Book excerpt: Biophysical techniques are used in many key stages of the drug discovery process including in screening for new receptor ligands, in characterising drug mechanisms, and in validating data from biochemical and cellular assays. This book provides an overview of the biophysical methods applied in drug discovery today, including traditional techniques and newer developments. Perspectives from academia and industry across a spectrum of techniques are brought together in a single volume. Small and biotherapeutic approaches are covered and strengths and limitations of each technique are presented. Case studies illustrate the application of each technique in real applied examples. Finally, the book covers recent developments in areas such as electron microscopy with discussions of their possible impact on future drug discovery. This is a go-to volume for biophysicists, analytical chemists and medicinal chemists providing a broad overview of techniques of contemporary interest in drug discovery.