Research Spotlights

Computational Techniques in Biophysics

Dr. Wei Yang

Dr. Wei Yang has been involved with chemistry since his college days. His interest in the subject has led him all the way to FSU where he conducts meaningful research as a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at FSU’s Institute of Molecular Biophysics. Working in computational biophysics, the primary focus of Dr. Yang’s research is to develop special computational techniques that allow him to simulate functional proteins of biological molecules.

Solving Fluid Science Equations and its Community Impact

S. Unnikrishnan

Thermal and fluid sciences is an important sub-domain of mechanical engineering that focuses on aero-propulsion. This specific field explores fundamental aviation topics such as aerodynamics, propulsion, and controlling the noise and drag of airplanes. Dr. Unnikrishnan, an assistant professor at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and Florida State University, is an expert in thermal and fluid sciences at FSU’s Aero-Propulsion, Mechatronics, and Energy (AME) center.

How the U.S Responded to a Global Pandemic through Twitter

Miranda Phillips

COVID-19 is a large-impact historical event that sent many of us online in the absence of in-person events, specifically online to social media platforms. Miranda Phillips is an FSU student and UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunities program) participant who dissects the intersection between social media and COVID-19.

3D Imaging of Molecular Structures

Dr. Scott Stagg

The primary focus in the field of structural biology is to determine the structures of the molecules in our cells and figure out exactly how they work. Dr. Scott Stagg, FSU researcher and chemistry/biochemistry professor, uses a special technique called cryo-electron microscopy (CryoEM) to create three-dimensional structures of these molecules to better learn how they make bonds, break bonds, assemble and disassemble.

Glycoproteins and COVID-19

Christian Bleiholder, Ph.D.

Dr. Christian Bleiholder, FSU professor and principle investigator at the Bleiholder Laboratory, is developing ion-mobility spectrometry–mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) techniques to characterize the structure of these proteins and further develop these methods for research.

FSU Development of Meta-Analysis and Statistical Methodology

Dr. Lifeng Lin

Dr. Lifeng Lin is an assistant professor of statistics here at FSU. Lin and his students are working on meta-analysis, which combines new and existing research findings to accurately estimate the effects of certain topics of interest, including COVID-19.

Peter Beerli develops software to support biologists to analyze genetic data

Peter Beerli

Theoretical population geneticist, Peter Beerli, maintains and further develops software that he started to write around 2000. The computer program, “Migrate,” uses genetic data to evaluate the size of populations of animals, plants, or pathogens and the magnitude of migration among these populations. Many biologists in the fields of evolution, population genetics, conservation, and biogeography use his software.

FSU Researcher Developing New Method to Simulate Electronic Materials

Chen Huang

Chen Huang, assistant professor in the Department of Scientific Computing, conducts research to develop new computational tools that can predict the properties of materials at a nanoscale based on computer simulations.

Hurricane Simulations Help Facilitate Forecasts and Enhance Preparations

Allison A. Wing, Ph.D.

Assistant professor in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science (EOAS), Allison Wing, conducts hurricane simulations to study how storms in the tropics are affected by and interact with climate. Dr. Wing and her team create and analyze computer models of tropical clouds, hurricanes and atmospheric processes to try to understand how hurricanes are formed. These models allow Dr. Wing and her team to simulate experiments unavailable in the real world.

Gulf Stream Separation Explored Through HPC

Nico Wienders, Ph.D.

Nico Wienders has been working as part of the Florida State’s Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science (EOAS) department to figure out what causes the Gulf Stream to separate from the American coast (specifically at Cape Hatteras).