Brian Chapados

Brian at Wind N' Sea beach in La Jolla, CA

I am a structural biologist at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA, USA. I'm currently studying enzymes involved in DNA replication and repair using a combination of X-ray crystallography and biochemistry (if this sentence made no sense to you, try this). I have a strong background in biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics. I've learned most of what I know about the mathematics of complex systems on my own without any "formal" training.

For the last few years I've studied the detailed chemical mechanisms of a few proteins and enzymes underlying key biological processes. That said, I'm always looking for ways to integrate biological information across different scales. I'm interested in studying complex systems because I see it as a way of unifying common principles shared among several fields.

Aside from work, I also enjoy music (especially jazz), sailing, and hockey (go Sabres!).