New from us in @pnas.org : We considered the limits of condensate diversity, and engineered DNA droplets to form 9 distinct, homotypic, coexisting phases. Very hard to do this except with nucleic acids. Probably you can make more than 9. (1/3)

New paper from us in PRL: Precision measurements of DNA condensate droplets as modulated by diffusive (Ostwald) or enzymatic processes. We verify LSW models of Ostwald ripening at the level of single droplets (blue images), and observe dynamic scaling of the size distribution….

Check out our paper on transcriptional control of an artificial condensate, including engineering a feedback loop that includes phase separation. Led by the amazing @samwilken.bsky.social

Sam Wilken@samwilken.bsky.social · 9mo ago

We’re excited to share our new work in Soft Matter: doi.org/10.1039/D5SM... We demonstrate how in vitro transcription can drive biomolecular phase separation — and how that phase separation in turn regulates transcription.

“As a public university, we are stewards of taxpayer resources, and a payment of this scale would completely devastate our country’s greatest public university system as well as inflict great harm on our students and all Californians.” —UC President James B. Milliken

The New York Times@nytimes.com · 12mo ago

Breaking News: A Trump administration settlement proposal demands more than $1 billion from UCLA. It calls for the payout to contribute to a claims fund that would compensate victims of civil rights violations after a pro-Palestinian protest on campus.

This summer in beautiful Santa Barbara we will run a 3-day conference on “Biological Physics of Biomolecular Condensates: Bridging Theory and Experiment” June 16 to 18th. Register now: www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/b...

APSMarch attendees: eat to bed early so you can get to the 8am session on Friday: Bioinspired phase separation, wi the Lorenzo Di Michele and many other great speakers. 8am sharp in the Hilton 4th floor Palos Verdes room summit.aps.org/events/MAR-W64

Bioinspired Phase Separation

8:00 am – 10:48 am, Friday March 21, Session MAR-W64, Anaheim Hilton, Palo Verdes (Level 4)

summit.aps.org

For those condensate and active fluid fans attending the APS meeting next week, please wake up early and come to our 8am sessions on Thursday and Friday, co organized by myself, Ahmad Omar, Lauren Zarzar, and Sam Wilken Details here: summit.aps.org/events/MAR-Q64 summit.aps.org/events/MAR-W64

Multi-Component Active Liquids

8:00 am – 11:00 am, Thursday March 20, Session MAR-Q64, Anaheim Hilton, Palo Verdes (Level 4)

summit.aps.org

the wide scale legal action about the NIH IDC is great. I am concerned that there is no such action for the NSF. basic research generates long term technological/economic benefit, but the long time scale makes it vulnerable to short term budget thinking Who is championing the NSF?

My understanding of my job: I garner federal funding to carry out research, in part to support the economy and security of the nation. In return for the opportunity to do this, I teach. Friday’s NSF budget proposal, and NIH budget cut, breaks this deal. Ergo, shouldn’t I stop teaching?