About
Benjamin Machta is an Assistant Professor of Physics at Yale University, affiliated with the Department of Physics and the QBio Institute. He holds a BS from Brown University and a PhD from Cornell University, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Princeton University. His research focuses on applying theoretical physics to understand biological systems, particularly leveraging statistical physics and information theory to study biological membranes near critical points and the energetic constraints of biological signaling.
Education: BS in Physics (Brown University), PhD in Physics (Cornell University), Postdoc at Princeton University (Lewis-Sigler Theory Fellow).
Research Interests include: membrane criticality, phase transitions in biological systems, information-theoretic limits in organism function, and energy dissipation in biological processes. His work often bridges theoretical models with experimental data, such as collaborations with Sarah Veatch’s lab on membrane phase behavior.
Publications highlight themes like membrane criticality, protein phase separation, and energy constraints in signaling. His group’s current projects explore cochlear mechanics, thermodynamic control in biological systems, and the role of criticality in sensory systems.
Awards: 2019 Simons Investigator Award.
Lab Affiliations: QBio Institute and Department of Physics at Yale, located in YSB-C164. Group members include postdocs Isabella Graf and Michael Abbott, and graduate students Asheesh Momi, Mason Rouches, and others.
