Lab Groups

The Ranganathan Group uses a combination of statistical genomics, biochemistry, genetics in several model organsisms, structural biology, and physical theory to undestand the evolutionary design of proteins and macromolecular complexes.

The Riesenfeld Group develops and uses machine learning approaches to quantitatively model immune function. We leverage large-scale, systematic genomic data to identify the key cellular components, molecular circuitry, and dynamics underlying tissue-based immune responses.

The Rowan Group focuses on studying the chemistry of non-covalent interactions (supramolecular chemistry). This is embodied by studying the synthesis of metallosupramolecular and stimuli-resonsive polymers; isolation and utilization of cellulose nanocrystals in biomimetic and porous systems; and reversible covalent chemistry.

The Squires Group develops and uses novel techniques to manipulate and measure single biomolecules or particles. With detailed information about how individual particles move, interact, transfer energy, or change over time, they build bottom-up models to address scientific and applied challenges across many disciplines, including biophysics, alternative energy, and precision medicine.

The Swartz Lab focuses on understanding and exploiting the roles of lymphatic function as it relates to cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases, including asthma, using a variety of interdisciplinary approaches from bioengineering, immunobiology, physiology, cell biology, and biomechanics. The group works in both basic hypothesis-driven research as well as translational applications.

The Talapin Lab develops novel materials by assembling functional nanoscale building blocks. In recent years, they explored different routes to materials design, synthesized novel zero- and two-dimensional materials, developed inorganic surface ligands, self-assembled nanocrystals into ordered superstructures, and carried out electronic and thermoelectric studies of nanocrystal arrays.

The Tay Lab works to understand, model, and manipulate complex biological systems to help cure diseases. To enable this, they develop high-throughput automated microfluidic and optofluidic systems that perform quantitative, multi-dimensional, and dynamic measurements with single-cell resolution.

At the intersection of synthetic biology and neuroscience, the Simic Lab is pioneering a novel approach to understanding and treating brain diseases. Their lab harnesses the power of engineered cells as "living drugs" that can navigate to the brain, sense disease states, and deliver precise therapeutic interventions where they're needed most.

The Tirrell Lab has broad and deep expertise in creating novel, functional self-assembled structures focusing on tailored nanomaterials for basic science research, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

The Verresen Group explores the theory of quantum-entangled states with many degrees of freedom, where rich emergent phenomena can arise. This spans across the fields of condensed matter physics and quantum information theory, using a diverse toolbox including tensor network states and field theory. In addition to studying theoretical questions for the sake of understanding many-body entanglement, the Verresen Group also regularly collaborates with experimental labs to bring these exciting concepts to life.