My research is in theoretical and computational biophysics, chemical Physics, and physical chemistry. Our interdisciplinary research program utilizes and develops a range of novel and powerful techniques that spans fields from modern physical chemistry, biophysics, biophysical chemistry and soft condensed matter physics. The driving force in the advances of our research program is our close collaboration with experiments groups. A number of areas of current interest to us include (i) ion atmosphere around DNA, RNA, ribosome, and riboswitch; (ii) dynamics of supercooled liquids, and (iii) stochastic process of rare events.

Representative Key Publications:

Hayes, R.L.; Noel, J.K.; Mohanty, U.; Whitford, P.C.; Hennelly, S.P.; Onuchic, J.N.; Sanbonmatsu, K.Y.; “Magnesium Fluctuations Modulate RNA Dynamics in the SAM-I Riboswitch.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134, 12043-12053
(2012).

Guo, Z.; Gibson, M.; Sanyasi, S.; Chu, S.; Mohanty, U. "Role of Large Thermal Fluctuations and Magnesium Ions in t-RNA Selectivity of the Ribosome." Proc. Nat. Acad. USA. Early Edition 1-5, (Feb 21, 2011)

Haran, T.; Mohanty, U. "The Unique Structure of A-tracts and Intrinsic DNA
Bending." Q. Rev. Biophys. 42, 41-81 (2009).

Schultes, E.; Spasic, A.; Mohanty, U.; Bartel, D. "Collapse of Randomly
Generated RNA Sequences." Nature and Structural Biology 12, 1130-1136
(2005).