FEATURED AUTHOR
Linda Hirst
I am an Associate Professor of Physics at the University of California, Merced where I have been a faculty member since 2008 after spending three years on the Faculty at Florida State University. I was born in Liverpool in the UK and obtained my PhD in Physics from the University in Manchester in 2001. I then spent time as a postdoctoral researcher in the Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Education
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PhD, University of Manchester, UK
Areas of Research / Professional Expertise
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Professor Hirst's research interests focus on soft-condensed matter physics, with interests in both biophysics and liquid crystal materials. In general, her research group uses experimental techniques to characterize molecular assemblies and to understand the physics behind why they form. In a wider context, her group tries to uncover the common principles of how self-organization at a molecular level can transfer physical properties across length scales to define complex structures in real biological systems and soft phases.
Current research projects include:
Influence of cholesterol and polyunsaturated lipids on cell membrane structure.
Controlling Lipid phase behavior and raft formation for "soft microfluidics"
Biopolymer networks
Bent-core and novel ferroelectric liquid crystal materials
Websites
Books
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