Mikhail Tikhonov

Mikhail Tikhonov is an Assistant Professor of Physics at Washington University. He holds a PhD in Physics from Princeton University and a Master’s degree from École Normale Supérieure in Paris. His research focuses on applying theoretical physics to microbial ecology and evolution, aiming to bridge the gap between statistical physics and microbiology. He was awarded the NSF CAREER Award in 2024 for his work on emergent simplicity in microbial ecosystems.

Education:

• PhD in Physics, Princeton University
• Master’s in Physics, École Normale Supérieure, Paris

Research Interests: Theoretical biophysics, microbial ecosystems, genetic regulatory networks, developmental biology, and information theory. His work emphasizes data-intensive approaches combined with physics-based modeling to understand high-diversity microbial communities. Key themes include microbial functional groups, ecological predictability, and emergent simplicity in complex systems.

Grants & Awards:

• NSF CAREER Award (2024)

Advising & Mentorship: Leads a research group at Washington University, emphasizing hands-on training in theoretical physics and data analysis. Collaborates with experimental microbiologists to validate models. Integrates physics education with real-world applications in ecology, biology, and data science.

Labs & Teams: The Theoretical Biophysics Research Group at Washington University, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches to microbial ecology and evolution.