Since July 2018 I have been leading the Laboratory of the Physics of Biological Systems at the Institute of Physics at EPFL.
Before that, I spent a year as a visiting scholar in the Department of Physics at Harvard University working with Prof. Aravi Samuel.
Previously, as an independent Fellow at The Rockefeller University, I made a transition from theoretical physics to the intersection of biology and physics, pursuing theory and experiments in collaboration with Prof. Fred Cross.
In my graduate training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (PhD physics, 2010), I conducted theoretical research on quantum fluctuation (Casimir) forces with Profs. Mehran Kardar (adviser) and Robert Jaffe (co-adviser). Before going to MIT, as an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania (BA, MS, 2005), I worked with biophysicist Prof. Kim Sharp. During my college years I also spent a few summers in Germany, where I worked with Dr. Volkhard Helms at the Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysik and took classes at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität in Frankfurt am Main (Vordiplom mathematics, 2003).
Before leaving for college I completed my schooling in Germany and lived in Paris, France as a child. I was born in Tehran, Iran, where my parents come from as well.
In addition to science, I enjoy sports and music.
Curriculum Vitae
EPFL
– Assistant Professor
– 2018-
Harvard University
– Visiting Scholar
– 2017-2018
The Rockefeller University
– Fellow
– 2010-2017
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
– PhD, Department of Physics
– 2005-2010
University of Pennsylvania
– BA, MS
– 2001-2005
Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Germany
– Vordiplom Mathematics
– 2002-2003
Gymnasium Oberursel, Germany
– Abitur
– 2001
The Rockefeller University
– NIH T32 Training Grant 2014-2017
– Merck Fellowship 2013-2014
– Fellowship, Center for Studies in Physics and Biology 2010-2013
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
– Graduate Fellow, Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, UC Santa Barbara, Fall 2008
– MIT-France Travel Grant, Summer 2008
– Lester Wolfe fellowship 2005-2006
University of Pennsylvania
– Phi Beta Kappa
– Second Place, Class of 1880 Mathematics Competition
– Mathematics Undergraduate Research Prize 2005
– Rose Undergraduate Research Award 2005
– William E. Stephens Memorial Prize 2004-2005 (Undergraduate research prize, Department of Physics and Astronomy)
– Rose Fund Award 2002-2003
– University Scholar
– Vagelos Scholar in Molecular Life Sciences
60. Fundamental laws governing dynamics in living systems
School of Basic Sciences, EPFL
Sep. 2019, inaugural lecture
59. Dynamical signatures of circuit topologies
Quantbio2019, Friesch, Switzerland
Sep. 2019, invited talk
58. Oscillatory stimuli differentiate adapting circuit topologies
Swiss Physical Society meeting
Aug. 2018, invited talk
57. Using dynamical stimuli to discriminate network topologies
Kardar-Fest, in celebration of Prof. Mehran Kardar’s 60th birthday
Jun. 2018, contributed talk
56. Using dynamics to investigate cell cycle control
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Yeast Systems Biology Group Meeting
May 2018, invited talk
55. Using dynamical stimuli to differentiate network topologies
Harvard Medical School, Theory Lunch
Apr. 2018, invited talk
54. Oscillatory stimuli differentiate adapting circuit topologies
International Conference on Systems Biology, Blacksburg, Virginia
Aug. 2017, contributed talk
53. Using oscillations to elucidate cell cycle control and signal processing
q-bio Conference, Rutgers University
Jul. 2017, invited talk
52. Dynamics: Challenge and tool for understanding living systems
Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried
Apr. 2017, invited talk
51. Dynamics: Challenge and tool for understanding living systems
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Department of Physics
Mar. 2017, invited talk
50. Dynamics: Challenge and tool for understanding living systems
Yale University, Systems Biology Institute and Department of Physics
Mar. 2017, invited talk
49. Oscillatory stimuli resolve fundamental circuit topologies for adaptation
Systems Biology Conference, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Feb. 2017, contributed talk
