Brian Munsky wins 2010 Leon Heller Postdoc Publication Prize

Cristiano Nisoli receives honorable mention

June 8, 2010—Brian Munsky, a Richard P. Feynman Distinguished Postdoc Fellow in the Information Sciences and Advancement Measurement Science (CCS-3/B-9) groups, received the 2010 Leon Heller Postdoctoral Publication Prize in Theoretical Physics.

Munsky's work highly read

His winning paper, “Listening To The Noise: Random Fluctuations Reveal Gene Network Parameters," co-authored with Brooke Trinh and Mustafa Khammash, is published in Molecular Systems Biology. Since publication, the paper has been amongst the highest-accessed articles in that journal, and it has already formed the basis of several new collaborations between Munsky and other experimental teams. Michael Wall, also of CCS-3, nominated Munsky for the prize.

"I am deeply honored and tremendously excited to be receiving this year's Leon Heller Postdoctoral Prize in Theoretical Physics," Munsky said. "Our proposed integration of stochastic modeling and single-cell experiments will improve the understanding and controllability of gene regulation for applications ranging from healthcare to bio-fuel production. The Laboratory has all of the tools and capabilities needed to lead this progress, and being awarded this prize shows that the Lab shares my commitment to this important endeavor."

Honorable mention for Nisoli

Cristiano Nisoli, a Director’s Postdoctoral Fellow who works in the Condensed Matter & Complex Systems and Center for Non-linear Studies (T-4/T-CNLS) groups, received honorable mention for his paper, “Thermally Induced Local Failures in Quasi-One-Dimensional Systems: Collapse in Carbon Nanotubes, Necking in Nanowires, and Opening of Bubbles in DNA.” The paper, co-authored with Douglas Abraham, Turab Lookman, and T-4 Group Leader Avadh Saxena, was published in Physical Review Letters. Saxena nominated Nisoli for the award.

This biennial prize, jointly sponsored by the Laboratory and retired staff member Leon Heller, is awarded for the best article in theoretical physics published or accepted for publication after January 1, 2008. The article must describe work performed primarily during the tenure of the postdoctoral appointment. 

Colloquium this fall

Munsky will be honored at a Physics/Theoretical divisions colloquium this fall, where he will receive a monetary award and certificate and have the opportunity to present his award-winning research. Nisoli will also receive a certificate recognizing his work.