The summer school "Biophotons in Life Sceinces" took place successfully from 2nd to 8th September 2001 at the International Institute of Biophysics, Insel Hombroich, Neuss, Germany. There were 16 participants from the USA, Great Britain, Brazil, Germany, Slovenia, South Korea, and India. The IIB plans to hold a summer school every year.

• Introduction to integrative biophysics (M. Bischof, International Institute of Biophysics, Neuss Germany)
• Basic integrative biophysics (F.A. Popp, International Institute of Biophysics, Neuss Germany)
• The physical basis of life (R. Bajpai, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, India )
• Bio-electromagnetism (G.J. Hyland, Department of Phsyics, The University of Warwick, England)
• Cell biological effects of electromagnetic fields (J.J. Chang, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China)
• Cellular and molecular aspects of integrative biophysics (R. Van Wijk, Dept. of Molecular Cell Biology, Utrecht University, Netherlands)
• Self-organization in the development of organisms (L. Belousov, Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Russia)
• Non-linear oxidative processes in aqueous media and biophotons (V.I. Voeikov, Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Russia)
• Quantization of the electromagnetic field: photons (J.Swain, Northeastern University, Boston, USA, and CERN, Geneva, Switzerland)
• Detection of biophotons (X. Shen, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China)
• Biophotons of cells (H. Niggli, University Lausanne, Switzerland)
• Application of biophotons (F. Musumeci, Physics Institute, Catania University, Italy)
• Photobiology and biophotonics (Y. Yan, International Institute of Biophysics, Neuss Germany, J. Souren, Dept. of Molecular Cell Biology, Utrecht University, Netherlands)
• Biological grounds of consciousness (M. Lipkind, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Department of Virology, Ministry of Agriculture, Beit Dagan, Israel)

Monday, September 3

Introduction to Integrative Biophysics (M. Bischof) 9-10.30 am
The concept of integrative biophysics
History of the concept
Contemporary aspects of integrative biophysics

Basic Integrative Biophysics (F.A. Popp) 11.00-12.30 am
The entropy concept
Interactions of matter and radiation
Closed and open systems
Resonators
Cooperativity and coherence
Phase conjugation
From matter to information and consciousness

The Physical Basis of Life (R. Bajpai) 3.00-4.30 pm
Web of life: Living systems and the nature of inter- and intra-linkages
Holistic measures of structuring: entropy, organization and information
Quantum features of information: Maxwell demon, information transfer through quantum and classical channels, non-local effects, quantum search
Information exchange in biological systems: possibility of coherent photon emission in fundamental processes
Quantum vision of life: evidence and implications.

Tuesday, September 4

Bio-electromagnetism (G.J. Hyland) 9.00-10.30 am
The electromagnetic nature of the alive organism, and the influence on it of environmental electromagnetic fields of natural origin, such as the Schumann resonances; the importance of coherence
Effects of exposure to ELF magnetic fields and RF/microwave fields, including behavioural response to ELF pulsed microwaves
Underlying physical mechanisms; decoupled electric and magnetic fields and the distinction between the near and far fields of antenna
Physical basis of frequency-specific adverse and therapeutic effects of microwave irradiation of sub-thermal intensity: the alive organism as a non-equilibrium macroscopic quantum system, and novel electromagnetic implications
Emission of biophotons and other non-thermal radiation by the alive organism, and its detection
Coherence in water and sunlight – the natural environment revisited

Cell Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) (J.J. Chang) 11.00-12.30 am
Cell membrane and cell behaviour in EMF
Informational effects of EMF on living cells: Effects on cell signaling
Effects of EMF on DNA and its significance

Cellular and Molecular Aspects of Integrative Biophysics (R. Van Wijk) 3.00-4.30 pm
Cellular water, the macromolecular environment
Effects of macromolecules on water; spatial distribution of cytoplasmic ions
Circulation in the cell and the mystery of the pump
Strored energy and its mobilization
Living cell as quantum superposition of coherent activities
Cytoskeletal information processing revisited
Protein synthesis revisited
DNA and gene expression revisited

Wednesday, September 5

Self-Organization in the Development of Organisms (L. Belousov) 9.00-10.30 am
The main problem of development: why here and at that time moment?
Preformism and epigenesis as the attempts to solve this problem in the classical terms
Self-organizational approaches and models
Physical foundations of morphogenesis
Is the development "genetically programmed"?
Genes and morphogenetic fields

Non-linear Oxidative Processes in Aqueous Media and Biophotons (V.I. Voeikov) 11.00-12.30 am
Unique physical-chemical properties of oxygen and water
Concept of chain reactions with delayed branching (CRDB)
Self-organization and emergence of cooperativity in oxidative CRDB in aqueous environment
Generation of electron excited states; accumulation of energy in reaction systems
Spontaneous and stimulated emission of low-level photon emission from reaction systems
Emergence of non-linear oscillations in oxidative processes in an aqueous environment
Special role of non-linear oscillations in regulation of biological processes
Oxidative CRDB in aqueous medium as a model of biological development

Quantization of the Electromagnetic Field: Photons (J. Swain) 3.00-4.30 pm
The photomultiplier: past and present
Noise and what one can do about it
Solid state optical detectors for weak sources
Novel detectors
Future develoments and prospects

Thursday, September 6

Detection of Biophotons (X. Shen) 9.00-10.30 am
Single-photon counting for detecting spontaneous or delayed photon emission from biological systems
How to examine the coherence of biophotons: statistics and coincidence counting
Two-dimensional imaging of the photon emission from living organisms
Detection by microplate-coupled position-sensitive detector or cooled CCD camera

Biophotons from Cells and Organisms (H. Niggli) 11.00-12.30 am
Cells produce light
History of biophotons
Radical reactions as source of biophotons
Does chromatin contribute to the emission of ultraweak photons?
Perspectives

Application of Biophotons (F. Musumeci) 3.00-4.30 pm
Main characteristics of photo-induced ultraweak luminescence
Luminescence of condensed systems
Exciton luminescence
Soliton luminescence
Ultraweak luminescence and structure of cells
Ultraweak luminescence as a tool to assess the state of biological systems
Applications in bio-quality control

Friday, September 7

Photobiology and Biophotonics (Y.Yan, J.E.M. Souren) 9.00-10.30 am
Bioluminescence
Luminescence methods in biology
Vision
Pigments

Biological Grounds of Consciousness (M. Lipkind) 11.00-12.30 am
Scientific Exploration versus Agnostic Ignoramus et Ignorabimus
Panpsychism versus Emergence: Undecidable Fatal Choice
Behavioristic Marionette versus Unsplittable Holistic Spirit: Unbridgeable Gap versus Tautological Emptiness – Way to Nowhere
Free Will: Voluntary Act as Violation of Physical Laws
The "Hard Problem" of Consciousness and Explanatory Gap: Necessity for Extra Ingredient and Counter-Intuitive Ideas
Biological Grounds of Free Will: Embodiment of Consciousness
Vitalistic Theory of Consciousness: Drieschian Entelechia, Gurwitschian Biological Field, and Gödel’s Gate
Postulated Morphogenic Theory of Consciousness: "Geometrical Feeling" as a New Natural Fundamental
Ontogenetic Development and Phylogenetic Evolution of Consciousness: Protoconsciousness, Primordial Consciousness, and onsciousness per se
Consciousness versus Matter: Abstract Geometry versus Solid Physics

Squeezed States ( Kwang-Sup Soh) 3.00-4.30 pm

Christoph Staude: Concert

Saturday, September 8, morning

General Discussion