What is Medicine?: Basic Principles of Physics in Medicine and Beyond

This book looks into the world of medicine through a unique lens - the principles of physics. Beginning with a brief history of medical physics and Feynman's classification of natural phenomena, it delves into topics such as the electrical activity of cells, and the physical basis of synaptic transmission, using nonlinear models that reveal their behavior as a strange attractor. Using a synergetic analogy between similar processes occurring in physical and neurophysiological systems, the author is able to formulate the first principle describing the emergence of hexagonal grid cells structures in the brain. It also explores the use of thermal imaging in the diagnosis, the dosimetry of ionizing radiation, and the physical basis of effective methods of quantum mechanics in modern medicine. Through detailed discussion of topics including synergetics, physiology, neurology, and radiation medicine, the reader gains a deep understanding of the physics behind medical diagnostics and treatments.

Each chapter is devoted to exploring one of the directions of theoretical or clinical medicine, featuring parts written on different popular and rigorous physical levels. Providing a comprehensive overview of the physical principles of medicine and how they relate to medical equipment and technology, this book is a bridge between the fields of medicine and physics, demonstrating how the two can work together to advance the science of healthcare. This book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the intersection of medicine and physics and the possibilities for future innovation.

Prof. A.V. Chalyi is a highly accomplished theoretical physicist and educator who has worked at the Bogomolets National Medical University in Kyiv, Ukraine, since 1983. He holds a Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences degree (1979) and a Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences degree (1966), as well as the honorary titles of "Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine" (1999) and "Honored Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine" (2004). He has also held visiting professor positions at the University of Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris, France (1992), and the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, USA (1998) as a Fulbright professor.

Prof. Chalyi is a prolific author with over 500 publications to his name, including 95 monographs, textbooks, and manuals, such as "Medical and Biological Physics," "Synergetic Principles of Education and Science," and "Nonlinear Processes in Physics: Vibrations, Waves, Self-Organization." His work has been published in numerous scientific journals and editions of well-known publishing companies such as Springer, Elsevier, Harwood Academic Press, and Nova Science Publication.

Prof. Chalyi's research interests have covered a wide range of topics in physics, including molecular physics, biophysics, medical physics, and nonlinear processes in physics and biology. He has presented lectures at many international and Ukrainian conferences and symposia and has served as a mentor to several graduate students who have gone on to become academics themselves.