Welcome

I am a graduate student in the Physics Department at Rutgers University.

Under the supervision of my adviser, Prof. Alexandre Morozov, my research consists of applications of Statistical Mechanics in Biology. I study the organization, dynamics and interactions of the DNA and the DNA-binding proteins (e.g. histones, transcription factors, etc.). The main question that we try to answer is: where do nucleosomes form genome-wide and what are the factors which dictate these positions? For this we study the DNA energetics and use physical models to reproduce in silico the organization inside the cell nuclei.

About Me

In Romania many students participate during the middle school and high school to the Science Olympiads. I am one of those kids... turned adult now.

I still love Physics.

Some of the awards that I won:

• Silver Medal at the International Physics Olympiad, Indonesia (2002)
• Bronze Medal at “Tuymaada” International Olympiad, Russia (2001)
• First Prize at Romanian National Physics Olympiad (1999, 2000, 2002)
  
  View my full CV here.

List of publications

1. Chereji, R.V., Tolkunov, D., Locke, G. & Morozov, A.V. – Statistical mechanics of nucleosome ordering by chromatin-structure-induced two-body interactions, Phys. Rev. E 83, 050903 (2011)
   
2. Chereji, R.V. & Morozov, A.V. – Statistical mechanics of nucleosomes constrained by higher-order chromatin structure, J. Stat. Phys. 144, 379404 (2011)
   
3. Petrenko, N., Chereji, R.V., McClean, M., Morozov, A.V., & Broach, J.R. – Noise and interlocking signaling pathways promote distinct transcription factor dynamics in response to different stresses (submitted)
   
4. Chereji, R.V. & Morozov, A.V. – New insights into nucleosome unwrapping (in preparation, draft available upon request)
   
5. Elfving, N., Chereji, R.V., Morozov, A.V., & Broach, J.R. – Mediator exists in multiple forms and is predominantly associated to promoters with low nucleosome density (in preparation, draft available upon request)

Contact

Mail:
Rãzvan V. Chereji
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Rutgers University
136 Frelinghuysen Road
Piscataway, NJ 08854-8019 USA

Office: Hill 263
Phone: 732 445 3160

E-mail: