Focus

Physics of neurons via theory and simulation

Research

Our group brings together ideas from chemical engineering, physics, and applied mathematics to understand biology. We frequently draw from the fields of continuum mechanics (fluid and solid mechanics), transport phenomena, statistical mechanics, irreversible thermodynamics, and electrodynamics. In doing so, we formulate analytical theories and employ numerical methods—for example, the finite element method and molecular dynamics simulations.

Our group is currently focused on developing comprehensive models of neurons: fascinating entities involving the flux of various charged ionic species, internal and external fluid flows in response to osmotic imbalances, and structural support from the viscoelastic cytoskeleton. A growing body of experimental evidence suggests that during neuronal signal transduction, all of the aforementioned phenomena play a role. We seek to understand the physics underlying this coupled behavior, with an emphasis on the cascade of information across a broad range of length and time scales—from the nanometer and picosecond resolution of a single ion channel to the meters and seconds over which an organism responds.

Selected Publications

• Irreversible Thermodynamics and Hydrodynamics of Biological Membranes[pdf]
• Absolute vs convective instabilities and front propagation in lipid membrane tubes[pdf] [doi] [arXiv]
• Active contact forces drive non-equilibrium fluctuations in membrane vesicles[pdf][doi] [arXiv]
• Geometry and dynamics of lipid membranes: The Scriven–Love number[pdf][doi] [arXiv]
• A full list of publications can be found here.