Lisa Manning

M. Lisa Manning is the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Physics at Syracuse University, with affiliations in Biology, Biophysical Science, and Biotechnology. She leads the Manning Research Group, focusing on theoretical and computational approaches to understanding collective behavior in biological tissues and disordered solids, using tools from statistical and soft matter physics. Her work emphasizes emergent phenomena in non-equilibrium systems through experimental collaborations globally.

• Research Interests:
  • Defects in disordered solids/glasses
  • Surface tension in embryonic tissues
  • Mitotic wave dynamics
  • Constitutive models for friction/shear
• Recent Scientific Contributions:
  • 2025 PNAS paper on dynamical forces in zebrafish organ morphogenesis
  • 2024 PRX Life study on vertex model universality
  • 2024 Nature Cell Biology work on mechanical forces in tissue architecture
• Honors:
  • APS Fellow (2021)
  • Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence (2022)
  • Simons Investigator (2016-2022)
• Grants:
  • NSF NRT-URoL grant (2024-2029)
  • NICHD R01 grant (2020-2025)
  • Simons Foundation awards
• Leadership:
  • Director, BioInspired Institute (2019-2023)
  • Chair, Physics Department Chair Search Committee (2024)
  • Co-lead, Mechanisms of Development and Disease Focus Group

Her group develops computational models for biological tissues and disordered materials, working closely with experimentalists. Recent work explores how vertex models predict tissue rigidity despite oversimplified assumptions, and how dynamical forces shape developing organs.