SGER: Molecular Origins of Biological Force Generation

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD

Investigators

Abstract

Sean Sun of Johns Hopkins University is supported by a Small Grant for Exploratory Research from the Theoretical and Computational Chemistry program within the Division of Chemistry to begin a project aimed at understanding the molecular origins of biological motor function. Quantitative theories are being developed using methods of non-equilibrium statistical mechanics and the results of this modeling will provide important insights into a number of cellular activities such as motility, mitosis, transcription and gene expression. A coarse-grained approach is being taken and involves a combination of chemical kinetics and elastic theory in combination with atomic-level descriptions. The work has a broad impact on biological science and our understanding of the molecular basis of life processes.