Robijn Bruinsma

Theoretical Condensed Matter

Office: 3-120 Knudsen
Phone: (310) 825-8539
email

Born: May 15, 1953, Haarlem, Netherlands

Educational Background:

• Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, B.S. in Physics.(19.74)
• Rijks-Universiteit Utrecht, M.S. in Physics (1976)
• University of Southern California., Ph.D. in Physics (1976)

Positions Held :

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University 1979-1980.
• Research Associate, Brookhaven National Lab.1980-1982.
• Visiting Scientist, IBM Research Center, Yorktown, 1982-1984.
• Assistant Professor of Physics, University of California, 1984-1988
• Associate Professor of Physics, University of California, 1988-1990
• Full Professor of Physics, University of California, 1990-present
• Chair, Theoretical Physics for the Life Sciences, Leiden University, 2001-present

Academic and Professional Honors:

• Pierre et Marie Curie Visiting Professorship (E.S.P.C.I.).(1994)
• Rothschild Foundation Fellowship.(1996)
• Fellow American Physical Society
• Distinguished Lecturer, College de France (1999)

Research Interest: (video)

My current work concerns the application of theoretical physics and numerical modeling to molecular biology. Emphasis is on the following areas:

• Numerical Simulation of Active Proteins and of Gene Transcription.
• Self-Assembly of Viruses (pdf).
• Self-Assembly of DNA and the Physics of Chromatin.
• Electrostatics of DNA and electrical transport along DNA.
• Adhesion of vesicles and cells.

