Title:  Physical Chemistry of Genes and Genomes

Michele Di Pierro, Assistant Professor of Physics

Northeastern University, Boston

Host: Davit Potoyan

Abstract: In this talk, I will explore several interconnected aspects of genome organization, highlighting how structure underpins genomic function. Chromosomal architecture emerges from two primary physical mechanisms: phase separation, driven by dynamic epigenetic patterns along DNA, and motor-driven compaction. Together, these processes shape three-dimensional chromosome organization, influencing the transport of transcription factors, modulating genetic interactions, and ultimately regulating gene expression.

I will discuss theoretical approaches to genome folding at both the chromosomal and gene scales. Finally, I will present evolutionary evidence supporting the importance of three-dimensional genome organization for gene regulation, as well as the underlying physical mechanisms of genome folding. Taken together, these perspectives suggest that the genome is far more than a collection of genes—it is a dynamic, highly organized machine that processes information and actively regulates its own expression

Bio: Michele Di Pierro is Assistant Professor of Physics at Northeastern University and senior investigator of the Center for Theoretical Biological Physics — an NSF Frontier of Physics Center. He studied Condensed Matter Physics at the University of Rome “La Sapienza” and received a PhD in Applied Mathematics from The University of Texas at Austin. 

Prior to joining Northeastern University, he was the Robert A. Welch Postdoctoral Fellow at Rice University.  His research focuses on the physical processes involved in the translation of genetic information, i.e. Physical Genetics. His group develops novel theoretical approaches to characterize the structure and function of the genome using the tools of statistical physics, information theory, and computational modeling.