48. Dynamics: Challenge and tool for understanding living systems
Johns Hopkins University, Departments of Physics and Biophysics
Feb. 2017, invited talk
47. Dynamics: Challenge and tool for understanding living systems
Rutgers University, Quantitative Biology Seminar
Feb. 2017, invited talk
46. Dynamics: Challenge and tool for understanding living systems
Princeton University, Biophysics Seminar
Feb. 2017, invited talk
45. Dynamics: Challenge and tool for understanding living systems
École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Department of Physics
Feb. 2017, invited talk
44. Dynamics: Challenge and tool for understanding living systems
Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Physics
Jan. 2017, invited talk
43. Using dynamics to elucidate biological systems
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Biophysics Seminar
Nov. 2016, invited talk
42. How many clocks control the cell cycle?
International Conference on Systems Biology, Barcelona
Sep. 2016, contributed talk
41. Using dynamics to elucidate biological systems
University of Zurich, Biophysics Symposium
Jun. 2016, invited talk
40. Identifying negative feedback loops by their dynamics
Anderson Cancer Center Retreat, The Rockefeller University
Apr. 2015, contributed talk
39. Timed, pulsatile termination signal for mitosis in halted cell cycles
Cell Cycle Conference, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
May 2014, contributed talk
38. Transcription in halted cell cycles
Anderson Cancer Center Retreat, The Rockefeller University
Apr. 2014, contributed talk
37. Using timing to elucidate signaling pathways and cell cycle control
The Rockefeller University, Center for Studies in Physics and Biology
Sep. 2013, invited talk
36. Using dynamics to identify network topologies
International Conference on Systems Biology, Copenhagen
Aug. 2013, poster
35. Using dynamics to identify network topology
APS March Meeting, Baltimore
Mar. 2013, contributed talk
34. Optimal cell cycle checkpoint decisions
108th Statistical Mechanics Conference, Rutgers University
Dec. 2012, contributed talk
33. Biochemical “FM radio” receivers
Harvard Medical School, Theory Lunch
Dec. 2012, invited talk
32. Characterizing biological adaptive circuits by their frequency-detection properties
Harvard Medical School, Galit Lahav lab group meeting
Jul. 2012, invited talk
31. Biochemical “FM radio” receivers
Systems Biology Meeting, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Mar. 2012, poster
30. Characterizing biological frequency-detection circuits by their dynamical properties
Institute for Advanced Study, The Simons Center for Systems Biology
Jan. 2012, chalk talk
29. Biochemical “FM radio” receivers
106th Statistical Mechanics Conference, Rutgers University
Dec. 2011, contributed talk
28. Casimir interaction of an object with a cavity
103rd Statistical Mechanics Conference, Rutgers University
May 2010, contributed talk
27. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
Casimir, van der Waals and nanoscale interactions school
École de Physique des Houches
Apr. 2010, invited talk
26. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
Third Annual Greater Boston Area Quantum Matter Meeting
Apr. 2010, contributed talk
25. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
UC San Francisco, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics
Mar. 2010, invited talk
24. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
UC San Diego, Center for Theoretical Biological Physics
Mar. 2010, invited talk
23. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Physics
Mar. 2010, contributed graduate student lunch talk
22. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
Virginia Tech, Department of Physics
Mar. 2010, invited talk
21. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
The Rockefeller University, Center for Studies in Physics and Biology
Feb. 2010, invited talk
20. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
Northeastern University, Center for Complex Network Research
Feb. 2010, invited talk
19. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
University of Geneva, Département de Physique de la Matière Condensée
Feb. 2010, invited talk
18. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
University of Pennsylvania, Department of Physics
Feb. 2010, invited talk
17. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
Yale University, Condensed Matter Theory Group
Jan. 2010, invited talk
16. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
ICTP, Trieste
Jan. 2010, invited talk
15. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
Université Paris-Sud, Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Modèles Statistiques
Jan. 2010, seminar
14. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
Technische Universität München, Faculty of Physics
Jan. 2010, invited talk
13. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Center for Theoretical Physics
Jan. 2010, invited talk
12. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
Max Planck Institute for Metals Research, Stuttgart
Jan. 2010, invited talk
11. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
Universität Heidelberg, Institute for Theoretical Physics
Jan. 2010, invited talk
10. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden
Jan. 2010, invited talk
9. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam
Jan. 2010, invited talk
8. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen
Jan. 2010, invited talk
7. Scattering Theory Approach to Electrodynamic Casimir Forces
102nd Statistical Mechanics Conference, Rutgers University
Dec. 2009, contributed talk
6. Melting of Persistent Double-Stranded Polymers
Symposium “Trajectories and Friends” in celebration of Prof. Nihat Berker’s 60th birthday
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Physics
Oct. 2009, invited short talk
5. A General Formulation for the Casimir Energy and its Practical Application
Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics at UC Santa Barbara
Nov. 2008, invited talk
4. Nonmonotonic effects of parallel sidewalls on Casimir forces between cylinders
Université Paris-Sud, Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Modèles Statistiques
Jun. 2008, seminar
3. Melting of Persistent Double-Stranded Polymers
99th Statistical Mechanics Conference, Rutgers University
May 2008, contributed talk
2. Prediction of Transcription Factor Specificity Using All-Atom Models
97th Statistical Mechanics Conference, Rutgers University
May 2007, contributed talk
1. Mapping Complicated (Protein) Surfaces onto a Sphere
95th Statistical Mechanics Conference, Rutgers University
May 2006, contributed talk