Blue and Harsha, master’s students in our lab, showcased their research at the 10th Annual MSE Distinguished Awards, capping a year of advancing exciting projects in our lab.

Harsha investigated how elastomer network parameters dictate phase-separation morphology. Together with Senthil, she has developed a polymerization-induced technique to induce controlled phase separation. In collaboration with Nan, she synthesized elastomers with varying network parameters, tuning the material’s stiffness. Her findings demonstrate that varying elastomer network parameters result in different phase-separated morphologies depending on the degree of swelling.

Blue investigated how the viscosity of biomolecular condensates modulates enzymatic activity. His experiments show that reactions inside protein droplets can run ~10 times faster than in a homogeneous solution. He also demonstrated that elevating viscosity of the condensates suppresses the enzymatic activity. These findings show that the mechanical properties of condensates can regulate enzymatic activity.

As icing on the cake, Harsha received the Master of Science Poster Award!🎉

Congratulations to both!🎉