Haina's Computational Lab

Algorithms that cells live by

Welcome! I'm Haina Wang, currently a Center for Soft and Living Matter Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Pennsylvania. My advisors are Profs. Andrea J. Liu (Physics) and John C. Crocker (Chem. Bio. Eng.)

I uncover effective algorithms that cells, and living systems in general, have evolved to optimize biological functions and organism survival. Comparing nature's algorithms with state-of-the-art engineering solutions for similar functions, we can understand what biology prioritizes, develop new therapies, and create more sustainable and powerful materials.

Prior to joining Penn, I obtained my PhD in chemistry at Princeton University in 2024 under Prof. Salvatore Torquato. I worked on inverse and forward problems in statistical mechanics for classical and quantum systems.

I obtained my B.Sc. in chemistry and mathematics at the National University of Singapore in 2018.

Download my CV

Research Projects

I use statistical, geometrical and computational approaches to tackle complex problems in biology and chemistry. For example:

How does the actin cortex stay mechanically rigid, even when its architecture constantly changes?
What does the statistics of chromosome number variations in cancer cells tell us about their evolutionary history?
How do globular cytoskeletal proteins of several hundred nanometers self-assemble into large, functional bundles and networks that span the whole cell?
Can automatic differentiation accelerate simulation for learning physical systems, including liquids, mechanical networks and electrical circuits? What are physical equivalents of back-propagation?