Systems & Physical Biology

Rice University has over 20 Systems Biology research groups, which are working to understand the emergence of functional properties in complex biological systems that are not presented by the individual components, i.e., the individual genes, transcripts, proteins, and metabolites. These groups are interested in how biological networks give rise to emergent properties across a range of length scales. Many of these efforts are focused on human health, and numerous groups consider the evolution of biological systems. A common theme in this research is the development of computational models and algorithms to understand and predict system properties.

Theme I. Computational Systems Biology

Our faculty are working to understand the emergence of functional properties in complex biological systems that are not presented by the individual genes, transcripts, proteins, and metabolites. By integrating concepts from biophysics, biomechanics, nonlinear dynamics, control theory, and data science, our faculty are working to identify how networks of biomolecular interactions give rise to emergent cell properties across a range of length scales. A uniform across research in this area is the development of computational models and algorithms to understand and predict system properties.

Theme II. Biological Physics - Theoretical and Structural

Our university houses the Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, where faculty study how forces and interactions between DNA, RNA, and proteins give rise to observed structure and dynamics for nuclear material and to observed nonlinear behavior for the expression of genes in different types of cells. While much of this research involves computational biology, our faculty also study the structures and functions of biomolecules and macromolecular complexes using cryo-electron microscopy, x-ray crystallography, and various biochemical and biophysical approaches.

Theme III. Neuroengineering and Neuroscience

Our faculty are pursuing interdisciplinary studies that work to integrate engineering, neuroscience, signal processing, cell biology, and materials sciences to understand neural functions and develop interventions to treat disease. These studies range from fundamental studies of biochemistry, cell biology, and development within the context of the central nervous system to applied neuroengineering studies that focus on neural sensing and actuation, data-driven discovery of neural circuits and behavior, neural regeneration and repair, and closed-loop neuroscience and neurotechnology.

Theme IV. Advanced Imaging, Cell Dynamics, and Development

Our faculty are developing and applying cutting-edge strategies for imaging nanoscale structures, dynamics, and molecular mechanisms in cells and consortia of cells. These efforts seek to understand the molecular mechanisms that underlie diverse diseases by combining advanced imaging with genetic tools to elucidate cell differentiation, organelle homeostasis, and cell-cell interactions. Faculty are developing 3D single-molecule tracking and super-resolution imaging approaches for mammalian cells and applying a variety of advanced imaging approaches in these studies.

Training Faculty