Trevor GrandPre, an assistant professor of physics, is an inaugural recipient of Scientific American’s Young Scientist Award. The award, announced in the June 2026 issue of the magazine, is open to early-career scientists based in the United States and was created to recognize “the next great superstars in science, technology, and medicine.”
In work that bridges physics and biology, GrandPre uses computation, physical modelling, and machine learning to study cellular phase transitions, a fundamental process that helps living cells organize themselves. His research seeks to explain how liquid-like droplets called condensates form inside cells, a phenomenon with wide implications for human health.
GrandPre and his group are committed to identifying the physical mechanisms that allow condensates to form and remain intact. “Phase transitions are a fundamental part of life, but we don’t fully understand how or why they happen,” he said. He is also interested in the physics of gene regulation, carbon capture and photosynthesis, and immunology.
“I was surprised and honored to receive this recognition,” said GrandPre, one of 28 scientists nationwide selected for the inaugural award. “It has really motivated me to keep doing what I’m doing.”
In its call for nominations, Scientific American said it was looking for “the future generation of leaders, the innovators, the people making big discoveries and solving the toughest problems.”
GrandPre was nominated by Mikhail Tikhonov, an associate professor of physics.
"What makes Trevor so remarkable is his ability to build new mathematical frameworks to solve highly practical, real-world puzzles,” Tikhonov said. “His groundbreaking work has important implications ranging from understanding the cellular mechanisms behind neurodegenerative diseases to engineering carbon-fixation systems to fight climate change. This award is a testament to the real, tangible impact he is already making."
GrandPre came to WashU in 2025 as part of the Rules of Life Initiative, a collaboration among the departments of biology, chemistry, and physics that promotes cross-disciplinary research to address fundamental questions about life on Earth.
