Moumita Das Headshot

Moumita Das

Professor

School of Physics and Astronomy
College of Science
Program Faculty, School of Mathematics and Statistics
modsps@rit.edu
585-475-5135
Office Location
GOS-3338
Office Mailing Address
School of Physics and Astronomy,\n Rochester Institute of Technology,\n Rochester, NY 14623

Moumita Das

Professor

School of Physics and Astronomy
College of Science
Program Faculty, School of Mathematics and Statistics

Education

BS, MS, Jadavpur University (India); Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science (India); Postdoc, Harvard University, UCLA, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (The Netherlands)

Bio

Biological cells and tissues are soft and squishy yet highly resilient and robust. My research seeks to uncover the physical principles that enable their remarkable properties and their adaptability. Using statistical and soft matter physics, mechanics, and quantitative biology, we create mathematical models and biophysics theories for network-like structures such as the cytoskeleton of cells and extracellular matrix of soft tissues. Our analytical and computational methods study their emergent properties and dynamics, aiming to understand the biophysical rules of life and replicate these in synthetic materials with experimental collaborators. 

modsps@rit.edu
585-475-5135
Personal Links
Curriculum Vitae
Google Scholar
Areas of Expertise
Physics
Math
Life Sciences
Color Science
Imaging Science
Statistical Physics
Soft Matter
Biophysics

Select Scholarship

Journal Paper
Francis, Madison, et al. "Non-monotonic Dependence of Stiffness on Actin Crosslinking in Cytoskeleton Composites." Soft Matter 15. (2019): 9056. Print.
Farhadi, Leila, et al. "Actin and Microtubule Crosslinkers Tune Mobility And Control Co-localization in a Composite Cytoskeletal Network." Soft Matter. (2020): Advance article. Web.
Kornick, K., et al. "Population Dynamics of Mitochondria in Mammalian Cells: A Minimal Mathematical Model." Frontiers in Physics 7. (2019): 146. Web.
Gurmessa, B., et al. "Triggered Disassembly and Reassembly of Actin Networks Induce Rigidity Phase Transitions." Soft Matter 15. (2019): 1335. Print.
Gurmessa, B., et al. "Counterion crossbridges enable robust multiscale elasticity in actin networks." Physical Review Research 1. (2019): 13016. Web.
Ricketts, Shea, et al. "Varying crosslinking motifs drive the mesoscale mechanics of actin-microtubule composites." Scientific Reports 246. (2019): 12831. Web.
Song, W, et al. "Dynamic Self-Organization of Microwell-Aggregated Cellular Mixtures." Soft Matter 12. (2016): 5739--5746. Print.
Silverberg, J.L., et al. "Structure-function relations and rigidity percolation in the shear properties of neonatal bovine articular cartilage." Biophysical Journal 107. (2014): 1721. Print.
Invited Keynote/Presentation
Das, Moumita. "Phase Separation Dynamics of Cell Co-cultures with Different Mechano-adhesive Properties." Bridging Cellular and Tissue Dynamics from Normal Development to Cancer: Mathematical, Computational, and Experimental Approaches. BIRS. Banff, Alberta, CA. 17 Jun. 2019. Conference Presentation.
Das, Moumita. "Mechanical Structure Function Properties of Subcellular and Extracellular Networks." Stochastic Physics in Biology. Gordon Research Conference. Ventura, CA. 8 Jan. 2019. Conference Presentation.
Das, Moumita. "Structure function properties of extracellular networks: Mechanics and crack propagation." Generation and Control of Forces in Cells. NORDITA. Stockholm, Sweden. 14 Jun. 2018. Conference Presentation.
Das, Moumita. "Collective behavior underlying biological response: Role of criticality and hetero-geneity." Non-Classical behaviors in Biological Matter. Johns Hopkins University and AFOSR. Arlngton, VA. 24 Sep. 2019. Conference Presentation.

Currently Teaching

MATH-790
Research & Thesis
0 - 9 Credits
Masters-level research by the candidate on an appropriate topic as arranged between the candidate and the research advisor.
PHYS-440
Thermal and Statistical Physics
3 Credits
This course is an introduction to the principles of classical thermodynamics and its statistical basis, including: equations of state, the first and second laws of thermodynamics, microscopic basis of entropy, temperature and thermal equilibrium, thermodynamic potentials, applications of thermodynamics, kinetic theory of gases, and Boltzmann and quantum statistics.
PHYS-450
Capstone Preparation
1 Credits
This course is a preparation for the two-semester physics capstone project to be carried out in the following year. It includes selection of a project and faculty mentor, preparation of a feasibility study, preparation of a paper, and a public oral presentation.
PHYS-640
Statistical Physics
3 Credits
This course is a graduate-level study of the concepts and mathematical structure of statistical physics. Topics include the microcanonical, canonical, and grand-canonical ensembles and their relationships to thermodynamics, including classical, Fermi, and Bose-Einstein statistics. The course includes illustrations and applications from the theories of phase transitions, solids, liquids, gases, radiation, soft condensed matter, and chemical and electrochemical equilibria. The course also treats non-equilibrium topics including the kinetic theory of transport processes, the theory of Brownian motion, and the fluctuation-dissipation theorem.
PHYS-790
Graduate Research & Thesis
1 - 4 Credits
Graduate-level research by the candidate on an appropriate topic as arranged between the candidate and the research advisor.
PHYS-791
Continuation of Thesis
0 Credits
Graduate-level research by the candidate on an appropriate topic as arranged between the candidate and the research advisor.

In the News

  • May 8, 2023

    close up of shampoo, showing large and small purple, yellow and orange bubbles.

    Squishing the barriers of physics

    Four RIT faculty members are opening up soft matter physics, sometimes known as “squishy physics,” to a new generation of diverse scholars. Moumita Das, Poornima Padmanabhan, Shima Parsa, and Lishibanya Mohapatra are helping RIT make its mark in the field.

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