Steven M. Abel Research Group

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Abel develops theoretical and computational approaches to cell biology and immunology. His group investigates how signaling networks, membranes, and the cytoskeleton interact across space and time, including antigen recognition by immune cells and intracellular transport. Research uses statistical mechanics and simulations of soft biological materials to examine spatial and stochastic effects that simpler models can overlook. Listed projects address actin organization and crowding in cell-sized compartments. The appeal is understanding cellular behavior through quantitative models that connect molecular interactions with the physical organization of a living cell.