Garegin Papoian

Garegin Papoian is a Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and a member of the Institute for Physical Science and Technology (IPST) at the University of Maryland, College Park. He serves as the Director of Chemical Physics and holds the Monroe Martin Professorship. His research focuses on theoretical physical chemistry, using advanced computational methods to study biological processes across scales—from single protein dynamics to cell-level phenomena. Key areas include DNA packing, cytoskeleton mechanics, and cellular motility. His group develops computational tools like MEDYAN (for cytoskeletal networks) and AWSEM-MD (for protein modeling). Papoian has received prestigious awards, including the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award and NSF CAREER Award. His lab's work has been featured in journals like JACS and highlighted in Chemistry World.

• Education: Ph.D. in Chemistry (Assumed from career trajectory).
• Roles: Director of Chemical Physics, Monroe Martin Professor, IPST Affiliate.

Research Interests: The group employs equilibrium/non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, polymer physics, and bioinformatics to investigate chromatin folding, actomyosin networks, and stochastic signal transduction. Recent breakthroughs include understanding DNA rigidity and histone assembly mechanisms.

Recent Contributions: MEDYAN and AWSEM-MD software facilitate mesoscale simulations. Notable findings include the comparable roles of electrostatic and non-electrostatic forces in DNA stiffness (JACS 2011) and cytoskeletal avalanches in force networks (2020s).

• Grants: NSF, NIH, and industry-funded projects on cytoskeletal dynamics and epigenetic regulation.
• Labs/Teams: Papoian Lab focuses on theoretical chemistry and biophysics, collaborating with institutions like Kavli Institute and UNC.