Rice University | News & Media

12/12/2007

Bioengineering's Jianpeng Ma elected APS fellow

FROM RICE NEWS STAFF REPORTS

Rice University's Jianpeng Ma has been elected as a fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) -- one of the highest academic achievements in physics. No more than one-half of one percent of APS members can be elected to fellowship.

JIANPENG MA

In electing Ma, APS cited his "outstanding contributions to the field of biophysics in developing novel computational methods that have substantially expanded one's ability to simulate, model and refine flexible biomolecular systems based on experimental data at low to intermediate resolutions. He is one of the pioneers and leading experts in the field."

Ma, associate professor of bioengineering at Rice and associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Baylor College of Medicine, conducts groundbreaking research at the frontier of modern computational biophysics and structural biology.

Ma's research centers upon the relationship between structure and function in biological molecules, and he specializes in using computers to simulate and to explore these relationships. The research is focused in three directions: algorithmic development for computer simulation of supermolecular complexes, computer-aided drug design and structural refinement for experimental methods such as x-ray crystallography and electron microscopy reconstruction.

Among Ma's previous honors are the Welch Foundation's Norman Hackerman Award for Chemical Research, 2004; the NSF CAREER Award, 2003-2008; and the Award for Chinese Distinguished Young Scholars Abroad, 2003-2005.

The names and fellowship citations of all those elected this year will be published in the March 2008 issue of APS News.