF and created an independent Department of Biophysics (KBF). The head of the department was a graduate of Olomouc biophysics, prof. RNDr. Petr Ilík, Ph.D. Since 2018, the Biophysics bachelor's study program has been divided into two specializations - General Biophysics and Molecular Biophysics.
So far, over 250 students successfully completed the master degree in biophysics, and over 70 students completed their Ph.D. studies of Biophysics. Five of our students completed Ph.D. studies at the University of Oregon (USA). Ph.D. students were awarded the Prize of the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports three times, as well as a number of awards at the faculty and university level. In addition to studies at all qualification levels (Bc., Mgr., RNDr., Ph.D.), the Department of Biophysics is also accredited for the habilitation procedure (to become an associate professor, abbreviated as doc.) and the procedure for the appointment of a full professor (prof.) in the field of Biophysics.
Scientific research has been focused on plant biophysics and medical biophysics since the beginning of the program existence. Early scientific work in medical biophysics dealt with the study of tissue superweak radiation, photopulse statistics of vision, and liquid crystals; currently, the most important focus of medical biophysics is research into the formation of reactive oxygen species in biological systems, mechanisms of the biological (antitumor and antibiotic) effect of metallopharmaceuticals, and research into the generation of the human voice. In plant biophysics, we focus mainly on research into the structure and function of protein complexes and the study of biophysical aspects of plant physiology. Research is supported by a number of national and international grants (MŠMT, GA CR and GA AV, IGA, COST, Horizon Europe, etc.). We cooperate with many domestic and foreign research workplaces, we also develop cooperation with commercial entities in applied research.