Our new paper is out! We asked how small molecules influence biomolecular condensation. Our findings help identify molecules and rxns that regulate physiology and inform therapeutic development. Susceptibility and regulation of biomolecular condensates by solutes | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Laboratory of Soft and Living Materials @SoftLiv_Cornell@softliv.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Happy to share our first preprints from work originating at Cornell! Takumi's paper describes how small molecules shift phase equilibria of condensates by focusing on the dilute-phase response. It shows how metabolites may tune stability and material properties. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Finally out - our work on high throughput design and characterization of disordered protein sequences 🪱🪱🪱. A long time collaboration with BFFs @alexholehouse.bsky.social and @remenecker.bsky.social, with experimental work led by @trevorbrandt.bsky.social and @karaehunt.bsky.social.

Rational design of disordered proteins for sequence–function investigation - Nature

GOOSE enables the design and testing of thousands of disordered protein region sequences to reveal distinct sequence-to-function relationships.

nature.com

Here’s another condensate paper from the lab. We revisit biomolecular condensation—phase separation in protein suspensions—through the lens of critical phenomena. Kaarthik did excellent work characterizing mechanical properties and comparing their scaling behavior to the 3D Ising universality class.

Laboratory of Soft and Living Materials @SoftLiv_Cornell@softliv.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Our second Cornell-era preprint is also out! Kaarthik's paper discusses the gap between cellular and in vitro condensates. In cells, condensates are low-contrast (small partition coefficients), enabling a wide range of responses. Congrats, Kaarthik and the team! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Here’s my recent work on biomolecular condensates. In this paper, we address how small molecules shift the phase equilibria of condensates. We describe how underlying protein–solute interactions determine the observed shifts and develop a theoretical framework using standard thermodynamic theory.

Laboratory of Soft and Living Materials @SoftLiv_Cornell@softliv.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Happy to share our first preprints from work originating at Cornell! Takumi's paper describes how small molecules shift phase equilibria of condensates by focusing on the dilute-phase response. It shows how metabolites may tune stability and material properties. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

In this issue: A parasite drives movement in infected red blood cells, electric charges can accelerate without emitting radiation, and stratospheric methane loss. In PNAS: https://ow.ly/c6bK50Yi61j

📣 New preprint: Mechanochemical feedback, tissue geometry & rigid-body dynamics initiate rotational migration in Drosophila via spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking. A mechanism generalizable to closed epithelia. @sreejithsanthosh.bsky.social biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Ever had to wait at the airport even though your plane is already at the gate? That’s because the turbulence from earlier traffic needs to die down before the next takeoff. Our latest work in PNAS (on cover!) tackles this question of how turbulence decays and spreads. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

The word is out! The blob is back on the cover! I'm grateful to my mentors, William and Nigel @nigelgoldenfeld.bsky.social, and to Minhui @minhui-zhu.bsky.social, who performed the essential calculations. This work wouldn't have been possible without any one of us. Congratulations to the team!

Nigel Goldenfeld@nigelgoldenfeld.bsky.social · 8mo ago

🧪⚛️ Ever wondered what would happen if you thrashed around in a water tank, creating a blob of turbulence, and then watched it spread and gradually dissipate energy? So did we. But we did the experiment, now out in PNAS and on the cover! It only took us 7 years ... www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Monarchs (Danaus plexippus) are still feeding on the obedient plant blossoms (Physostegia virginiana), though not quite in the numbers they were a few days ago. Here’s an experienced aviator drinking deeply. #InverteFest

D. Allan Drummond@dadrummond.art · last yr.

Just an incredible sight 🥹

Two weeks ago the Softliv crew was at the 2025 Soft Condensed Matter GRC! 🍃 We shared our ongoing research, learned a ton from the community, and enjoyed many energizing discussions. A highlight was reconnecting with our amazing lab alumni — nothing beats mixing science with good company! 💡👥

“When we set our sights on doing the impossible, that is when we are at our best". An inspiring message from former JPL director Laurie Leshin sets the tone for our Showcase Day at the Interdisciplinary Science Summit! In association with @caltech.edu Thank you!

If you are attending #APSSummit25 next week, check out the talks from my postdoc lab! Kaarthik will present critical fluctuations of liquid-liquid phase separation. More details in the original post. #LLPS #APS #condensates

Laboratory of Soft and Living Materials @SoftLiv_Cornell@softliv.bsky.social · 2y ago

Attending #APSSummit25? Check out our lab's latest work on biomolecular condensates, presented by Kaarthik and Eric—covering critical phenomena, swimming droplets, and more! Come say hi 👋 📍Details below👇 #APSMarch #biophysics #condensates #activeDroplets @apsphysics.bsky.social

Activity can drive flows: self-driven spinners reveal states from chiral active fluids to twisters. 🌪️ Amazing work led by Panyu, Scott, and Severine. It was a joy to watch the experiments unfold and analyze the flows together. Check out the cover to see how the spinners dance!

Nature Physics@natphys.nature.com · 2y ago

Our January issue is now out. #Physics www.nature.com/nphys/volume... In it we feature unconventional superconductors, quantum simulation, plasma physics, cold atoms, batteries, spin ice, and much more.

Important point to spread science

Altmetric@altmetric.com · 2y ago

We strongly suggest that academic publishers and other platforms that host research rapidly implement a Share to Bluesky button for their articles. Here's how: docs.bsky.app/docs/advance... #AcademicSky #HigherEd #Altmetrics

How do molecules diffuse across phase boundaries in liquid droplets? Find out in Lars' epic work in the preprint on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social @larshubatsch.bsky.social !!! @hymanlab.bsky.social @mpipks.bsky.social collaboration of Hymanlab, Frank Juelicher group and Chris Weber in Augsburg

Lars Hubatsch@larshubatsch.bsky.social · 2y ago

1/6 🧪 Preprint-Alert! We looked at how molecules move across phase boundaries, e.g., in liquid droplets, taking into account that chemical potentials inside and outside the boundary can be different! This unites recent work with stuff from the 60s and has cool consequences 👇 shorturl.at/j0U6i

After a remarkable 300 columns, David Goodsell has retired from the Molecule of the Month. We are very grateful for his service. @jiwasa.bsky.social will continue the series, beginning with January's article on Assembly Line Polyketide Synthases Details: cdn.rcsb.org/rcsb-pd...

EDUCATION CORNER: Molecule of the Month: Celebrating  25 Years of Storytelling and Announcing New Beginnings

After a remarkable 300 columns, David Goodsell has retired from the Molecule of the Month series.  Janet Iwasa will be continuing the series for PDB-101.

cdn.rcsb.org