Selected Publications

• Klapstein KD, Bruinsma R
  RecA force generation of hydrolysis waves
  BIOPHYS J 82 (1): 581 Part 2 JAN 2002
• Bruinsma R, Rondelez F, Levine A
  Flow-controlled growth in Langmuir monolayers
  EUR PHYS J E 6 (3): 191-200 NOV 2001
• Bruinsma R, Sackmann E
  Bioadhesion and the dewetting transition
  CR ACAD SCI IV-PHYS 2 (6): 803-815 AUG 2001
• Bruinsma R
  Liquid crystals of polyelectrolyte networks
  PHYS REV E 63 (6): art. no. 061705 Part 1 JUN 2001
• Schiessel H, Gelbart WM, Bruinsma R
  DNA folding: Structural and mechanical properties of the two-angle model for chromatin
  BIOPHYS J 80 (4): 1940-1956 APR 2001
• Kosztin I, Bruinsma R, Schulten K
  Conformational changes and force generation in the molecular switch protein H-Ras
  BIOPHYS J 80 (1): 1005 Part 2 JAN 2001
• Marx S, Guttenberg Z, Bruinsma R, et al.
  Measuring receptor-ligand unbinding forces with magnetic beads
  BIOPHYS J 80 (1): 1006 Part 2 JAN 2001
• Bruinsma R, Gruner G, D'Orsogna MR, et al.
  Fluctuation-facilitated charge migration along DNA
  PHYS REV LETT 85 (20): 4393-4396 NOV 13 2000
• Guttenberg Z, Bausch AR, Hu B, et al.
  Measuring ligand-receptor unbinding forces with magnetic beads: Molecular leverage
  LANGMUIR 16 (23): 8984-8993 NOV 14 2000
• Schiessel H, Rudnick J, Bruinsma R, et al.
  Organized condensation of worm-like chains
  EUROPHYS LETT 51 (2): 237-243 JUL 2000
• Klapstein K, Bruinsma R
  RecA force generation by hydrolysis waves
  J BIOL CHEM 275 (21): 16073-16083 MAY 26 2000
• Bruinsma R, Behrisch A, Sackmann E
  Adhesive switching of membranes: Experiment and theory
  PHYS REV E 61 (4): 4253-4267 Part B APR 2000
• Nardi J, Bruinsma R, Sackman E
  Vesicles as osmotic motors
  PHYS REV LETT 82 (25): 5168-5171 JUN 21 1999
• Rudnick J, Bruinsma R
  DNA-protein cooperative binding through variable-range elastic coupling
  BIOPHYS J 76 (4): 1725-1733 APR 1999
• Levine A, Ramaswamy S, Frey E, et al.
  Screened and unscreened phases in sedimenting suspensions
  PHYS REV LETT 81 (26): 5944-5947 DEC 28 1998
• Luz Z, Weger M, Bruinsma R, et al.
  Shlomo Alexander - Obituary
  PHYS TODAY 51 (12): 73-74 DEC 1998
• Nardi J, Bruinsma R, Sackmann E
  Adhesion-induced reorganization of charged fluid membranes
  PHYS REV E 58 (5): 6340-6354 Part B NOV 1998
• Bruinsma R
  Electrostatics of DNA cationic lipid complexes: isoelectric instability
  EUR PHYS J B 4 (1): 75-88 JUL 1998
• Albersdorfer A, Bruinsma R, Sackmann E
  Force spectroscopy on adhesive vesicles
  EUROPHYS LETT 42 (2): 227-231 APR 15 1998
• Ahsan A, Rudnick J, Bruinsma R
  Elasticity theory of the B-DNA to S-DNA transition
  BIOPHYSICS J74(1): 132-137 JAN 1998
• Julicher F, Bruinsma R
  Motion of RNA polymerase along DNA: A stochastic model
  BIOPHYS J 74 (3): 1169-1185 MAR 1998
• Prost J, Manneville JB, Bruinsma R
  Fluctuation-magnification of non-equilibrium membranes near a wall
  EUR PHYS J B 1 (4): 465-480 FEB 1998
• Bruinsma R, Mashl J
  Long-range electrostatic interaction in DNA cationic lipid complexes
  EUROPHYS LETT 41 (2): 165-170 JAN 15 1998
• Martin JI, Wang ZG, Zuckerman D, et al.
  Forces between surfaces with weakly end-adsorbed polymers
  J PHYS II 7 (8): 1111-1121 AUG 1997
• Nardi J, Feder T, Bruinsma R, et al.
  Electrostatic adhesion between fluid membranes: Phase separation and blistering (vol 37, pg
  371, 1997)
  EUROPHYS LETT 38 (2): 159-160 APR 10 1997
• Bruinsma R
  Les liaisons dangereuses: Adhesion molecules do it statistically
  P NATL ACAD SCI USA 94 (2): 375-376 JAN 21 1997
• Bekiranov S, Bruinsma R, Pincus P
  Solution behavior of polyethylene oxide in water as a function of temperature and
  pressure
  PHYS REV E 55 (1): 577-585 Part B JAN 1997
• Gelbart WM, Bruinsma R
  Compositional-mechanical instability of interacting mixed lipid membranes
  PHYS REV E 55 (1): 831-835 Part B JAN 1997
  
