Research
Groups
Biophysical Chemistry & NMR Structural Biology (Prof. Cotten)
Biophysical studies of the structure, dynamics, and mode of action of peptides and proteins that interact with lipid membranes and DNA; biological solid-state NMR; antimicrobial and host defense peptides; membrane-active peptides and membrane permeation; catalytic metallopeptides and DNA cleavage; transmembrane receptors; synergistic effects between immune effector molecules; GPCR activation of immune cells; immune-related diseases, including bacterial infections, chronic inflammation, and cancer.
Computational Biology Laboratory (Prof. Conradi Smith)
Mathematical aspects of cellular physiology and neuroscience. Whole cell models of intracellular calcium handling. Reaction-diffusion models of the buffered diffusion of intracellular calcium. The stochastic dynamics of calcium release sites composed of coupled intracellular calcium channels. Biophysically realistic modeling of neurons and neuronal networks. The role of feedback inhibition and electrical bursting in sensory relay by visual thalamus. Simulation and analysis of large-scale neuronal networks and large structured Markov chains.
Systems Neuroscience Laboratory (Prof. Del Negro)
Cellular and synaptic mechanisms underlying breathing behavior; central pattern generators, intrinsic membrane properties and cellular neurophysiology, multi-photon and confocal laser-scanning microscopy, patch-clamp electrophysiology.
Nondestructive Evaluation & Robotics (Prof. Hinders)
Non-Invasive Medical Diagnostics. Structural Health Monitoring and Nondestructive Evaluation. On-line Manufacturing Process Control. Mobile Robotics Sensor Fusion. Standoff Security Screening. Signal Processing and Artificial Intelligence. Wave Propagation and Scattering Modelling.
Electronic Materials & Laser Spectroscopy (Prof. Luepke)
Novel electronic and magnetic materials and devices, including diluted magnetic semiconductors, high-TC superconductors, and colossal magnetoresistance materials. Dynamical processes (electronic and vibrational) localized at interfaces and in the bulk at defects and impurities. Nonlinear optical techniques based on high-power femtosecond lasers.
Geospatial Analysis (Prof. Runfola)
Data Science is the study and application of methods that extract knowledge from frequently large, diverse sets of data. Data can come from anywhere: newspaper articles, satellite images, or genomes for example. Data Science pairs with any other major offered at William & Mary. You can learn more at ds.wm.edu.
Nanomaterials & Imaging Laboratory (Prof. Schniepp)
Spider silk, graphene-based nanocomposites, molecular self-assembly, atomic force microscopy, scanning probe techniques, interfacial forces, oil–mineral interactions.
