Moumita Das

Moumita Das is a Professor at the School of Physics and Astronomy within the College of Science at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). A Fellow of the American Physical Society, her work bridges statistical physics, biophysics, and soft matter to study cellular and tissue mechanics. She holds affiliations with both the School of Physics and Astronomy and the School of Mathematics and Statistics at RIT.

Education:

• BS, MS, Jadavpur University (India)
• PhD, Indian Institute of Science (India)
• Postdoctoral training at Harvard University, UCLA, and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (The Netherlands)

Moumita Das specializes in uncovering the physical principles underlying the resilience and adaptability of biological cells and tissues. Her research employs statistical and soft matter physics, mechanics, and quantitative biology to develop mathematical models of network-like structures such as the cytoskeleton of cells and extracellular matrix of soft tissues. By studying their emergent properties through analytical and computational methods, her work aims to understand the biophysical rules of life and replicate them in synthetic materials via experimental collaborations.

Her areas of expertise include Physics, Mathematics, Life Sciences, Color Science, Imaging Science, Statistical Physics, Soft Matter, and Biophysics. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses such as Thermal and Statistical Physics, Research Preparation, Capstone Project I, and Graduate Research & Thesis.

Scientific Awards:

• Fellow, American Physical Society (2024)

Das has contributed to groundbreaking research, including a 2022 Science Advances paper co-authored with RIT and Cornell University colleagues on developing a biophysical model to improve osteoarthritis diagnosis and treatment. She is also involved in initiatives to expand access to soft matter physics education for diverse scholars. Her work has been highlighted in RIT's Upstate NY soft matter workshop (2022) and collaborative projects with experimentalists on synthetic material development.