• Bruinsma R
  Rheology and shape transitions of vesicles under capillary flow
  PHYSICA A 234 (1-2): 249-270 DEC 15 1996
• Bruinsma R, Pincus P
  Protein aggregation in membranes
  CURR OPIN SOLID ST M 1 (3): 401-406 JUN 1996
• Lammert PE, Prost J, Bruinsma R
  Ion drive for vesicles and cells
  J THEOR BIOL 178 (4): 387-391 FEB 21 1996
• Prost J, Bruinsma R
  Shape fluctuations of active membranes
  EUROPHYS LETT 33 (4): 321-326 FEB 1 1996
• Bruinsma R.
  Theory of hydrodynamic convection in soap films
  PHYSICA A 216 (1-2): 59-76 JUN 1 1995
• Zuckerman D, Bruinsma R.
  Statistical-mechanics of membrane adhesion by reversible
  molecular-bonds
  PHYS REV LETT 74 (19): 3900-3903 MAY 8 1995
• Rudnick J, Bruinsma R
  Shape of domains in 2-dimensional systems ­ virtual
  singularities and a generalized wulff construction
  PHYS REV LETT 74 (13): 2491-2494 MAR 27 1995
• Schwartz DK, Knobler CM, Bruinsma R.
  Direct observation of langmuir monolayer flow-through a
  channel
  PHYS REV LETT 73 (21): 2841-2844 NOV 21 1994
• Bruinsma R, Goulian M, Pincus P.
  Self-assembly of membrane junctions
  BIOPHYS J 67 (2): 746-750 AUG 1994
• Bruinsma R, Prost J
  Fluctuation forces and the devils staircase of
  ferroelectric smectic C-asterisk-S
  J PHYS II 4 (7): 1209-1219 JUL 1994
• Bruinsma R, Rabin Y
  Mesoscopic physics of swollen polymer networks ­ statics
  and dynamics
  PHYS REV E 49 (1): 554-569 JAN 1994
• Prost J, Bruinsma R, Tournilhac F
  Theory of longitudinal ferroelectric smectics
  J PHYS II 4 (1): 169-187 JAN 1994
• Bekiranov S, Bruinsma R, Pincus p
  A primitive model for single-chain aqueous-solution
  behavior of peo under pressure
  EUROPHYS LETT 24 (3): 183-188 OCT 20 1993
• Rabin Y, Pekarski P, Bruinsma R
  Charge effects on density-fluctuations in stretched gels
  EUROPHYS LETT 24 (2): 145-149 OCT 10 1993
• Lederman M, Selinger JV, Bruinsma R, et al.
  Dynamics of the diluted ising antiferromagnet
  in the (h,t) plane
  PHYS REV B 48 (6): 3810-3819 AUG 1 1993
• Zuckerman D, Bruinsma R
  Chaotic drainage of soap films
  ABSTR PAP AM CHEM S 206: 179-COLL Part 1 AUG 22 1993
• Goulian M, Bruinsma R, Pincus P
  Long-range forces in heterogeneous fluid membranes (vol
  22, pg 145, 1993)
  EUROPHYS LETT 23 (2): 155-155 JUL 10 1993
• Larson RG, Winey KI, Patel SS, et al.
  The rheology of layered liquids - lamellar block-
  copolymers and smectic liquid-crystals
  RHEOL ACTA 32 (3): 245-253 MAY-JUN 1993
• Shi J, Bruinsma R, Bishop AR
  Excitations of the one-dimensional, 2-band peierls-hubbard
  model at 3/4 filling in the large-u limit
  PHYS REV B 47 (15): 9181-9188 APR 15 1993
• Goulian M, Bruinsma R, Pincus P
  Long-range forces in heterogeneous fluid membranes
  EUROPHYS LETT 22 (2): 145-150 APR 10 1993
• Rabin Y, Pekarski P, Bruinsma R
  Fluctuations in strained polymer gels
  ABSTR PAP AM CHEM S 205: 126-PMSE Part 2 MAR 28 1993
• Martin T, Bruinsma R, Platzman PM
  Quantum-theory of surface-adsorption
  PHYS REP 223 (3): 135-181 JAN 1993
• Bruinsma R, Dimeglio JM, Quere D. et al.
  Formation of soap films from polymer-solutions
  LANGMUIR 8 (12): 3161-3167 DEC 1992
• Rabin Y, Bruinsma R
  Strain effects on thermal fluctuations in soft solids ­
  butterfly patterns
  EUROPHYS LETT 20 (1): 79-85 SEP 1 1992
• Rabin Y, Bruinsma R
  Strain effects on thermal fluctuations in soft solids ­
  butterfly patterns
  EUROPHYS LETT 20 (1): 79-85 SEP 1 1992
• Lederman M, Selinger JV, Bruinsma R, et al.
  Low-temperature dynamics of a diluted ising
  antiferromagnet
  PHYS REV LETT 68 (13): 2086-2089 MAR 30 1992
• Bruinsma R
  Elasticity and excitations of minimal crystals
  J PHYS II 2 (3): 425-451 mar 1992
• Bruinsma R, Rabin Y
  Shear-flow enhancement and suppression of fluctuations in
  smectic liquid-crystals
  PHYS REV A 45 (2): 994-1008 JAN 15 1992
• Eklund EA, Bruinsma R, Rudnick J, et al.
  Submicron-scale surface roughening induced by ion-
  bombardment
• 
  PHYS REV LETT 67 (13): 1759-1762 SEP 23 1991
  Bruinsma R
  Growth instabilities of vesicles
  J PHYS II 1 (8): 995-1012 AUG 1991
• Shi J, Bruinsma R, Bishop AR
  Theory of vanadium dioxide
  SYNTHETIC MET 43 (1-2): 3527-3530 JUN 7 1991
• Martin T, Bruinsma R, Platzman PM
  Adsorption of positronium on metal-surfaces - theory
  PHYS REV B 43 (8): 6466-6473 MAR 15 1991
  
