Shrinivas lab
Chemical & Biological Engineering , Northwestern University
Vision
The lab’s vision is to understand and engineer how life works at the molecular and cellular scales. The functions of life emerge from dynamic interactions amongst billions of biomolecules that self-organize in a crowded and squishy cellular environment. We thus adopt an interdisciplinary approach - bridging ideas across biology, physics, computer science, and engineering to decipher fundamental scientific mechanisms while also pursuing translational applications to impact human health. This approach is bolstered by our extensive local ties (NU Medical School, Applied Math, Center for Synthetic Biology, National Institute for Theory and Math in Biology) and broader collaborations with scientists across the country. Towards and beyond the science, we believe in fostering an environment that supports the well-being and success of all members.
If you are interested in learning more - check out our research, papers, or open positions.
Latest news
| Oct 06, 2025 |
The lab’s paper on a physics-centered machine-learning framework to design shape-shifting molecules called intrinsically disordered proteins is published in Nature Computational Science, along with accompanying coverage from Northwestern and Harvard University!
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| Sep 17, 2025 |
We had a fun lab day together - pitching new projects to each other, playing with the awesome Foldscope designed by the Prakash Lab, and doing a team hackathon!
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| Sep 12, 2025 |
Our latest preprint led by Aidan Zentner, with contributions from Ethan Halingstad, and in collaboration with Arvind Murugan (Univ. of Chicago), Cameron Chalk (Caltech), and Erik Winfree (Caltech). Inspired by condensates that form on DNA and membranes in cells, we ask: can we program a type of molecular computer that can classify distinct surfaces by condensation? For a more fun overview - read Erik’s abstract on his webpage! |
