BIOSPOTLAB.COM - Key Persons
Alyxandra is a Physics major with a minor in Mathematics. She will complete her B.S at the University of San Diego. This year she will be working in the Robertson-Anderson lab focusing on the circadian clock of active cytoskeleton networks. In her free time, Alyxandra loves to read and watch documentaries but can also be frequently found at the beach.
Anindya obtained his PhD from Raman Research Institute, Bangalore, India. His primary research was on studying the effect of salt and polyelectrolytes on the self-assembled structures of ionic amphiphiles, mostly using the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique. He is currently studying spatiotemporal force generation in active actin-microtubule networks using optical tweezers, confocal microscopy, and differential dynamic microscopy. He loves listening music and playing cricket and football.
Danna is a second-year Pre-Engineering major at San Diego Miramar College and plans to transfer to a 4-year university to complete her B.S. in Environmental Engineering. This year, she will work in the Robertson-Anderson Lab researching the topological change of Olympic Ring DNA over time in response to enzymes such as Topoisomerase and viscoelastic fluids. Outside of academics, she enjoys painting, hiking, and exercising.
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- Professor and Chair / Website
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- Associate Professor / Website
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- Professor and Department Chair Physics / Website
Karthik Reddy Peddireddy
Karthik obtained his Ph.D. from Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, Germany. He investigated interfacial instabilities in liquid crystal-water systems during his Ph.D. As a postdoctoral researcher in our group, his work focuses on mapping molecular-level dynamics to mesoscale mechanics in composite DNA-based biomaterials. His favorite person on the planet is his niece. He loves volleyball, cycling, experiencing new cultures and traditions. More details about his research background are available here.
Katarina is a second-year biophysics major (BS) with a chemistry minor. Her current research focus is on the mechanics of cytoskeleton and cell composites, and its applicability to adaptable material engineering. In her free time, Katarina enjoys reading and spending time with her cats.
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- Lab Technician / LinkedIn
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- Assistant Professor / Website
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- Staff Research Associate / LinkedIn
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- Associate Professor / Website
Rae M Robertson-Anderson received her BS in Physics from Georgetown University in 2003, where she was awarded a Luce Foundation Clare Boothe Luce Scholarship and elected into Phi Beta Kappa. She received her Ph.D. in Physics from the University of California, San Diego in 2007, funded by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Anderson was then awarded an NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein postdoctoral fellowship for her molecular biology postdoctoral research at The Scripps Research Institute before joining the faculty at USD in 2009.
Robertson-Anderson has received over $4M in grants since 2010 to support her research, including prestigious awards such as a W.M. Keck Foundation Research Grant (2018), an NSF CAREER Award (2013), an Air Force Young Investigator Program Award (2012), and Research Corporation Cottrell Scholars Award (2010). She has published 53 peer-reviewed papers in top-ranking journals including PRL, Science Advances, Nature Communications, and PNAS. Robertson-Anderson has given 34 invited talks at institutions and conferences around the world, has organized and hosted 4 soft matter research symposiums, and currently serves on advisory boards for Research Corporation, the Beckman Foundation, and the Murdock Charitable Trust.
Robertson-Anderson is equally passionate about promoting and advancing undergraduate research and education. Serving as Councilor for the National Council on Undergraduate Research since 2015, Robertson-Anderson joined USD with the express intention of engaging undergraduates in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and shaping the undergraduate physics curriculum at a national level. 31 of Robertson-Anderson's 53 publications include undergraduate co-authors, and the 62 research students (44 undergraduates, 4 community college students, 15 high school students, 3 MS, 1 Ph.D.) and 7 postdocs she has mentored since 2010 have given 52 presentations at national conferences. Her research students have also received prestigious awards including Goldwater Scholarships, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, and an APS LeRoy Apker Award. To further train the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists, Robertson-Anderson has established a research-intensive undergraduate Biophysics Major program at USD that has served as a model for liberal arts institutions across the country.
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- National Jewish Health / Clinical Laboratory Scientist / LinkedIn