Lab of Sujit Datta @Caltech studying transport of soft (“squishy”) and living systems to address challenges in biotech, energy, medicine, & sustainability.
Pasadena, CA
Joined January 2020
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Datta Lab retweeted
Bacteria can escape viral predators by collectively swimming along chemical gradients, which allows the population to outpace the spreading infection, according to a new study. @TheSquishyLab @Caltech @Princeton scim.ag/4im5B1W
Thrilled to see this work published in Science Advances.
Check it out at doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aeg23…!
In it, we describe how bacteria use collective migration to outrun spreading infection by phage predators. Summary below!
Excited to release our latest work, led by former postdocs Victoria Muir & @almcalvo, along with Ned Wingreen: biorxiv.org/content/10.64898…!
We found that bacteria use chemical cues to outrun viral predators—establishing a new ecological role of chemotaxis! 🦠
Summary ⬇️ [1/8]
Honored to be a fellow of the @APSphysics; this reflects the creativity & effort of all the students & postdocs I've worked with. Thank you to my trainees, collaborators, colleagues, mentors, and the soft matter community for supporting & inspiring me.
caltech.edu/about/news/three…
Excited to see our collaboration with @KatrinaVelle, @FritzLaylin, & others published in @PNASNews. In it, former postdocs @RamaswamyMeera & @BabakVH studied how a relative of "brain-eating" amoebae move through sediment-like packings. 🦠
Check it out at doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2534165…!
Datta Lab retweeted
1/17 Submissions are now open for the 2027 Microbial Population Biology GRC! We expect this meeting to be extraordinarily oversubscribed. If you want to come, time is of the essence--apply early!
June 27–July 2 • Andover, NH
grc.org/microbial-population…
Datta Lab retweeted
New KITP summer program: Phenotypic Heterogeneity & Collective Behavior in Biofilms — summer 2027 at UCSB.
Weeks of seminars, blackboard sessions, and time to think. Apply: kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/bio…
Datta Lab retweeted
Study of bacteria in liquid crystals to better emulate their natural environments reveals how the physical forces influence their life
📹 Sebastian Gonzalez La Corte & Thomas G. J. Chandler et al @Princeton in @PNASNews
➡️ bpod.org.uk/archive/2026/8/2…
Thrilled to see this work published in @PNASNews .
Check it out at doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2536343…!
In it, we describe how bacteria growing in nematic liquid crystals form single cell-wide 'chains' that buckle in unusual ways.
Summary below! ⬇️
Excited to release our latest work, led by former PhD student @sesgonzalez along with @TGJChandler, @SaverioIV, & Ned Wingreen: arxiv.org/abs/2512.12406!
We found that bacteria growing in liquid crystals (LCs) form 'chains' that buckle in weird ways... 🦠🍜
Summary ⬇️ [1/6]
Excited to release a review led by postdocs Pablo Bravo, @DharTanumoy, Eloise Masquelier, & PhD student Danielle Sclafani: arxiv.org/abs/2607.10734!
We argue that studying the feedback between bacteria & soil is an exciting frontier for physics. 🌱🦠
Tweetorial follows... [1/5]
Life in soil demands the attention of biological physicists: it is fundamentally interesting and key to understanding the sustainability of this planet. Our goal here is to draw attention to this area by framing open problems & clarifying directions for research. [4/5]
Thrilled that former postdoc @BabakVH is joining the faculty at UC Berkeley! Babak studied how bacteria self-organize in confinement (doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2503983…) & how yeast use biogenic CO₂ bubbles to escape confinement (arxiv.org/abs/2604.07768). Many exciting things to come! 🎉
I am thrilled to announce that I will be joining the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, @UCB_Chemistry, @UCBerkeley as an Assistant Professor in January 2027!
I am incredibly excited for this next chapter. 🐻 (1/6)
Datta Lab retweeted
We’re bringing all of our research updates together in one place. Follow @apsjournals for the full portfolio of research and publishing news.
ALT Collage-style graphic featuring abstract physics-inspired visuals in shades of blue, purple, and teal arranged in angled rectangular panels. Designs include glowing particle trails, wave patterns, orbital paths, light streaks, and fractal-like energy forms. The white APS logo appears in the upper-right corner against a dark background.
Excited to release our latest work, led by PhD alumnus of the group Emily Chen: arxiv.org/abs/2605.27731!
We provide a mechanistic explanation for why polymer solutions anomalously "flow thicken" in porous media—but not in bulk. 🧽💧
Tweetorial follows... [1/6]
The missing piece of physics was polymer extension at stagnation points in the pore space. As fluid squeezes past each obstacle, polymers stretch, which costs energy and adds to the macroscopic pressure drop. Emily direct linked this pore-scale physics to macroscopic flow. [5/6]
It was a pleasure to work on this project with Simon Haward & @ShenU_OIST.
As always, we'd love to hear your feedback. Please RT/share with whoever might be interested! [7/7]