#  Manoharan Lab 

 



##  Understanding and Designing Structural Colors 

Victoria explains structural color in her Harvard Horizons talk



 

 [ Understanding and Designing Structural Colors arrow\_circle\_right ](/news/watch-victorias-harvard-horizons-talk) 

 

       ![Image of Victoria giving Harvard Horizons talk](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/manoharan/files/victoria-harvard-horizons-stills.png?h=37dce745&itok=Kmzd8doK) 

 

 



 

 



 

##  About us 

We are a research group in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Department of Physics at Harvard University. We do experiments to understand how complex systems such as interacting nanoparticles or proteins spontaneously order themselves — a process called self-assembly or self-organization. We use [optical techniques](/holographic-microscopy) that we develop in our lab to observe both natural systems (such as [viruses](/virus-physics)) and synthetic ones (such as [colloidal particles](/colloidal-clusters), perhaps dressed up with some [interesting biomolecules](/dna-and-colloids)) in three dimensions and on short time scales. We use the results of these studies to make useful materials and to gain a deeper understanding of the physics of assembly, organization, and life.



 

 



 [ Learn more about us arrow\_circle\_right ](/about-us) 

 

 

 

 

##  Latest news 

 



  [### Congratulations, Dr. McGuire and Dr. Sherif!

 ](/news/2025/05/congratulations-dr-mcguire-and-dr-sherif) May 30, 2025 

 Jennifer and Ahmed graduate this spring with their PhDs in Applied Physics. Here they are celebrating their 6 years together at their hooding ceremony. Congratulations to the new doctors! We can't wait to see what you will accomplish next. 

 

 

   ![Jennifer and Ahmed with their diplomas at the hooding ceremony](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-12/IMG_7561.jpg?h=36d559d1&itok=1Zo_vjGT) 

 



 

 

   [### Congratulations to our 2024 graduates!

 ](/news/congratulations-our-2024-graduates) May 23, 2024 

 A banner year Manoharan group with 3 new PhDs out into the world! Dr. Sun (Jessica) is off working away on a new bench at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Martin (Caroline) is headed for a postdoc at Brandeis by way of well-earned vacation in Greece, and Dr... 

 

 

   ![Image of Amelia, Caroline, and Jessica](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/img_8349.jpg?h=fc338c86&itok=9AcaJHzi) 

 



 

 

   [### Congratulations, Dr. Jessica Sun

 ](/news/congratulations-dr-jessica-sun) December 06, 2023 

 Jessica has defended her thesis, " Geometric Templating and Frustration of Two-Dimensional Colloidal Crystals." Cone-gratulations! 

 

 

   ![Jessica sun with her committee members after a successful defense.](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/manoharan/files/jessica_defense.jpg?itok=yomnIMbG)