Publications

See Google Scholar for an up-to-date list.
*equal contribution, ccorresponding author

Preprints

  1. Substrate mediated mechanical forces enable optimal kinetic proofreading by T-cell receptors, N. Jeffreys*, J. M. Brockman, T. Heydari, B. A. Nerger, W. Jung, P. W. Zandstra, L. Mahadevanc, D. J. Mooneyc, S. Shankar*c, 2026 [biorXiv]
  2. Minding the gap: collective determinants of multiscale structure across interacting bacterial colonies, J. Moranc, M. Hinczewski, S. Shankar, K. B. Wood, R. J. Woods, L. Zaman, 2026 [biorXiv]
  3. Mechanical activity enables patterning and discrimination at the immune synapse, T. Wong, T. Chou, S. Shankarc, S. Wangc, 2025 (submitted) [arXiv]

Published articles

2026
Figure with (a) a schematic of a fluctuating polymer; (b) cell with actin and microtubules stained; (c) a buckled array of colloids; (d) a heatmap of a bent carbon nanotube. Scale bar shown.
  1. Thermalized buckling of extensible, semiflexible polymers
    R. Huangc, D. R. Nelson, S. Shankar
    Phys. Rev. E 113, 055418 (2026) (Editor’s suggestion)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
  1. Topological control of spontaneous failure in active nematic solids
    S. Chenc, M. Ricci, A. P. Tabatabai, Z. G. Sun, S. Shankar, M. Nitzan, M. P. Murrellc
    Nature Materials 25, 659-666 (2026)
    [DOI] [PDF]
  1. Soft matter: Concepts, Phenomena, and Applications – Book Review
    S. Shankar
    Am. J. Phys. 94(3): 255–256 (2026)
    [DOI] [PDF]
2025
  1. Mechanochemical feedback drives complex inertial dynamics in active solids
    S. Sarkar*, B. Ash*, Y. Wu, N. Boechlerc, S. Shankarc, X. Maoc
    Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 258301 (2025)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
  1. Turbulent mixing controls fixation of growing antagonistic populations
    J. Bauermann, R. Benzi, D. R. Nelsonc, S. Shankar, F. Toschi
    PNAS 122 (7) e2417075122 (2025)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
2024
  1. Active hydraulics and odd elasticity of muscle fibers
    S. Shankarc, L. Mahadevanc
    Nature Physics 20, 1501-1508 (2024)
    [DOI] [PDF] [bioRxiv]
  1. Design rules for controlling active topological defects
    S. Shankar*c, L. V. Scharrer*, M. J. Bowick, M. C. Marchettic
    PNAS 121 (21) e2400933121 (2024)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
2022
  1. Optimal transport and control of active drops
    S. Shankar*, V. Raju*, L. Mahadevanc
    PNAS 119 (35) e2121985119 (2022)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
  1. Spatial population genetics with fluid flow
    R. Benzi, D. R. Nelson, S.Shankarc, F. Toschi, X. Zhu
    Rep. Prog. Phys. 85 096601 (2022)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
  1. Quantifying and mimicking life – Book Review
    S. Shankar
    Physics Today 75, 8, 54 (2022)
    [DOI] [PDF]
  1. Boundaries control active channel flows
    P. Gulatic, S. Shankar, M. C. Marchetti
    Front. Phys. 10:948415 (2022)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
  1. Visceral organ morphogenesis via calcium-patterned muscle contractions
    N. P. Mitchell*, D. J. Cislo*, S. Shankar, Y. Lin, B. I. Shraiman, S. J. Streichanc
    eLife 11:e77355 (2022)
    [DOI] [PDF] [biorXiv]
  1. Topological active matter
    S. Shankar, A. Souslov, M. J. Bowick, M. C. Marchetti, V. Vitellic
    Nat. Rev. Phys. 4, 380-398 (2022)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
  1. Geometric control of topological dynamics in a singing saw
    S. Shankar*, P. Bryde*, L. Mahadevanc
    PNAS 119(17) e2117241119 (2022)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
2021
  1. Thermalized buckling of isotropically compressed thin sheets
    S. Shankarc, D. R. Nelson
    Phys. Rev. E 104, 054141 (2021)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
  1. Emergence of dynamic vortex glasses in disordered polar active fluids
    A. Chardac*, S. Shankar*, M. C. Marchetti, D. Bartoloc
    PNAS 118(10) e20182181182020 (2021)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
  1. Viscoelastic control of spatiotemporal order in bacterial active matter
    S. Liu*, S. Shankar*, M. C. Marchetti, Y. Wuc
    Nature 590, 80-84 (2021)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
  1. Excavating topology to find structure
    S. Shankar
    Physics 14, 12 (2021)
    [PDF]
2020
  1. Shape and size changes of adherent elastic epithelia
    B. Loewe*, F. Serafin*, S. Shankar*c, M. J. Bowick, M. C. Marchetti
    Soft Matter 16, 5282-5293 (2020)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
2019
  1. Hydrodynamics of Active Defects: from order to chaos to defect ordering
    S. Shankarc, M. C. Marchetti
    Phys. Rev. X 9, 041047 (2019)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
  1. Kirigami mechanics as stress relief by elastic charges
    M. Moshe*c, E. Esposito*, S. Shankar*, B. Bircan, I. Cohen, D. R. Nelson, M. J. Bowick
    Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 048001 (2019)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
  1. Nonlinear mechanics of thin frames
    M. Moshe*c, E. Esposito*, S. Shankar*, B. Bircan, I. Cohen, D. R. Nelson, M. J. Bowick
    Phys. Rev. E 99, 013002 (2019)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
2018
  1. Defect unbinding in active nematics
    S. Shankarc, S. Ramaswamy, M. C. Marchetti, M. J. Bowick
    Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 108002 (2018)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
  1. Hidden entropy production and work fluctuations in an ideal active gas
    S. Shankarc, M. C. Marchetti
    Phys. Rev. E 98, 020604(R) (2018)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
  1. Low-noise phase of a two-dimensional active nematic system
    S. Shankarc, S. Ramaswamy, M. C. Marchetti
    Phys. Rev. E 97, 012707 (2018) (Editor’s suggestion)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
2017
  1. Topological sound and flocking on curved surfaces
    S. Shankarc, M. J. Bowick, M. C. Marchetti
    Phys. Rev. X 7, 031039 (2017)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]
2016
  1. Probing the shear viscosity of an active nematic film
    P. Guillamat, J. Ignés-Mullol, S. Shankar, M. C. Marchetti, F. Saguésc
    Phys. Rev. E, 94, 060602(R) (2016)
    [DOI] [PDF] [arXiv]