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Christoph Schmidt's group in the Department of Physics at Duke University works at the interface between soft condensed matter physics and biophysics. The group's research utilizes tools from statistical physics, polymer physics, and condensed matter physics to study the mechanics and dynamics of living systems at various scales, including single molecules, biomacromolecular assemblies, cytoskeletal filaments, bacteria, eukaryotic cells, and tissues. Schmidt has a strong interest in non-equilibrium statistical physics, particularly in 'active matter' and mechanosensory machineries related to how bacteria and Drosophila larvae respond to their environments. The experimental approaches employed by the group include advanced light fluorescence microscopy, optical trapping, atomic force microscopy, and micro- and macrorheology. Schmidt's lab collaborates extensively with theoretical physics, biology, engineering, and medical school departments, fostering interdisciplinary research in the field of soft condensed matter and biophysics.
Department of Biomedical Engineering (MS program)