Your DNA may be a string of code, but it’s also made of shapes that twist and fold. By combining math and biology, UC Davis researchers are able to predict R-loops, tiny structures that influence gene expression and even diseases like cancer.

Knots are a part of nature. From pocketed headphones to carelessly packed garden hoses, they find ways to manifest in strings and loops. This isn’t just a truth of mathematics; it’s a truth of biology. In fact, DNA molecules can also get tied into knots.

Three College of Letters and Science faculty from the University of California, Davis, are among 502 newly elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.