Recent discoveries of phase separation of biomacromolecules to compartmentalize the intracellular environment have upended the traditional understanding of cellular compartmentalization mediated by membranes. Phase separation of proteins and nucleic acids has been shown to result in the formation of many important intracellular compartments, such as stress granules, p-bodies, nucleolus etc., known as biomolecular condensates. Important biochemical reactions such as transcription and enzyme-catalyzed reactions are affected by phase separation. Dysfunctional phase separation has been implicated in various diseases, including cancers, and there are substantial efforts to find drugs to target condensates. Tantalizingly, phase separation has been implicated in both the acceleration and attenuation of reactions. 

The goal of lab’s research will be to understand how phase separation affects different classes of biochemical reactions and to uncover physicochemical principles that lead to acceleration vs. attenuation of reactions. Understanding how phase separation influences biochemical reactions will provide invaluable insights into the practical implications of this process in cellular function and how it can be leveraged for industrial applications. In addition, the lab’s findings could be utilized to design better enzymatic systems by coupling phase equilibria to reactions.