Chris Thachuk

Chris Thachuk is an Assistant Professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington. His research bridges computer science with molecular programming and synthetic biology, focusing on programmable matter at the nanoscale using bio-molecules like DNA.

• Current Position: Assistant Professor, University of Washington (2020–Present)
• Previous Positions: Senior Postdoctoral Researcher at Caltech (2014–2020), Postdoctoral Research Assistant & James Martin Fellow at Oxford (2012–2014)

Education:

• PhD in Computer Science (2013), University of British Columbia
• MSc in Computer Science & Bioinformatics (2007), Simon Fraser University & CIHR/MSFHR Bioinformatics Training Program
• BCS in Computer Science (2005), University of Windsor

Thachuk’s research spans computing + biology, with expertise in molecular programming, synthetic biology, and bioinformatics. His work includes algorithm design for DNA-based systems, thermodynamic modeling, and leakless strand displacement systems.

Recent publications focus on DNA origami alignment, leakless strand displacement, compiler-aided DNA circuit design, and thermodynamic binding networks, reflecting interdisciplinary research in computer science, synthetic biology, and nanotechnology.

Scientific Awards:

• James Martin Fellow at the Institute for the Future of Computing, Oxford

Thachuk contributes to the Molecular Information Systems Lab (MISL), collaborating with researchers like Erik Winfree and David Soloveichik. His work emphasizes integrating molecular biosensors with electronics for applications such as protein concentration measurement and DNA sequencing.