Charles Wolgemuth

Charles Wolgemuth is a Professor of Physics and Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Arizona, serving as Director of Undergraduate Studies. His research integrates theoretical, computational, and experimental approaches to study cellular biophysics, particularly focusing on mechanisms of cell motility and force generation. Key areas include bacterial motility, cancer metastasis, wound healing, and Lyme disease progression. He holds a PhD in Physics from the University of Arizona (2000) and leads the Wolgemuth Cellular Biophysics Group.

Research interests emphasize the biophysical principles underlying cell shape maintenance, migration, and interactions. His work explores how biochemical reactions drive physical responses in cells, with applications to developmental biology, disease progression, and immune response. Notable studies investigate motility in Lyme disease spirochetes, collective cell migration dynamics, and cytoskeletal mechanics in neurons.

Publications span bacterial swimming mechanics, viscoelastic fluid dynamics, and computational modeling of biological systems. The lab's interdisciplinary approach bridges physics, biology, and mathematics to address complex biological phenomena at multiple scales.