Research

Biopolymers (flexible rods), biomembranes (fluid sheets like soap bubbles), and biomolecular bonds are the Lego blocks of cells, used repeatedly inside cells to build a variety of nanometer-sized machines that help perform functions, like allowing cells to divide, crawl, organize their interiors, sense their environment and communicate with other cells.

The mission of our research group is to make rigorous, relevant contributions to the scientific knowledge of humanity. We use computational, mathematical and biophysical approaches to figure out how living cells use force, space and time in their problem-solving strategies.

Some of the approaches we use (papers on the Publications page):

• Continuum modeling — e.g. fluid dynamics, solid mechanics Liu et al. 2019, Berg et al. 2025
• High-dimensional learning algorithms Allard 2025
• Stochastic calculus — e.g. Itô methods Newby & Allard 2016, Allard et al. 2019
• Classical polymer physics Bogue et al. 2025, Corrette et al. 2025

We focus on open science including reproducible open code, so that the basic science discoveries we make become part of the worldwide, multi-generational tapestry of scientific knowledge that benefits all.

Other questions we pursue: how cells coordinate across long distances through airinemes, and how membranes bend, bud and reshape themselves.