Dr. Markus Deserno

Professor

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Biography

Markus Deserno is a Professor of Physics and the Director of Graduate Affairs at Carnegie Mellon University, specializing in Biological Physics and Theory. He completed his Ph.D. at the Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research in 2000, followed by a Habilitation at Mainz University in Computational Physics in 2006. Deserno's research interests focus on understanding biological systems through the lens of physics and chemistry, exploring phenomena such as lipid membranes, proteins, viruses, and DNA. He employs theoretical and computational techniques, including continuum elasticity and coarse-grained simulations, to investigate complex biological structures at various length scales. His contributions to the field are recognized through his association with professional societies like the American Physical Society and Biophysical Society, and he has served as a Section Editor for the Biophysical Journal. Over his career, Deserno has received several distinguished awards, including the Thomas E. Thompson Award from the Biophysical Society in 2021. His work seeks to bridge the gap between physics and biology, elucidating fundamental concepts that significantly impact our understanding of living systems.

Research Interests

Experience

Professor

2016-01-01 — Present

Carnegie Mellon University • Pittsburgh, PA

Professor of Physics focusing on Biological Physics.

Associate Head

2013-01-01 — 2017-01-01

Carnegie Mellon University • Pittsburgh, PA

Served as Associate Head of the Physics Department.

Associate Professor

2007-01-01 — 2016-01-01

Carnegie Mellon University • Pittsburgh, PA

Taught and conducted research in the Department of Physics.

Project Leader

2003-01-01 — 2007-01-01

Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research • Mainz, Germany

Led research projects on polymer physics.

Post-doctoral Researcher

2000-01-01 — 2003-01-01

UC Los Angeles • Los Angeles, CA

Conducted post-doctoral research in physics.

Awards

#2021

Thomas E. Thompson Award

2021-01-01
#2001

Otto Hahn-Medal

2001-01-01

Requirements for Carnegie Mellon University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
GRE General
Verbal
Required:158
Quantitative
Required:149
Analytical Writing
Required:4
Overall
Required:4
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Psychology or related field Research experience/publications
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • GRE scores (optional but reported in profile)
  • English Proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo)
Specialization Notes

Admission is extremely competitive with no strict GPA cut-offs; holistic review is used.