• Mills AP, Shaw ED, Leventhal M, et al.
  Evidence for quantum sticking of slow positronium
  PHYS REV LETT 66 (6): 735-738 FEB 11 1991
• Bruinsma R
  Growth instabilities of vesicles
  J PHYS-PARIS 51 (23): C753-C771 Suppl. C7 DEC 1 1990
• Golubovic I, Bruinsma R
  Surface-diffusion and fluctuations of growing interfaces
  PHYS REV LETT 66 (3): 321-324 JAN 21 1991
• Bales GS, Bruinsma R, Eklund EA, et al.
  Growth and erosion of thin solid films
  SCIENCE 249 (4966): 264-268 JUL 20 1990
• Bruinsma R
  The statistical-mechanics of meandering
  J PHYS-PARIS 51 (9): 829-845 MAY 1 1990
• Bruinsma R, Alexander S
  Theory of electrohydrodynamic instabilities in
  electrolytic cells
  J CHEM PHYS 92 (5): 3074-3085 MAR 1 1990
• Bruinsma R, Zangwill A
  Long-period polytype structures - reply
  PHYS REV LETT 64 (10): 1179-1179 MAR 5 1990
• Martin T, Bruinsma R
  Surface-adsorption - quantum reflection versus polaron
  collapse
  PHYS REV B 41 (5): 3172-3184 FEB 15 1990
• Tang C, Alexander S, Bruinsma R
  Scaling theory for the growth of amorphous films
  PHYS REV LETT 64 (7): 772-775 FEB 12 1990
• Bruinsma R
  Slow spreading of polymer melts
  MACROMOLECULES 23 (1): 276-280 JAN 8 1990
• Martin T, Bruinsma R
  Surface polaron - statics
  PHYS REV B 40 (12): 8290-8298 OCT 15 1989
• Bruinsma R
  Thermodynamics - what, if anything, is melting
  NATURE 341 (6242): 486-487 OCT 12 1989
• Bruinsma R
  Theory of polytypism and the fcc hcp transition
  PHASE TRANSIT 16: 275-285 Part B 1989
• Karunasiri RPU, Bruinsma R Rudnick J
  Growth dynamics of sputter deposition - reply
  PHYS REV LETT 63 (6): 693-693 AUG 7 1989
• Martin T, Bruinsma R, Platzman PM
  Critical-like behavior in quantum adsorption
  PHYS REV B 39 (16): 12411-12413 Part B JUN 1 1989
• Karunasiri RPU, Bruinsma R, Rudnick J
  Thin-film growth and the shadow instability
  PHYS REV LETT 62 (7): 788-791 FEB 13 1989
• Cornwall JM, Bruinsma R
  Quantum evolution of an unstable field in a desitter-space
  thermal bath
  PHYS REV D 38 (10): 3146-3157 NOV 15 1988
• Bruinsma R
  Diffraction from complex-crystals and pattern-
  recognition
  PHYS REV LETT 61 (17): 1966-1968 OCT 24 1988
• Martin T, Bruinsma R, Platzman PM
  Quantum reflection in the presence of dissipation
  PHYS REV B 38 (4): 2257-2266 AUG 1 1988
• Heidel B, Knobler CM, Hilfer R, et al.
  Pattern-formation at liquid interfaces
  PHYS REV LETT 60 (24): 2492-2495 JUN 13 1988
