Faculty and Research Units OIST research units take a cross-disciplinary approach to research, and the PhD program encourages students to explore the intersections of disparate fields of science and technology. Find the research unit of your interest below. Faculty and Research Units Discover Research Specialties Browse research disciplines and specialities. Discover more Find a Faculty Member or Research Unit Research Unit | Faculty Member (-) Biology Chemistry Computer Science Ecology and Evolution Engineering and Applied Sciences Marine Sciences Mathematics Neuroscience Physics Facet Research Discipline Biochemistry Bioinformatics Biology (-) Biophysics Biotechnology Botany Cell biology Complex systems Developmental biology Evolutionary biology Genetics Genomics Health sciences Immunology Medicine Molecular biology Nanoscience Physiology Structural biology Synthetic biology Theoretical sciences Virology Facet Specialty Clear filters Biological Complexity Unit The Biological Complexity Unit studies how biophysical systems, ranging from subcellular circuits to cellular populations, can function despite being subject to random fluctuations. Simone Pigolotti Professor Biological Physics Theory Unit While physicists have long searched for universal laws that explain the nature of matter and energy, until recently the complexity of biological systems proved daunting. The Biological Physi... Greg J Stephens Associate Professor (Adjunct) Light-Matter Interactions for Quantum Technologies Unit We study interactions between small particles, such as atoms, and laser light using nano-optics tools, to better understand light’s influences on dynamics. Síle Nic Chormaic Professor Marine Structural Biology Unit The Marine Structural Biology Unit uses cryoelectron tomography and single particle cryoelectron microscopy to understand various aspects of coral biology in unprecedented detail. Oleg Sitsel Transitional Assistant Professor Membrane Cooperativity Unit We develop methods for single-molecule imaging and analysis, and apply them to unravel the mechanisms by which the cellular plasma membrane perform signaling and synaptic transmission. Akihiro Kusumi Professor Molecular Cryo-Electron Microscopy Unit The Molecular Cryo-Electron Microscopy Unit investigates the structure of macromolecular complexes with an emphasis on viruses, ion channels, and membrane proteins. The unit seeks better und... Matthias Wolf Professor Nonlinear and Non-equilibrium Physics Unit We work in experimental nonlinear, non-equilibrium and soft matter physics. Our current research focuses on fluids, granular media, fluctuations in renewables and quantitative life sciences. Mahesh Bandi Professor Optical Neuroimaging Unit The Optical Neuroimaging Unit uses home-built two-photon microscopes and special fluorescent dyes to image neuronal and astrocytic activity on a cellular level in behaving mice. Bernd Kuhn Professor Protein Engineering and Evolution Unit The Protein Engineering and Evolution Unit applies chemical approaches, evolutionary methods and protein engineering to study and manipulate protein functions. Paola Laurino Associate Professor Sensory and Behavioural Neuroscience Unit We investigate how behavioural contexts tune olfactory information processing in the mouse brain. Methods used include neurophysiology, imaging, circuit analysis, behaviour. Izumi Fukunaga Associate Professor Annual Reports A yearly report from each research unit Visit the page
Biological Complexity Unit The Biological Complexity Unit studies how biophysical systems, ranging from subcellular circuits to cellular populations, can function despite being subject to random fluctuations. Simone Pigolotti Professor
Biological Physics Theory Unit While physicists have long searched for universal laws that explain the nature of matter and energy, until recently the complexity of biological systems proved daunting. The Biological Physi... Greg J Stephens Associate Professor (Adjunct)
Light-Matter Interactions for Quantum Technologies Unit We study interactions between small particles, such as atoms, and laser light using nano-optics tools, to better understand light’s influences on dynamics. Síle Nic Chormaic Professor
Marine Structural Biology Unit The Marine Structural Biology Unit uses cryoelectron tomography and single particle cryoelectron microscopy to understand various aspects of coral biology in unprecedented detail. Oleg Sitsel Transitional Assistant Professor
Membrane Cooperativity Unit We develop methods for single-molecule imaging and analysis, and apply them to unravel the mechanisms by which the cellular plasma membrane perform signaling and synaptic transmission. Akihiro Kusumi Professor
Molecular Cryo-Electron Microscopy Unit The Molecular Cryo-Electron Microscopy Unit investigates the structure of macromolecular complexes with an emphasis on viruses, ion channels, and membrane proteins. The unit seeks better und... Matthias Wolf Professor
Nonlinear and Non-equilibrium Physics Unit We work in experimental nonlinear, non-equilibrium and soft matter physics. Our current research focuses on fluids, granular media, fluctuations in renewables and quantitative life sciences. Mahesh Bandi Professor
Optical Neuroimaging Unit The Optical Neuroimaging Unit uses home-built two-photon microscopes and special fluorescent dyes to image neuronal and astrocytic activity on a cellular level in behaving mice. Bernd Kuhn Professor
Protein Engineering and Evolution Unit The Protein Engineering and Evolution Unit applies chemical approaches, evolutionary methods and protein engineering to study and manipulate protein functions. Paola Laurino Associate Professor
Sensory and Behavioural Neuroscience Unit We investigate how behavioural contexts tune olfactory information processing in the mouse brain. Methods used include neurophysiology, imaging, circuit analysis, behaviour. Izumi Fukunaga Associate Professor