Utkarsh Kapoor

Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering | Molecular and Life Sciences Program

Assistant Professor

Contact Information

(307) 766-2512Utkarsh.Kapoor@uwyo.edu

EERB 361A

Utkarsh Kapoor Image

Our research explores how molecules organize themselves to create complex structures and functions in biological and soft materials systems. We are particularly interested in how proteins and nucleic acids self-assemble, how these interactions drive biological processes like chromatin organization, and how we can harness these principles to design new materials.

We use computational models across multiple scales—from detailed atomistic simulations to simplified coarse-grained approaches—combined with polymer physics and machine learning to understand self-assembly and phase behavior. A major focus of our work is on biomolecular condensates and their role in shaping nuclear architecture and gene regulation.

In parallel, we apply our tools to address global challenges in sustainability, particularly the selective extraction and separation of rare earth elements. We are developing aqueous-ionic liquids and protein-based systems for critical mineral recovery, using molecular simulations to uncover the design rules that enable selective and energy-efficient separations.

Our group thrives on collaboration across disciplines. At the intersection of biology, chemistry, and materials science, we aim to uncover fundamental principles and design solutions that impact both biomedical and environmental applications.

Education

  • Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Oklahoma State University, 2018
  • B.E. (Hons.), Chemical Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS) – Pilani, 2012

Professional Experience

  • Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, 2021-2023
  • Postdoctoral researcher, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, 2019-2021
  • Process Engineer, Grasim Industries Ltd., India, 2013-2014

Research Interests

  • Computational biophysics and biomaterials design
  • Biomolecular self-assembly, phase behavior, and polymer nanocomposites
  • Multiscale modeling and simulation
  • Chromatin organization and rare-earth separations

Honors & Awards

  • UW LAMP Fellow, 2025-2026
  • UW Research Excellence Seed Grant Award, 2025-2026
  • UW CEPS Engineering Initiative Seed Grant Award, 2024-2025
  • NIH WY INBRE Pilot Award, 2024-2025
  • UW School of Computing Faculty Fellow Award University of Wyoming, 2023-2025
  • UW Derecho Professorship, University of Wyoming, 2023

Select Publications

  • T. Gemeinhardt, R. Regy, T. Phan, N. Pal, J. Sharma, O. Senkovich, A. Mendiola, H. Ledterman, A. Hendrickson, D. Lopes, U. Kapoor, A. Bihani, D. Sihou, Y. Kim, D. Jeruzalmi, B. Demeler, C. Kim, J. Mittal, N. Francis, "A disordered linker in the Polycomb protein Polyhomoetic tunes phase separation and oligomerization" Molecular Cell. 2025;85(11):2128-46.e15
  • U. Kapoor; Y. Kim; and J. Mittal, "Coarse-Grained Models to Study Protein-DNA Interactions and Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation", J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2024, 20, 4, 1717-1731
  • C. Her; T. M. Phan; N. Jovic; U. Kapoor; B. E. Ackermann; A. Rizuan; Y. Kim; J. Mittal; and G. T. Debelouchina, "Molecular interactions underlying the phase separation of HP1α: Role of phosphorylation, ligand and nucleic acid binding", Nucleic Acids Res., 2022, 50(22), 12702-12722
  • U. Kapoor  and A. Jayaraman, "Impact of Polydopamine Nanoparticle Surface Pattern and Roughness on Interactions with Poly (ethylene glycol) in Aqueous Solution: A Multiscale Modeling and Simulation Study", J. Phys. Chem. B, 2022, 126, 33, 6301-6313
  • U. Kapoor; A. Kulshreshtha; S. C. Brown; and A. Jayaraman, "Understanding the Effect of Heterogeneous Particle Functionalization on Graft-Matrix Wetting and Structure in Polymer Nanocomposites Containing Grafted Nanoparticles Using Multiscale Modeling and Simulation", ACS Appl. Polym. Mater., 2021, 3, 5642-5655
  • U. Kapoor and J. K. Shah, "Macroscopic Differentiators for Microscopic Structural Nonideality in Binary Ionic Liquid Mixtures", J. Phys. Chem. B, 2020, 124, 7849-7856
  • U. Kapoor, J. K. Shah, "Monte Carlo Simulations of Pure and Mixed Gas Solubilities of CO2 and CH4 in Nonideal Ionic Liquid–Ionic Liquid Mixtures", Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2019, 58 (50), 22569-22578