Petr Sulc

Petr Sulc is an Associate Professor at the School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University (ASU), and a faculty member at the Biodesign Institute, collaborating with multiple centers including the Center for Biological Physics and the Center for Biocomputing, Security and Society. He also supervises a research group at the Bioscience Department at TU Munich.

Education:

• D.Phil. in Theoretical Physics from the University of Oxford (2010-2014)
• Master's in Fundamental Concepts of Physics (Quantum Physics) from École Polytechnique, France (2009)
• Master's and Bachelor's in Mathematical Physics from Czech Technical University in Prague (2006-2009)
• Graduate Research Assistant at Los Alamos National Laboratory (2009-2010)

Research Interests: Sulc's work focuses on computational modeling and statistical physics applied to complex biological and nanotechnological systems. His group develops coarse-grained models for nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) to simulate large-scale systems and study biologically relevant interactions. They also explore RNA properties in tumor cells and viral genomes, collaborating with experimental teams. Prior work includes smart-grid optimization, particularly reactive power control in photovoltaic systems.

Labs/Teams: Head of the Sulc Lab at ASU, developing tools like oxDNA and oxRNA for nucleic acid simulations, and managing outreach initiatives such as the Nano Building Game. Collaborations involve researchers from TU Munich, Harvard, and the Rockefeller University.

Advising & Grants: Advises graduate and undergraduate students across Chemistry, Physics, and Biodesign programs. Secures funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy (DOE), and NIH. Supervises projects on aptamer design, DNA/RNA nanotechnology, and immunostimulatory RNA motifs.