I am dedicated to engineering proteins for a more sustainable future that benefits all.

Inside every cell in our body or any living thing, there are many proteins that are hard at work. They are what your eyes allow you to detect light, and instructions in your DNA to be read to, which ultimately make each of us unique. By interacting with substrates, performing precise chemical reactions, and transducing signals, proteins govern a wide range of functions in living cells. In addition to the protein’s amino acid sequence and structure, the environment plays a crucial role in determining its function. I develop computational models to study proteins and their interactions with different environments ranging from water, cellular membranes or polymers, and synthetic materials. The primary goal of my research group will be to develop and use cutting-edge computational tools such as molecular simulations, mathematical modeling, and machine learning to tackle big problems, from infectious diseases to climate change. I will develop a combination of multi-scale physics-based and machine learning tools to understand the mechanism and design new proteins in the cellular membrane to study cancer progression, design cell membrane-targeted protein nano-assemblies, and in the presence of other polymers to study protein polymer phase-behavior. 

Teaching and mentoring are at the forefront of my goal to enable a more sustainable and equitable future. I will build a learning environment for a diverse group based on respect, equity, and inclusion. 

In the Spring of 2024, I have joined as an assistant professor at the Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida. 

PhD, Master's, and Undergraduate students: I am actively looking for highly motivated graduate (fully funded positions), master's, and undergraduate students. If you are interested, please reach out (rituparnasamanta[at]usf[dot]edu or rituparna[at]utexas[dot]edu) with your CV.