Center for theoretical biological physics

The National Science Foundation Division of Emerging Frontiers awarded William Marsh Rice University $936,000 on August 15, 2026, under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) to establish and operate the Center for Theoretical Biological Physics.

The Center pursues theoretical and computational research on living systems across multiple scales, from genome structure and function to cellular and multicellular architecture. Work focuses on four main thrusts: developing quantitatively predictive models of genome structural ensembles across cell types and cell cycle states; phenotypic decision-making through nonlinear information processing in biological networks; immune system recognition processes; and physical architecture of cells and multicellular constructs. Research applies statistical physics, computational strategies, machine learning, and artificial intelligence methods in collaboration with experimental biologists, with emerging applications in biotechnology.

The Center maintains an integrated training program for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in theoretical biological physics, and operates a pioneering outreach initiative that brings undergraduate students to Rice for intensive summer research experiences, mentoring, and career guidance with follow-up support during the academic year.

Work is performed in Houston, Texas, with a period of performance extending from August 15, 2026, through January 31, 2028.

Abstract

Theoretical physics has become increasingly important in understanding complex living systems and plays a key role in addressing phenomena and behavior on the cellular and multicellular level. The center for theoretical biological physics (CTBP) builds on a history of extensive research, education, and outreach successes and will both expand the reach and accelerate the rate of scientific progress on critical issues in biological physics and extend the scope of training and outreach activities. The scientific goal of the work is to further our understanding of living systems by using advanced ideas from statistical physics combined with state-of-the-art computational strategies and machine learning methods and extensions to modern AI. Topics to be studied include: the structure and function of the genome, extending the range of scales down to the level at which chromatin structure affects transcriptional processes; phenotypic decision-making via nonlinear information processing in biological networks; recognition processes in the immune system; and the physical architecture of both individual cells and multicellular constructs, and their control by incoming signals. This research is enabled by our extensive collaborations with the experimental biology community and is starting to contribute to advances in biotechnology. We will continue CTBP's successful training of students and postdoctoral fellows in all aspects of theoretical biological physics. The CTBP outreach includes a pioneering program that brings undergraduate students to the center for intensive summer experiences and provides them with mentoring research and career guidance, following up through the academic year. The research program includes four main research thrusts: 1) developing a theory-based strategy to create quantitatively predictive models of genome structural ensembles applicable to a broad range of cell types and states of the cell cycle; 2) creating a new set of experimental and analytical tools for obtaining and interpreting data regarding the interaction of chromatin states with transcriptional dynamics; 3) utilizing tools from statistical physics and non-linear dynamical systems to further understanding of regulatory networks governing cell and tissue physiology; and 4) studying the physical structure of living matter, ranging from subcellular molecular assembles to the active cytoskeleton inside cells to the role of mechanics at the tissue scale. Crucially, our research approach consists of both developing and using concepts and techniques from physics and applied mathematics to tackle otherwise intractable problems in the science of living matter and conversely to use biological problems to motivate new concepts of broad applicability throughout physics. This project is jointly funded by the directorates of mathematical and physical sciences and biological sciences. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.