RESEARCH:

Seongsoo Kim’s research focuses on the mechanics of the biopolymer actin. Actin constitutes the cytoskeleton and is important for cell migration, division, and maintaining mechanical integrity of cells. The structure and dynamics of actin network are regulated by actin binding proteins, many of which can undergo liquid-liquid phase separation. How these phase separated droplets affect the assembly and the mechanics of actin networks remains poorly understood. Seongsoo combines experiments and machine learning approaches to uncover the physical principles governing these complex systems.

BIO:

Seongsoo joined the University of Chicago as an Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Fellow in the lab of Prof. Margaret Gardel. Seongsoo received his Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Harvard University, where he worked with Prof. David Weitz and Prof. Frans Spaepen on the dynamics of topological defects known as dislocations in crystalline materials. Seongsoo earned his B.S. in physics from Seoul National University, where he studied the curvature-dependent surface tension of small droplets.