Dr. Anita Goel – Studying DNA Using Physics

Anita Goel, MD, PhD, is another example of a polymath who is able to combine seemingly disparate disciplines to understand natural phenomena – physics and genetics. Named one of the world’s 35 most promising researchers under the age of 35 by MIT’s Technology Review Magazine, Dr. Goel of Harvard University is studying how DNA polymerase replicates DNA.

“There’s this sense of wonder, with a lot of nature around you,” Goel said. “We understand so much about atoms and molecules, but do we really understand the basic physics of life?”

Dr. Goel likens DNA polymerase to a nanoscale motor that converts chemical energy into mechanical energy as it moves along a strand of DNA. In addition to studying DNA replication, she is developing new methods for detecting viruses and bacteria with potential use in counter-terrorism. This work is performed with her company, Nanobiosym.

Harvard University Gazette, December 8, 2005