In partnership between the Departments of Physics, Biology, and Chemistry, this initiative reflects a broader commitment to fostering research that bridges disciplinary boundaries in meaningful and innovative ways.  

The Rules of Life cluster is designed to catalyze collaboration across departments, encouraging joint efforts such as co-advised student research, shared postdoctoral mentorship, and a new interdisciplinary seminar series. While the new faculty hires will be based within their respective departments, they will form a connected intellectual community aimed at exploring the fundamental principles that govern living systems.  

Dr. GrandPre brings with him a deep background in theoretical and biological physics. He earned his B.S. in Physics from Depaul University in 2014 and completed both his M.A. (2017) and Ph.D. (2021) in Physics at the University of California, Berkeley. From 2021 to 2025, he was an independent postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University, affiliated with both the Center for the Physics of Biological Function and the Princeton Center for Theoretical Science. He was also named a Schmidt Science Fellow during this time.  

At WashU, Dr. GrandPre will continue to lead research at the interface of physics and biology, with a focus on non-equilibrium statistical physics and soft condensed matter physics. His group investigates a range of biological phenomena through a physical lens, including:  

• The regulation of biomolecular condensates – cellular compartments that form through phase separation.
• Gene regulation and homeostasis, particularly the role of transcriptional condensates in the cell cycle.  
• Phase transitions in adaptive immune systems, including bacteria-phage coevolution and immune cell dynamics.  
• Machine learning approaches to modeling biophysical systems, such as developing coarse-grained models of protein behavior.  

We’re excited to have Dr. GrandPre on campus and look forward to the collaborative spirit and intellectual energy he will bring to our community.  

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Dr. Trevor GrandPre!