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Research
A directory of the current research projects at the Institute.
Rowland Junior Fellows
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David Cox - (neuroscience)
We recognize visual objects with such ease that it is easy to overlook what an impressive computational
feat this represents. Any given object in the world can cast an effectively infinite number of different
images onto the retina, depending on its position relative to the viewer, the configuration of light
sources, and the presence of other objects in the visual field. In spite of this extreme variation,
biological visual systems are able to effortlessly recognize at least hundreds of thousands of
distinct object classes—a feat that no current artificial system can come close to achieving.
Our laboratory seeks to understand the neuronal mechanisms that enable this ability by reverse
engineering simple biological visual systems. It is our hope that this work leads to a greater
understanding of how our own brain works and to the construction of improved artificial visual systems.
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Ben de Bivort - (neurobiology)
The animal kingdom has immense morphological diversity, but even greater behavioral diversity. We study how evolution generates behavioral diversity, particularly how natural genetic variation modifies neural circuits and circuit properties in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and related species. We are also studying how fungal insect parasites target healthy neural circuits to modify walking behavior in living hosts. These questions are addressed using versatile Drosophila genetic tools, high resolution single animal behavioral assays, and fluorescent genetically-encoded indicators of neural circuit activity.
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Chris Richards - (biomechanics)
My lab explores how muscles move limbs to power swimming. Muscle is a spectacularly efficient and powerful motor which drives behaviors that impress biologists and engineers alike. How do aquatic animals accelerate rapidly or maneuver precisely at high swimming speeds? Intuition tells us that high performance swimming, such as prey capture or escaping, demands high muscle power. However, we cannot often predict the muscle power required for a given swimming task. Moreover, we do not fully understand how nerves communicate with muscles to achieve the exquisite control of swimming performance seen in nature. My lab seeks to understand the physiological basis for how nature's swimming machines (e.g. frogs, fish, aquatic insects) solve the difficult engineering problem of moving rapidly through water.
- - Ozgur Sahin -
(applied physics)
At the molecular level, physical and chemical properties of materials are tightly coupled to the mechanical
properties. The potential of mechanics for interacting with matter at the nanoscale has been largely
unexplored due to lack of instruments capable of performing mechanical measurements at nanometer length
scales. Our research focuses on developing tools and techniques to perform nanomechanical measurements
and applying them to problems in materials science, cell biology, and molecular biology.
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Yuki Sato - (physics)
In Bose-Einstein condensates, ~1023 atoms can occupy the same quantum ground state and behave in many ways as a single entity. We are interested in not only studying fascinating properties of such state of matter but also applying them as a set of tools to elucidate the subtleties of the quantum world. One of our current focuses is the development and applications of unique matter wave quantum interference devices that are built on the superfluid 4He Josephson phenomena.
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Andrew Speck - (atomic physics)
The objective of our research is to study the interaction of highly excited,
or Rydberg atoms, with unipolar terahertz electromagnetic pulses (half cycle
pulses). These systems provide a fascinating regime in which to explore
atomic states which exhibit both classical and quantum properties. The
first series of experiments in my group will explore the interaction of a
train of these pulses with Rydberg atoms. Further research will include the
study of the magnetic properties of the half cycle pulse and their effect on
atomic systems.
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Rachel Spicer - (biology)
Plants are able to regenerate whole body parts like roots and shoots with
relative ease because they demonstrate amazing cellular plasticity.
Masters of dedifferentiation, plants not only retain pools of stem cells
throughout their lives, but also create new stem cells in response to
developmental and environmental cues. My primary interest is in the role
of parenchyma cells in shaping large woody plants - namely, through their
ability to dedifferentiate and generate new meristems in response to
wounding, and during the transition to secondary growth. I'm interested
in developing molecular and microscopy techniques to study secondary
growth, including methods to image live cells in woody tissue.
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- Wesley Wong - (biophysics)
We are interested in how biological systems work at the nanoscale, and the
physical laws that govern their behavior. Our focus is on weak, thermally
mediated interactions between and within biological molecules (e.g.
base-pairing in nucleic acids, receptor-ligand bonding, protein folding,
etc.), and the coupling of these interactions to mechanical force. We are
currently developing and applying new techniques, based on optical
tweezers and high-resolution optical detection, to study the mechanics and
force-driven kinetics of single-molecules.
Rowland Senior Fellows
- - Joel Parks – (physics)
Electron diffraction measurements of isolated, single sized clusters stored in ion traps is being applied to the study of
small (n ~10-50 atoms) metal clusters including Aun and Agn. These measurements are directed to better understand and exploit the
dependence of catalytic reactivity on cluster structure and temperature. Sensitive methods developed to measure laser-induced
fluorescence from <10 trapped ions are being applied to study the dynamics of DNA in gas phase. Temperature dependent measurements
demonstrate these methods will be useful to characterize conformational change in gas phase biomolecules. Sequential loss of electrons
from trapped DNA anions has been observed for the first time and experiments suggest DNA conformations may be a determining factor.
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James Foley – (organic chemistry)
Our research interests center on understanding fundamental structure/function relationships pertaining to the
photophysics that govern the properties and behavior of organic dyes. We use this knowledge to develop improved chromophores
for use in biophysical, biological and medical applications such as single molecule detection, fluorescent reporting and
photodynamic therapy. Our approach encompasses nearly every aspect that is essential to such an undertaking including
computer-aided design, chemical synthesis and photophysical characterization of target dyes.
Staff Scientists
- - Michael Burns – (physics)
Over the years I've participated in a number of, to me, facinating projects. I have found no particular common
thread other than simple curiousity coupled with an opportunity to indulge that curiousity, and equally curious colleagues. Some
of the current and past projects are described herein.
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Winfield Hill – (technology)
The Electronics Engineering Laboratory pursues R & D projects that
push the envelope of scientific instrumentation. We do this by applying technologies from
diverse fields to create unique instruments, and by learning and applying advanced circuit-design
knowledge to endow otherwise common-place instruments with superior performance.
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Diane Schaack – (biochemistry)
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Alan Stern – (mathematics)
Affiliated Harvard Faculty
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Howard Berg – (biophysics)
The Berg lab at Rowland is a branch of Howard Berg's lab at the
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology on the main Harvard
campus. It investigates bacterial motility and chemotaxis using
video, fluorescence, and electron microscopy. The chief target of
research is the bacterium Escherichia coli, with topics ranging from
the hydrodynamics of swimming with flagella to a phenomenological
description of chemotactic movement to studies of the biochemical
networks that allow E. coli to perform chemotaxis. Recent work
includes imaging of pili-mediated twitching motility in Pseudomonas
aeruginosa, high-speed video imaging of flagellar filaments during E.
coli tumbling, and the creation of a Serratia marcescens 'bacterial
carpet' that mixes and pumps liquid inside microfluidic channels.
- - Shriram Ramanathan – (materials science)
Research in our group is primarily focused on oxide thin films and nanostructures with emphasis on
understanding how processing affects properties. Research activities include developing mechanistic
understanding of initial stages of oxidation of metals and oxygen incorporation into oxides under
photon irradiation. Phase evolution in oxides and their stability as a function of temperature and
doping is investigated using combination of structural, electrical and electrochemical studies.
Quantitative determination of oxygen concentration in nanoscale oxides and research on techniques
to precisely control oxygen stoichiometry at interfaces are also being actively pursued.
Potential applications of our research include electronic devices, solar and hydrogen energy
conversion, sensors.
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