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The course will be centred on several topics covering the application of optics in study of biological objects like cells, tissues. In particular, in this course we suppose to consider the ability of a light beam to exert mechanical forces on objects like living cells and to manipulate its position as well as to measure mechanical properties of single living cells and biological molecules (force spectroscopy). We consider techniques of nonlinear microscopy that permit gain new information on living cells that can not be achieved by conventional microscopy. Linear optical microscopy beyond the diffraction limit as well as scanning probe microscopy will present the hottest topics in imaging of biological objects in the last years. Background will be giving first on theory of the physical processes involved, as well as on experimental tools needed for realization the techniques. We propose that during the course students will perform several basic experiments at the ICFO labs that help to understand more deeply physical mechanisms involved in the techniques