M Carmen Romano

M Carmen Romano is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Aberdeen, within the School of Natural and Computing Sciences. Her research bridges physics and biology, focusing on theoretical and computational modeling of fundamental biological processes such as protein translation and cellular stress responses. She is also expanding her work into data science applications in healthcare and energy systems.

Research Interests: Her primary interests lie in understanding protein translation dynamics, ribosome traffic, transcription-translation coupling, and combinatorial stress effects in yeast, using nonlinear dynamics and statistical physics. She also applies data science methods to model complex systems across disciplines.

Recent Publication Trends: Her recent work (2018–2025) emphasizes the biophysical modeling of translation, tRNA dynamics, and codon optimization, often using exclusion process models and genome-wide simulations. There is a clear trajectory toward integrating computational tools with experimental data to decode gene expression regulation.

• Funding:
• SULSA studentship (modeling of translation)
• SABR grant (Combinatorial Responses In Stress Pathways)
• BBSRC grant (Ribosome Traffic Flow on the mRNA as a Regulator of Cellular Protein Production)

Teaching Responsibilities:

• Electromagnetism (PX3008, 3rd year Physics)
• Introduction to Mathematics and Modelling of Biological Systems (SB5005, MSc in Cell and Molecular Systems Biology)

She maintains affiliations with the Institute for Complex Systems and Mathematical Biology and the Institute of Medical Sciences, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach.