Sivak Group

The Sivak group combines approaches from statistical physics, molecular biophysics, and information theory to elucidate the physical limits placed on biological systems by their operational imperatives: performing productive functions rapidly while driven by strong gradients, using fluctuation-dominated microscopic objects of low copy number in a cell at ambient temperature. From these constraints we identify fundamental design principles for effective biological function, with special emphasis on transduction of energy and information. Our theoretical flights of fancy are tethered to reality through close experimental collaborations.