RESUMO
Biological and physical sciences possess a long-standing tradition of cooperativity as separate but related subfields of science. For some time, this cooperativity has been limited by their obvious differences in methods and views. Biological physics has recently experienced a kind of revival (or better a rebirth) due to the growth of molecular research on animate matter. New avenues for research have been opened for both theoretical and experimental physicists. Nevertheless, in order to better travel for such paths, the contemporary biological physicist should be armed with a set of specialized tools and methods but also with a new attitude toward multidisciplinarity. In this review article, we intend to somehow summarize what has been done in the past (in particular, as an example we will take a closer look at the Mexican case), to show some examples of fruitful investigations in the biological physics area and also to set a proposal of new curricula for physics students and professionals interested in applying their science to get a better understanding of the physical basis of biological function.
RESUMO
Analisa as razões e motivações que teriam levado Carlos Chagas Filho a se afastar da linha tradicional de pesquisa de Carlos Chagas pai e de seu irmão Evandro Chagas, ambos muito bem sucedidos nos seus trabalhos em patologia tropical. Embora tenha inicialmente se dedicado à anatomia patológica, Carlos Chagas Filho subitamente decidiu enveredar pelo estudo da físico-química dos processos vitais. As fontes disponíveis demonstram a ocorrência de múltiplos imprevistos, desde os mais precoces períodos da formação de Chagas Filho. Trabalho de comparável grandeza poderia quiçá ser alcançado em outra área, e sua escolha recaiu, com acerto incomum, sobre a introdução da pesquisa científica na universidade.
This study investigates the reasons and motivations behind Carlos Chagas Filho's choice to abandon the line of study developed by his father, Carlos Chagas, and brother, Evandro Chagas, both of whom had very successful careers researching tropical diseases. Though Carlos Chagas Filho first worked on anatomical pathology, he suddenly shifted his attentions of the physicochemical aspects of vital processes. Extant sources show that a number of unforeseen circumstances took place from early on in Chagas Filho's education. There was a chance he could carry out work of a similar import in a different area and he set his sights, with uncommon luck, on the introduction of scientific research at university.