Dr. Jay Newby

Biography

Jay Newby is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at the University of Alberta. His research primarily focuses on developing mechanistic stochastic models that describe molecular motion, biomechanics, and chemistry in micron-scale environments, particularly within cells and their associated extracellular polymer matrices. Newby's work addresses the highly complex set of interconnected chemical and mechanical processes that occur at the micron scale. He emphasizes how thermal fluctuations induce random molecular motion, subsequently leading to random mechanical fluctuations in biopolymers. This complexity renders cellular processes intrinsically nonlinear and stochastic. His mechanistic stochastic models have become essential for understanding the micron-scale machinery found in living organisms. Notably, one of his contributions is the kinetic coupling of stochastic molecular motors and microtubules, which significantly enhance the guidance of otherwise slow random diffusive transport of cargo within the cell. Additionally, similar kinetic and diffusive processes are crucial in understanding extracellular mechanisms, such as antibody-based viral immunity.

Research Interests