Candice Etson

Candice Etson serves as an Assistant Professor of Physics at Smith College, conducting research at the intersection of physics and biology through advanced single-molecule methodologies to investigate biomolecular interactions and biochemical reaction mechanisms.

Her academic credentials include:

• Ph.D. from Harvard University
• B.A. from Hunter College of the City of New York
• B.F.A. from New York University

Specializing in molecular biophysics, Prof. Etson employs Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, single-molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (smFRET), single particle tracking, and fluorescence colocalization to analyze protein-DNA interactions, DNA modification mechanisms, macromolecular complex assembly, and DNA structural dynamics. Her work focuses on uncovering hidden intermediate states in biomolecular energy landscapes and differentiating static disorder (consistent molecular variations) from dynamic disorder (temporal property fluctuations) in processes like protein folding and enzyme catalysis.

Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent application of single-molecule techniques to DNA-protein systems, with significant contributions to understanding restriction endonuclease kinetics, Holliday junction binding, ParB chromosome segregation mechanisms, and DNA polymerase processivity - demonstrating interdisciplinary integration of biophysics, molecular biology, and enzymology.

She actively mentors undergraduate researchers, currently collaborating with students on constructing an optical trapping instrument to investigate molecular-scale force dynamics in biological processes, reflecting her commitment to hands-on experimental training.

Her laboratory develops cutting-edge single-molecule instrumentation and analytical approaches to probe fundamental biophysical principles underlying genetic and enzymatic systems.