The Biophysics and Optical Sciences Facility (BiyOSeF) is housed in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Appalachian State University. Dr. Brooke Hester is the principal investigator in the facility. Dr. Hester mentors undergraduate and graduate students who work in the facility on a variety of multidisciplinary projects. The facility has the capability of studying systems using Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, optical tweezers, laser tweezer Raman spectroscopy, and quantum optics.
The creation of multidisciplinary research groups is part of Appalachian State University's Strategic Plan, and in 2010, Dr. Hester formed this multidisciplinary research group. The primary objective of this group is to increase the understanding of the science of biological systems and to develop local and statewide biotechnology. This group has been previously funded externally by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the North Carolina Biotechnology Center (2010-IDG-1006), the North Carolina General Administration through two Equipment Funding for Innovation Competitive Grants, and via the North Carolina Space Grant.