Mariel Vazquez

My research lies at the interface of mathematics, polymer physics, and molecular biology. I specialize in the application of topological tools to study DNA. My work is currently focused on two lines of inquiry: (1) DNA Topology: the mechanism of site-specific recombination, topoisomerase action, and the packing of chromosomes in human cells and viral capsids; using mathematical tools including know theory, low-dimensional topology, and Monte Carlo simulations; and (2) Chromosomal Aberrations and Cancer: analysis of cancer genomic data and mechanisms of repair pathways; using biophysical models, graph theory, and topological data analysis.