Contact Information

Jané Kondev
Abelson 301
(781) 736-2812
kondev@brandeis.edu


Group website

Jané Kondev

Jane' KondevProfessor of Physics
Ph.D., Cornell University, 1995

Jané Kondev is a theoretical physicist who works primarily on problems in molecular and cell biology.  Research in the Kondev group is driven by quantitative experiments on single molecules and single cells, which are typically performed in biology labs the group collaborates with. The goal is to provide a mathematical framework that can explain the available quantitative data, and makes testable predictions that can guide new experiments.  Members of the group are inspired by the new vistas that open up when life's processes are described in the language of theoretical physics, thus providing new insights about outstanding problems in biology.   

Sample of Current Projects

  • Transcriptional regulation of gene expression. 
  • Chromosome organization in bacteria and yeast.
  • Tethering motifs in molecular biology. 
  • Effects of confinement and crowding on bi-molecular reaction rates.

CV and list of publications 


Recent Ph.D. Students

Daniel Reeves (2010) "Diffusion Limited Reactions in Poorly Mixed Environments." Present Position: Postdoc, MIT, Department of Earth Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, MA

Joshua Martin (2008) "Polymer Models of Chromatin" Present Position: Postdoctoral Associate, Duke University, National Evolution Synthesis Center

Ercan Kamber (2008) "Statistical Physics at Crowding and Confinement" Present Position: Vice President of HPC Engineering at RAID, MA

Ashok Prasad (2006) "Macromolecules in Flatland" Present Position: Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Colorado State University, CO


Sample of Recent Publications

"Operator sequence alters gene expression independently of transcription factor occupancy in bacteria." Garcia HG, Sanchez A, Boedicker JQ, Osborne ML, Gelles J, Kondev J, Phillips R (2012) Cell Reports, 2(1):150-161.

"Dynamics of homology searching during gene conversion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed by donor competition."  Coïc E, Martin J, Ryu T, Tay SY, Kondev J,Haber JE (2011) Genetics, 189(4):1225-33.

"Mechanism of transcriptional repression at a bacterial promoter by analysis of single molecules." Sanchez A, Osborne ML, Friedman LJ, Kondev J, Gelles J (2011) EMBO J. 30(19):3940-6.

"Regulation of biochemical reaction rates by flexible tethers." Reeves, D., Cheveralls, K., Kondev, J. (2011) Phys. Rev. E 84:021914.

"Effect of Promoter Architecture on the Cell-to-Cell Variability in Gene Expression." Sanchez A, Garcia HG, Jones D, Phillips R, Kondev J (2011) PLoS Comput Biol 7(3): e1001100.