Cyrus R. Safinya

Cyrus R. Safinya is a Distinguished Professor in the Materials Research Lab at the University of California, Santa Barbara, with affiliated appointments in Physics. His research focuses on Macromolecular and Biomolecular Materials, particularly on understanding the fundamental interactions governing supramolecular assemblies of biological significance.

His research spans several key areas:

• Elucidation of interactions between proteins derived from neurons
• Development of synthetic carriers for nucleic acids (DNA, RNA) for gene delivery and silencing
• Creation of lipid-based hydrophobic drug carriers for cancer therapeutics
• Investigation of cytoskeletal protein assemblies in biological systems
• Development of model systems to understand supramolecular structures in neuronal processes
• Exploration of principles underlying non-viral gene delivery
• Study of self-assembly phenomena in soft matter systems

Publications from the Safinya Group demonstrate expertise across multiple disciplines:

• Biophysics of cytoskeletal protein assemblies
• Materials science of lipid-DNA complexes
• Neurodegenerative disease modeling
• Gene delivery and silencing mechanisms
• Self-assembly and phase behavior of biological macromolecules
• Advanced imaging techniques for nanoscale structures

Scientific honors include:

• Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Fellow of the American Physical Society
• World Class University Visiting Professor at KAIST
• Henri De Rothschild Foundation Fellowship

His group employs synchrotron x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and optical imaging techniques to study structural organization of cytoskeletal proteins. They investigate actin, microtubules, and neurofilaments under various conditions to understand how these proteins assemble into functional architectures.

Education:

• PhD in Physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• BS in Physics and Mathematics from Bates College