Rhoda Hawkins

Rhoda Hawkins is a Senior Lecturer in Biological Physics Theory at the University of Sheffield's School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. She also serves as Academic Director at AIMS Ghana (2023-2025) while maintaining her affiliation with Sheffield. Her work bridges theoretical physics and biological systems.

• University of Sheffield - Senior Lecturer (2018-present)
• AIMS Ghana - Academic Director (2023-2025)

Education:

• PhD in Coarse-Grained Models of Protein Allostery, University of Leeds (2005)
• MPhys in Physics, University of Oxford (2002)

Research Interests: Theoretical biological physics focusing on active matter, cytoskeleton mechanics, cell migration in confinement, nuclear deformation during migration, metastatic cancer mechanics, and endocytosis/phagocytosis processes. Her group develops mathematical models validated through computational simulations.

Key Article Trends: Recent work explores nuclear deformation mechanisms in cancer migration (2025), mechanical heterogeneity in bone microenvironments (2024), and fibroblast contractility regulation (2023). Earlier publications (2012-2016) established foundational models for active fluid droplets and cytoskeletal polarization.

Scientific Awards:

• 2004 - Award-winning article on entropic allostery modeling

Advising: Supervises postgraduate researcher Fameno Rakotoniaina at AIMS Ghana, focusing on malaria parasite entry modeling. Previously mentored PhD students through collaborations at Institut Curie and University of Bristol.

Labs & Collaborations: Collaborates with Simon Johnston's lab (immune cell engulfment), Matthieu Piel's lab (cell polarity), and Denis Wirtz's lab (nuclear mechanics). Part of the Theoretical Biological Physics Group at Sheffield.