Biophysics and the Physics of Soft Matter

Overview

Soft condensed matter and biological physics is the most rapidly growing area of physics, and is a strategic research priority in the department. Our current research programs exemplify the diversity that makes this field so exciting. Interests include studies of large biomolecules using time-of-flight mass spectrometry and its pivotal role in proteomics, ultrasonic spectroscopy of soft matter and biomaterials with applications to food science, investigating new modalities for drug delivery with magnetic nanoparticles, experimental and modeling studies of cell migration and trafficking in complex guiding environments, understanding the electronic properties of DNA with a view to future applications in nanoscale bio-electronics, and developing theoretical models of polymers and lipids.

There are excellent research opportunities amongst the groups for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. We offer unique interdisciplinary training and exciting research projects ranging from theoretical modeling to instrumentation development, and from lab-on-chip R&D to wet-bench and microscopy-based cell studies.