Research

A portion of the materials science effort in the Klein group focuses on two-dimensional and layered materials for renewable energy technologies. Among their many applications, these materials are finding use as catalysts for renewable fuels, like water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction, and in photovoltaics and novel electronic devices. Our work in this area seeks to understand the fundamental physicochemical principles governing the use of layered materials in functional devices using a combination of quantum and statistical mechanics, computer simulations, and coarse-grained modeling techniques.

Our focus is on drug discovery, which encompasses a wide range of activities: learning the pathophysiology of a disease and using that data to develop a treatment that can stop or reverse its effects; testing chemical molecules biologically for potential therapeutic benefits against a wide range of disorders; discovering that repurposing existing pharmaceuticals in novel ways can have beneficial effects; and exploring novel treatment methods.

Biophysics is an ever-evolving interdisciplinary field that draws on the study of mathematics, chemistry, physics, engineering, pharmacology, and materials science to discover and create new methods for comprehending the intricate details of biology and, by extension, all life. We are working on ways to treat illness, end world hunger, generate clean energy, create innovative technology, and answer innumerable scientific puzzles.