Douglas E. Smith

Douglas E. Smith is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). His research focuses on viral DNA packaging mechanisms, ATP-dependent molecular motors, and single-polymer dynamics using techniques like optical tweezers and fluorescence microscopy. He holds a Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Stanford University (1999) and conducted postdoctoral research at UC Berkeley under Carlos Bustamante.

His academic career includes awards such as the Sloan Foundation Fellowship (2003), Beckman Young Investigator Award (2003), and Searle Scholars Award (2002). Collaborators include experts in microbiology, biochemistry, and nanoengineering, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to studying viral systems.

Smith’s research interests span viral DNA packaging in bacteriophages (phi29, lambda, T4), chromatin assembly, and DNA topology effects on motor function. His lab employs cutting-edge biophysical tools to dissect motor mechanics, DNA dynamics, and force-generation mechanisms at the single-molecule level.

Recent work explores nucleotide-dependent gripping in phage motors, repulsive DNA-DNA interactions during packaging, and the role of conserved protein motifs in force generation. His findings bridge fundamental physics with biological processes, contributing to understanding both viral life cycles and polymer physics in confined systems.