Rate My Professor Kurt Andresen

Andresen's research focuses on electrostatics in biological systems, particularly polyelectrolytes such as DNA, RNA, and nucleosomes, investigating DNA aggregation through reentrant condensation, nucleosome compaction, ion competition, and chromatin mechanics using small-angle x-ray scattering, single-molecule force spectroscopy, and inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Key publications include Additive Modulation of DNA-DNA Interactions by Interstitial Ions (Biophysical Journal, 2020, co-corresponding author), Visualizing Disordered Single-Stranded RNA: Connecting Sequence, Structure, and Electrostatics (Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2020), Cation Dependent Electroosmotic Flow in Glass Nanopores (Applied Physics Letters, 2019, Editor’s Pick), Quantitative Analysis of Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy on Folded Chromatin Fibers (Nucleic Acids Research, 2015), Solution Scattering and FRET Studies on Nucleosomes Reveal DNA Unwrapping Effects of H3 and H4 Tail Removal (PLoS One, 2013), and Elucidating Inter-Nucleosome Interactions and the Roles of Histone Tails (Biophysical Journal, 2013). Funding achievements encompass the Single-Investigator Cottrell College Science Award (2011), multiple Gettysburg College Research and Professional Development Grants (2011-2015), and co-Principal Investigator on a National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation Award (2017). He teaches courses including Physics for Physics Majors I and II, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics, The Physics of Life, and Advanced Research Methods in Physics. Service roles include Faculty Personnel Committee, HHMI Grant Committee Leadership Team, Department Diversity and Inclusion Liaison, NSF and journal reviewer (Nature Communications, Scientific Reports), and co-host of the higher education podcast The Ivory Attic. In 2023, he received the Ronald J. Smith endowed professorship.