Manasa Kandula

Manasa Kandula is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, leading the Bio-inspired Soft Matter Lab. Her research focuses on understanding soft matter systems through experimental and computational approaches, particularly exploring active colloids, glass transitions, and bio-inspired materials. She uses advanced microscopy techniques like liquid-phase TEM to observe dynamic processes at nanometer scales and develops algorithms for data analysis.

Current research projects include studying circular microswimmers, colloidal filament dynamics, and polymer adsorption at interfaces. Her interdisciplinary work bridges physics, materials science, and engineering, with applications in designing adaptive materials and understanding living matter analogs.

• Affiliations: College of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, UMass Amherst
• Techniques: Electron microscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, custom image analysis
• Key Themes: Non-equilibrium systems, self-organization, soft materials engineering

Opportunities exist for graduate, master’s, and undergraduate students to participate in experimental research on soft matter physics. Collaborations are encouraged across disciplines to explore new research frontiers in bio-inspired materials and advanced imaging technologies.