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Joelle L. MurrayView profile

Associate Professor

• Complexity
• Insect swarms
• Emergent phenomena
• +3 more

Joelle L. Murray serves as Associate Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Physics at Linfield University, where she has taught for 25 years across the physics curriculum including her signature course "Quantum Physics," featured in Dr. Crosser's podcast. Education: B.S. in Physics and Mathematics, Beloit College Ph.D. in Physics, Michigan State University Her research centers on complexity in biological systems through computational modeling, with current emphasis on insect swarms as collective phenomena. She integrates active pedagogies and DEIJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice) initiatives into STEM education, viewing student collaboration as essential to physics learning. Publication analysis shows an evolution from nuclear physics (1999) to interdisciplinary science education (2014) and complex biological systems (2016-2019). Recent work examines emergent phenomena in insect swarms using computational approaches, while earlier scholarship focused on particle physics dileptons in heavy-ion collisions. Advising and Grants: Professor Murray actively mentors undergraduate researchers, evidenced by multiple student-coauthored presentations at American Physical Society meetings. She serves as co-Principal Investigator on the NSF S-STEM grant "Linfield College S-STEM Scholarship Recruitment and Retention Program," supporting STEM student success through scholarships and academic retention strategies. Her research operates through collaborative student-faculty teams conducting computational modeling of biological complexity, with facilities based in Graf Hall at Linfield University.

Tomohisa TodaView profile

Professor

• Neuroscience
• Epigenetics
• Aging Research
• +7 more

Professor Tomohisa Toda leads a research group at the Max Planck Center for Physics and Medicine in Erlangen, Germany, where he investigates the mechanisms that allow the brain to maintain neuronal function throughout life. His work focuses on understanding how neurons preserve their cellular identity and functionality over decades without significant cell renewal, with particular emphasis on epigenetic regulation and nuclear architecture. Dr. Toda's research program examines how epigenetic mechanisms regulate gene activity in neurons without altering DNA sequences, investigating these processes at multiple scales - from DNA modifications to nuclear stiffness and geometry. His team has made significant discoveries including the identification of long-lived RNAs (LL-RNAs) in the brain that challenge traditional views of RNA stability, and the role of nuclear structural proteins like Lamin B1 and nuclear pore proteins in adult hippocampal neurogenesis. The research trends across his publications reveal a consistent focus on the intersection of nuclear architecture, epigenetic regulation, and brain aging. His work spans molecular neuroscience, cell biology, and aging research, with particular emphasis on how physical properties of the cell nucleus serve as epigenetic information. Recent publications increasingly connect these fundamental mechanisms to age-related neurological disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Toda actively engages with students and visitors at his institution, as evidenced by his recent hosting of students from Nuremberg for insights into research at the physics-medicine interface. His laboratory continues to advance understanding of neuronal longevity mechanisms that could inform future treatments for neurodegenerative conditions.