Research

Demographic noise-seeded patterns in space and time

Unavoidable demographic fluctuations in gene expression, unequal partition following cell division can cause phenotypic differences between cell. We study the important role that this inherent noise plays in seeding patterns in space and time, in model one- and two dimensional systems.

Spatially structured bacterial communities

We study the spatial structure and oxygen gradients in microcosms of bacteria from ancient origins

Swarm robotics and collective behavior

We study robot swarms both as models of collective behavior, as well as an arena to explore physical realizations of statistical mechanical models.

Past Research

Target location during horizontal gene transfer
Systems biology of bacterial small RNAs
Homologous recombination: RecA-DNA complexes, Rad51-BRCA2 interaction
Bacterial networks: The SOS response, Genetic oscillations in the iron homeostasis network
Viral networks: Bacteriophage lambda
Molecular motors: The RuvAB complex
DNA-protein complexes: The bacterial chromosome
Membrane physics: Polymer-lipid bilayer systems
Cellular structures: Soap froths, quasi 2-d polycrystals
Ostwald ripening: Nonequilibrium liquid-solid thin layers
Granular matter: Segregation and transport properties
Liquids in confined geometries: Micelles in soap films