Biophysics is a subject where students use scientific approaches normally used in physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, mathematics, and computer science to study biological questions.

Biophysics were first explored at the Ohio State University in 1949, with the founding of a discussion group called the Institute of Biophysics. Though this group was disbanded, in 1956 a Division of Biophysics was set up within the Department of Physiology; it had no budget, and staff taught on a volunteer basis. By late 1960, it was clear that there was more student interest than the division could handle, and an interdepartmental biophysics program was proposed. In 1962, the Institute of Biophysics was founded; it had no budget, no dedicated staff, and faculty members from various disciplines volunteered to teach the classes for no extra money. At this time, it was a part of the Ohio State University Graduate School.

The name of the unit was changed back to the Division of Biophysics in 1965, and the following year it was switched from being a part of the Graduate School to being a part of the College of Biological Sciences. In 1967, the College of Biological Sciences was reorganized, which resulted in the Division of Biophysics being disbanded and enlarged into a graduate biophysics program called the Academic Faculty of Biophysics. The name was changed again in 1971 to the Department of Biophysics, and they began offering an undergraduate major in biophysics at the same time. The undergraduate major was discontinued in 1978, and the name was again changed to the Division of Sensory Biophysics. The Biophysics Graduate program moved out of the Division of Sensory Biophysics in 1982, and was overseen by the Council of Life Science Deans. The Division of Sensory Biophysics was abolished in 2005.

As of 2019, the biophysics program is referred to as the Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program. It is administered through the Ohio State University Graduate School while also being supervised by the Program Council for the Environmental Sciences and the Life Sciences. Biophysics has classes spanning 6 different colleges, and 80 faculty members from 33 different departments at the Ohio State University. It offers the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy.