I am a theoretical physicist and my research lies at the interface between soft matter physics and biophysics. I am interested both in basic and fundamental understanding of systems and in practical conclusions that can help experimentalists from different fields measure properties of soft matter materials, in particular biomaterials, or design materials for biomedical purposes.

Current research involves:
(i) Active fractal networks with stochastic force monopoles and force dipoles: Application to subdiffusion of chromosomal loci. The slowed, subdiffusive motion of chromosomal loci within cells has recently become a focal point of research. This phenomenon has been particularly noted in experimental studies involving both normal cells, where active forces are prevalent, and cells depleted of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), where forces are purely thermal. Interestingly, in both cases, the observed subdiffusive exponents remain consistent, a finding that current theories struggle to explain. Fractals, intricate self-similar patterns pervasive in nature, have drawn new interest due to their relevance to chromatin structure, which has been firmly established through experiments. Motivated by this fractal nature of chromatin, our theoretical investigation explores the dynamics of a fractal network influenced by active forces—both monopolar and dipolar. We aim to elucidate why chromosomal loci exhibit identical subdiffusive exponents in both normal and ATP-depleted cells.
https://pubs.aip.org/aip/cha/article/34/11/113107/3318547/Active-fractal-networks-with-stochastic-force

(ii) Curvature fluctuations of fluid vesicles reveal hydrodynamic dissipation within the bilayer. Membranes, primarily composed of lipid bilayers, shape and compartmentalize cells. Cell architecture is highly dynamic, with membrane conformation changing significantly during processes like movement, division, and vesicle trafficking. Fluidity is essential for membrane structural malleability and diverse shapes; however, its role in membrane deformation dynamics is less recognized. Membrane bending, driven by thermal or active forces, is commonly assumed to be dampened by viscous losses in the surrounding medium. By examining the equilibrium shape fluctuations of vesicles, we show that dissipation within the membrane controls the undulation dynamics of highly curved membranes. These findings emphasize the crucial role of membrane viscosity in remodeling cellular structures.
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2413557121

(iii) The motion of multi-motor driven nano-particles, from basic understanding to application for drug delivery by nano-carriers. We have focused on the optimization of the particle surface decoration for obtaining long effective "run lengths" and "processivity times" of the cargo, which is expected to enhance drug delivery to the nucleus. We are now focusing on the strong dynamic coupling between the motors and its effect the motion characteristics of the nano-particle.