Undergraduate Research Opportunities

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AI based discovery of protein materials

Project Description:

AI-driven discovery of protein materials is quickly transforming materials science by overcoming the slow pace of traditional experimental screening. Tools like AlphaFold and generative deep learning models enable researchers to accurately predict protein 3D structures from amino acid sequences and, importantly, to de novo design completely new protein sequences that fold into specific structures with desired functions. This ability speeds up the development of new biomaterials with customized properties, such as programmable carriers, self-assembling nanostructures, or sustainable alternatives to plastics, paving the way for a new era of precision biological engineering for applications ranging from medicine to environmental technology.

Faculty Name and Email:

Melik Demirel mcd18@psu.edu

Research Area(s):

synthetic biology/materials science

Number of Available Positions:

1

Project Start Date:

Spring 2026

Remote or In-Person or Hybrid?

Hybrid

Estimated Time Commitment:

10 hours/week

Potential for Summer Research Continuation:

Maybe

Potential for Research Credit (496/497) or Independent Study:

Yes

Required Courses or Skills:

computational skills in coding

Preferred Student Background:

math, physics, engineering, biology