Maria-Carme Calderer

Maria-Carme Calderer is a Professor in the School of Mathematics at the University of Minnesota, part of the College of Science and Engineering. Based in Vincent Hall 507, she specializes in mathematical modeling of complex physical and biological systems, with contact via mcc@umn.edu.

Her research integrates partial differential equations, dynamical systems, and calculus of variations to address problems in soft matter physics and biology. Key focuses include DNA arrangement under cellular confinement, bacterial infection dynamics by viruses, and cancer cell motility in tissue. She employs topology and non-Newtonian fluid mechanics to model phenomena like DNA knotting, viral capsid assembly, and active matter dynamics, often incorporating electrokinetic effects through Boltzmann-Nernst-Planck formulations.

Recent publications reveal three dominant research thrusts: mathematical biology (viral DNA packaging and chiral genome organization), liquid crystal theory (solitons, electrokinetics, and elastomers), and gel mechanics (swelling dynamics, debonding, and drug delivery systems). These works demonstrate interdisciplinary applications spanning biophysics, materials science, and industrial collaborations in medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

Funded by multiple National Science Foundation programs, her work bridges theoretical mathematics with real-world biological and industrial challenges. She teaches advanced courses including Mathematical Modeling of Industrial Problems (Math 8386) and Introduction to Partial Differential Equations I (Math 5587), mentoring the next generation of applied mathematicians.