The Institute of Theoretical Science is a center for research in several interrelated disciplines that encompass mathematics, theoretical chemistry, and theoretical physics.

Research interests of the institute's members include particle physics (ideas for physics beyond the standard model, quantum chromodynamics, heavy ion physics, accelerator design), astrophysics and cosmology (dark energy, neutron stars, general relativity), condensed matter physics and statistical mechanics (quantum phase transitions, liquid crystals, complex fluids and polymers), mathematics (group theory, algebraic geometry, the geometrization conjecture, partial differential equations), atomic physics (highly excited atoms), nonlinear dynamics (highly excited vibrations of molecules, chaos), optical physics (microcavity optics), biophysics (flocking, protein dynamics, signal transduction mechanisms), and the foundations of quantum mechanics (quantum control theory and quantum computing, quantum manifestations of chaos).

The Institute provides research space for faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, and students, and fosters the exchange of ideas that lead to cross-fertilization and new insights across disciplines.