The University of Texas at Austin has been awarded a $559,842 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Mathematical and Physical Sciences (CFDA 47.049) program to support the development of theoretical models for understanding the dynamics and efficiency of biomolecular machines. Over the 3-year project period (Aug 2024 - Jul 2027), the research team led by Dr. Dmitrii Makarov will focus on two primary objectives: 1) Creating computational data analysis tools, such as compression-algorithm-based entropy estimators, to uncover hidden degrees of freedom from experimental single-molecule observations, particularly in emerging multidimensional spectroscopy techniques; and 2) Developing information-theoretical approaches to infer directionality, entropy production, and energy dissipation from noisy single-molecule trajectory data. These efforts aim to advance the fundamental scientific understanding of how biomolecular machines operate at the single-molecule level with high efficiency, and will be integrated with educational activities to engage middle/high school students, undergraduates, and young researchers in this cross-disciplinary field of study.
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