Elias Puchner

Elias Puchner is an Associate Professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota. His research focuses on the intersection of physics and biology, specifically studying cellular signaling processes using advanced microscopy techniques. He is based in the Physics and Nanotechnology Building at the University of Minnesota's Minneapolis campus.

Dr. Puchner's research investigates how cells sense environmental signals such as physical forces or small molecules, and how these signals are processed by intracellular signaling networks. His work spans multiple length scales - from mesoscopic structures like protein complexes and organelles to nanoscopic protein conformational changes. He employs quantitative super-resolution microscopy to resolve cellular structures below the optical diffraction limit and uses atomic-force microscopy based single molecule force spectroscopy to study protein dynamics.

His recent publications demonstrate expertise in single-molecule and super-resolution microscopy techniques applied to diverse biological questions including protein dynamics, autophagy initiation, chromatin structure, and lipid metabolism. His work consistently develops novel imaging approaches that push the boundaries of what can be visualized in living cells.

Dr. Puchner has secured significant research funding including an active NIH grant studying lipid droplets and subcellular metabolism (2023-2027) as Co-Investigator, and a previously completed NIH grant developing diffusion-contrast super-resolution microscopy (2018-2021) as Principal Investigator.

He actively mentors students through his laboratory research and participates in the National Science Foundation's Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Experience for Teachers (RET) programs, demonstrating commitment to scientific education and outreach.

The Puchner Lab (http://puchnerlab.umn.edu) combines synthetic biology, genetic engineering, and molecular biology with their specialty in quantitative single-molecule super-resolution microscopy to investigate the biophysical principles of cellular signaling networks, connecting single molecule behavior to whole cell responses.