Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM)

Undergraduate teaching and research in the areas of biology, chemistry, materials, applied physics, theory, modelling and more are conducted at this department.

About IFM

Photo credit Thor BalkhedThe Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, or IFM, is one of the original departments of Linköping University and was founded in 1969 as the Department of physics and measurement technology. In the beginning there were thirty employees including three professors at the department. Since then a lot has changed and IFM is now one of the biggest departments at LiU.

Current organisation

Today the department has more than 400 staff, including 50 professors and 150 doctoral students. Each year, about 20 doctoral students receive their doctorates at IFM. In addition to this, the department receives guest researchers from all over the globe. The yearly budget exceeds 500 million SEK, the majority of which related to research projects. IFM also offers over 200 undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate courses each year.

Funding 

Xiongyu Wu, IFM, tillsammans med student. Photo credit Anna NilsenOur great expansion in research has been possible thanks to generous grants from external funding agencies such as the Swedish Research Council (VR), Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF), VINNOVA, Formas and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (KAW). Added to this is also increasing research funding from the EU Framework Programmes. Materials Research has received a number of major contributions as strategically important and excellent environment: VR Linnaeus Centre LiLi-NFM, Vinnova Excellence Centre FunMat, SSF's strategic research centre MS2E and the government's strategic research grants for materials research - AFM.

Research at the Department of physics, chemistry and biology (IFM) 

Hanne Løvlie
At IFM, research is conducted in collaboration with eminent researchers from all around the world Anna Nilsen

Prominent research and host for doctoral schools and larger research projects.

At the Department of physics, chemistry, and biology, we conduct innovative research in the areas of biology, chemistry and physics.

IFM also hosts two multi disciplinary research schools, Forum Scientium and Agora Materiae, as well as a number of major research projects and centres such as Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CeNano), Biosensor and Bioelectronics Centre and Swedish Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance Centre (SIMARC) . 

Research groups and projects at the Department of physics, chemistry and biology

teaser image Hagenblad Group

Crop evolution - Hagenblad Group

Humans rely on crop plants for food, medicine, clothing and many other functions. The Hagenblad lab studies how crop plants have spread across the world and how they have adapted to different climates and cultivation methods.

teaser image Hammarström lab

Hammarström Lab

We are interested in protein misfolding, amyloid formation and disease, both on the molecular level and in the cellular perspective.

fruit flies

Evolutionary genetics of ageing and sex differences - Friberg Group

Research in our group focuses on two fascinating biological phenomena – ageing and sex differences - and their interesting intersection. To answer questions related to these topics we conduct research using the model organism Drosophila melanogaster.

Education at the Department of physics, chemistry and biology (IFM)

Education and teaching at IFM

Prominent research and undergraduate education at IFM with a comprehensive range of courses in the fields of physics, chemistry and biology.

The research dominates the activities at IFM, but the teaching within undergraduate education is extensive. Each year, IFM offers more than 200 courses within civil and engineering programs, bachelor's and master's programs in physics, chemistry, and biology, teacher training programs, technical and science foundation year, as well as standalone courses.

Study programmes at the Department of physics, chemistry and biology (IFM)

Study programmes given in English at IFM

Doctoral studies at the Department of physics, chemistry and biology (IFM)

Graduate schools at the Department of physics, chemistry and biology (IFM)

Articles about the Department of physics, chemistry and biolgy (IFM)

Read more about about the latest news and popular science from the department.

Two men in a computer server hall.

International collaboration lays the foundation for AI for materials

AI is accelerating the development of new materials. Large-scale use and exchange of data on materials is facilitated by a broad international standard. A major international collaboration now presents an extended version of the OPTIMADE standard.

dog in forest

Rehomed dogs recover well

Rehomed dogs recover and can build very strong bonds with their new owners is the conclusion of our latest publication in Frontiers.

PhD student receives prize for research communication

Idoia Beloqui Ezquer, PhD student in Chemistry at the Department of physics, chemistry and biology, has been awarded second prize in Swedish Chemical Society's competition in research communication.

Contact

Visiting address

Campus Valla, B building and Fysikhuset building

Mail address

Linköping University
IFM
581 83 Linköping

Department management

Directors of studies

Technology manager

Staff

Staff