Rice Global India
Joint Faculty Research Award Winners
2025 JFRA Winners
- Theoretical and Computational Studies of Mechanisms of Functioning of RNA Riboswitches
- Compressive Stable Diffusion Model
- Exploring Material Properties and Polaritonic Chemistry in the Vibrational and THz Strong Coupling Regime
Theoretical and Computational Studies of Mechanisms of Functioning of RNA Riboswitches
Riboswitches are special RNA molecules that do not code for the proteins but regulate the processes of transferring genetic information in bacteria. They affect both transcription and translation, and they operate by changing their structures in response to the presence of specific molecules or ions. Riboswitches are exclusively present in bacteria and regulate the concentration levels of important metabolites in bacteria. Hence, they are critical for bacteria's survival and are recognized as targets for discovering new antibacterial drugs. The ability of riboswitches to bind to specific ligands and change structure is also promising for designing new metal ion sensors and other bioelectronics materials. At the same time, the microscopic picture of how riboswitches function remains not well understood. In this project, we investigate the molecular processes in riboswitches by utilizing a multi-scale theoretical approach that combines extensive computer simulations and discrete-state stochastic modeling. It is a collaboration between Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, India, and Rice University in Houston, Texas, USA.
Professor, Chemistry, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, and Physics & Astronomy |
Member, Ken Kennedy Institute
Rice University
Compressive Stable Diffusion Model
Stable Diffusion Models (SDMs) have revolutionized the field of image synthesis, establishing themselves as state-of-the-art due to their ability to generate high-quality and diverse images. However, their adoption in resource-constrained environments is limited by two significant challenges: (1) Longer Inference Time: SDMs rely on iterative denoising processes, which require multiple refinement steps for image generation. This iterative nature makes them slower compared to alternatives like Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). (2) Higher Computational Requirements: Both training and inference in SDMs demand substantial computational power, making them resource-intensive and less suitable for devices with limited capabilities, such as mobile devices or edge computing platforms. To address these issues, we propose combining SDMs with compressed sensing techniques, aiming to reduce inference time and computational demands without compromising image quality. This hybrid approach introduces compression at the input and output stages of the SDM pipeline, offering a more efficient alternative for image generation.
Professor, Computer Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Statistics |
Member, Ken Kennedy Institute
Rice University
Professor, Institute of Advancing Intelligence
TCG Crest
Exploring Material Properties and Polaritonic Chemistry in the Vibrational and THz Strong Coupling Regime
Cavity quantum electrodynamics (cQED) has provided a powerful framework for understanding and manipulating light-matter interactions. In the strong coupling (SC) regime, energy exchange between photons and material excitations occurs faster than their respective decay rates, forming polaritonic states. Ultrastrong coupling (USC) extends this concept by achieving coupling strengths comparable to a significant fraction of the mode energy, leading to nonperturbative effects. In the DSC regime, interaction energy surpasses the mode frequency, leading to novel quantum vacuum phenomena and new material properties. This collaboration aims to explore these coupling regimes to develop novel cavity-engineered materials with tailored electromagnetic properties for envisioned breakthroughs in nonclassical effects, applications in low- power quantum devices, novel photonic materials, and cavity-enhanced chemistry.
Director, Smalley-Curl Institute |
Karl F. Hasselmann Chair in Engineering |
Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Physics & Astronomy, and Materials Science & NanoEngineering |
Rice University
Assistant Professor, Inorganic and Physical Chemistry
Indian Institute of Science