Nikhil S. Malvankar

Nikhil S. Malvankar is an Associate Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University’s School of Medicine. He leads the Protein Nanowires Lab and holds affiliations with the Yale Microbial Sciences Institute and multiple interdisciplinary centers including the Center for Brain & Mind Health and Climate Change and Health Initiative. His research focuses on microbial nanowires, electron transfer mechanisms, and applications in environmental remediation and human health.

Malvankar completed his PhD in condensed matter physics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, then transitioned to microbiology during his postdoc. His work bridges structural biology, biochemistry, and biophysics to study how microbes use conductive protein nanowires for energy exchange. Key achievements include identifying novel electron transfer pathways and mechanisms of nanowire conductivity.

His research spans four core areas: fundamental nanowire assembly studies, environmental restoration via microbial electron exchange, rhizosphere health through plant-microbe interactions, and clinical applications targeting pathogenic bacteria. Techniques used include cryo-electron microscopy, spectroelectrochemistry, and computational modeling in collaboration with chemists and physicists.

Malvankar has received prestigious awards including the Blavatnik Award for Innovation (2021), Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, and multiple NIH/NSF grants. His lab actively collaborates internationally and offers interdisciplinary training in biophysical, biochemical, and computational approaches.