• Alexander S, Bruinsma R, Hilfer R, et al.
  Phase-separation by coupled single-crystal growth and
  polycrystalline fingering in al-ge - theory
  PHYS REV LETT 60 (15): 1514-1517 APR 11 1988
• Bruinsma R, Zangwill A
  Morphological transitions in solid epitaxial overlayers
  EUROPHYS LETT 4 (6): 729-735 SEP 15 1987
• Bruinsma R, Zangwill A
  Long-period structures in alloys - reply
  PHYS REV LETT 59 (4): 514-514 JUL 27 1987
• De’almeida JRL, Bruinsma R
  Replica symmetry-breaking in random-field systems
  PHYS REV B 35 (13): 7267-7270 MAY 1 1987
• Bruinsma R, Platzman PM
  Quantum reflection and dissipation
  PHYS REV B 35 (9): 4221-4223 MAR 15 1987
• Bruinsma R, Zangwill A
  Structural transitions in epitaxial overlayers
  J PHYS-PARIS 47 (12): 2055-2073 DEC 1986
• Bruinsma R, Maki K, Wheatley J
  Local modes in anharmonic solids and the kondo problem
  PHYS REV LETT 57 (14): 1773-1776 OCT 6 1986
• Bruinsma R, Maki K, Wheatley J
  Local modes in anharmonic solids and the kondo problem
  PHYS REV LETT 57 (14): 1773-1776 OCT 6 1986
• Bruinsma R, Mihaly L
  A ginzburg-landau theory for hysteresis in charge-density
  wave systems
  SOLID STATE COMMUN 59 (12): 881-885 SEP 1986
• Bruinsma R.
  Spin-glass on a bethe lattice - comment
  PHYS REV LETT 57 (2): 272-273 JUL 14 1986
• Bruinsma R, Coppersmith SN
  Anderson localization and breakdown of hydrodynamics in
  random ferromagnets
  PHYS REV B 33 (9): 6541-6544 MAY 1 1986
• Aeppli G, Bruinsma R
  Nonequilibrium behavior of the random field ising-model
  J MAGN MAGN MATER 54-7: 25-26 Part 1 FEB 1986
• Bruinsma R, Bak p
  Quantum tunneling, dissipation, and fluctuations
  PHYS REV LETT 56 (5): 420-423 FEB 3 1986
• Bruinsma R, Zangwill A
  Theory of the HCP-FCC transition in metals
  PHYS REV LETT 55 (2): 214-217 1985
• Bak P, Bruinsma R
  Dislocation-loop theory of the NEMATIC SMECTIC-A SMECTIC-C
  multicritical point - comment
  PHYS REV LETT 54 (15): 1731-1731 1985
• Aeppli G, Bruinsma R
  Hexatic order and liquid density-fluctuations
  PHYS REV LETT 53 (22): 2133-2136 1984
• Zangwill a, bruinsma R
  Origin of martensitic pseudoelasticity
  PHYS REV LETT 53 (11): 1073-1076 1984
• Bruinsma R
  Random-field ising-model on a bethe lattice
  PHYS REV B 30 (1): 289-299 1984
• Bruinsma R, Aeppli G
  Interface motion and nonequilibrium properties of the
  random-field ising-model
  PHYS REV LETT 52 (17): 1547-1550 1984