Congratulations to Dr. Sandra Byju on the successful defense of her PhD thesis! As part of the celebration of this academic milestone, Dr. Byju will present her dissertation research to the Center for Theoretical Biological Physics (CTBP) at Northeastern University on February 24, followed by a lunch gathering.
Dr. Byju’s dissertation, titled “Quantifying the Dynamics and Functional Relationships of Collective Processes in a Biomolecular Assembly,” explores how large-scale, coordinated molecular motions drive biological function, with a particular focus on the ribosome—a complex molecular machine responsible for synthesizing proteins in all living cells.
Her research tackles a longstanding challenge in molecular biology: understanding how collective motions within large biomolecular assemblies, such as the ribosome and associated tRNA molecules, are coordinated and functionally interdependent. Using a combination of theoretical modeling and molecular dynamics simulations, Dr. Byju developed a comprehensive framework that describes ribosomal subunit rearrangements through both rotational and translational degrees of freedom.
A key finding of her work reveals a non-monotonic relationship between ribosomal subunit rotation and tRNA dynamics, influenced by the steric effects of a single ribosomal protein. In addition, her analysis of the free-energy landscape of subunit rotation has identified crucial inter-subunit bridge interactions that govern the rate-limiting steps of these motions.
These insights not only advance the mechanistic understanding of ribosomal function but also provide a generalizable framework for probing the role of collective dynamics in other complex biomolecular machines.
Dr. Byju’s research exemplifies the innovative spirit and scientific rigor of the CTBP community. We look forward to her upcoming presentation and the stimulating discussions it will inspire.
Please join us in CONGRATULATING Sandra Byju on this significant academic achievement and wish her continued success in her research and scholarly endeavors.