Welcome

The Morrison group in the Department of Physics at the University of Houston is focused on using theoretical and computational techniques to understand the structure and dynamics of biological and other complex systems on a fundamental level. From the scale of single molecules to macroscopic structures, the robustness to noise despite the complexity of the interactions suggest that many complex systems can be understood by considering more generic, coarse grained models that capture their essential features. We are attempting to study the behavior of DNA in a variety of contexts using simple polymer models. We are studying the effect of structured inter-molecular and intra-molecular interactions to better understand the generic features of macromolecular bundles (such as flagella) and the generic structure and lifetimes of intermediate states. Finally, we have a number of projects focused on elucidating the structure and development of complex networks in biological and other systems, such as information spreading in innovation systems.

Our group welcomes motivated and talented graduate students who are interested in applying theoretical physics to systems of biological importance. Please contact gcmorrison@uh.edu if you are interested.