Research Highlights
Research Bar
Optical Trapping of Biological Material Optical Trapping of Biological Material
Bacteria and radiation Bacteria and radiation
Deadly Competition Deadly Competition
Yeast Mechanics Yeast Mechanics
Swimming driven by a Helical Flagellum Swimming driven by a Helical Flagellum
Hands-On Schools Hands-On Schools
Dynamics of Static Friction Dynamics of Static Friction
Outreach & Education Outreach & Education
The role of mechanics in biofilm formation The role of mechanics in biofilm formation

Recent Publications

Structure-preserving fixation allows scanning electron microscopy to reveal biofilm microstructure and interactions with immune cells
Marilyn Wells, Michelle Mikesh, Vernita GOrdon, Langmuir (2024)
Geometric changes in the nucleoids of Deinococcus radiodurans reveal involvement of new proteins in recovery from ionizing radiation.
Antonio Cordova, Brandon Niese, Philip Sweet, Pratik Kamat, Jude M Phillip, Vernita Gordon, Lydia M Contreras, (2024)
Breaking fast and slow
M. Marder, Nature Physics 20 546-547 (2024)
The ethics perspective of physics department chairs
M. Marder, F. A. Houle, and K. Kirby, Physics Today 77 22-27 (2024)
From cracks to atoms and back again
M. Marder, Physics Today 77 62–63 (2024)
A model of fracture-facilitated flow of hydrocarbons from petroleum source rock
Luke Pharr, Michael Marder, and Tadeusz Patzek, International Journal of Fracture (2023)
Advancing Access to Cutting-Edge Tabletop Science
Michael F Schatz, Pietro Cicuta, Vernita D Gordon, Teuta Pilizota, Bruce Rodenborn, Mark D Shattuck, Harry L Swinney, Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics 55 (2023)
Incorporation of collagen into Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms impedes phagocytosis by neutrophils
Xuening Zhou, Marilyn J Wells, Vernita Do Gordon, bioRxiv (2023)
Cracks break the sound barrier
M. Marder, Science 381 375-376 (2023)
Physiological Concentrations of Calcium Interact with Alginate and Extracellular DNA in the Matrices of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms to Impede Phagocytosis by Neutrophils
Marilyn J. Wells, Hailey Currie, and Vernita D. Gordon, Langmuir (2023) pdf
Cracks Break The Sound Barrier
Michael Marder, Science 381 375-376 (2023) pdf
Bacterial mechanosensing of surface stiffness promotes signaling and growth leading to biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Liyun Wang, Yu-Chern Wong, Joshua Correira, Megan Wancura, Christopher Geiger, Shanice S Webster, Benjamin Butler, George A O'Toole, Richard Langford, Katherine Brown, Berkin Dortdivanlioglu, Lauren Webb, Elizabeth Cosgriff-Hernandez, Vernita Gordon, bioRxiv2023.01. 26.525810 (2023)
Bluebonnet: Scaling Solutions for Production Analysis
Frank Male, Michael Marder, and Leopoldo Ruiz-Maraggi, Journal of Open Source Software 8 5255 (2023)
Perspective: The viscoelastic properties of biofilm infections and mechanical interactions with phagocytic immune cells
Marilyn Wells, Rebecca Schneider, Bikash Bhattarai, Hailey Currie, Bella Chavez, Gordon Christopher, Kendra Rumbaugh, Vernita Gordon, Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology 13 97 (2023)
The accumulation and growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on surfaces is modulated by surface mechanics via cyclic-di-GMP signaling
Liyun Wang, Yu-Chern Wong, Joshua M Correira, Megan Wancura, Chris J Geiger, Shanice S Webster, Ahmed Touhami, Benjamin J Butler, George A O'Toole, Richard M Langford, Katherine A Brown, Berkin Dortdivanlioglu, Lauren Webb, Elizabeth Cosgriff-Hernandez, Vernita D Gordon, npj Biorilms and Microbiomes (2023)
Ethics in physics: The need for culture change
Frances Houle, Kate Kirby, and Michael Marder, Physics Today (2023)
Physiological Concentrations of Calcium Interact with Alginate and Extracellular DNA in the Matrices of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms to Impede Phagocytosis by Neutrophils
Marilyn J Wells, Hailey Currie, Vernita D Gordon, Langmuir (2023)
Exposure of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 to Sublethal Doses of Ionizing Radiation Triggers Short-Term SOS Activation and Longer-Term Prophage Activation
Philip Sweet, Jacob Blacutt, Vernita Gordon, Lydia Contreras, Applied and Environmental Microbiology 89 3e01716-22 (2023)