Ilya J. Finkelstein

Ilya J. Finkelstein is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Biosciences at The University of Texas at Austin, with additional appointments at the Livestrong Cancer Institute, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, and Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology. He has held this position since 2019, after serving as an Assistant Professor from 2012-2019 at the same institution.

Dr. Finkelstein received his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley (1997-2001) and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University (2001-2007), where he worked with Michael D. Fayer. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University Medical Center with Eric C. Greene (2007-2012).

His research program focuses on developing biophysical tools to understand how molecular machines edit and repair genomes. Current research areas include CRISPR adaptive immunity, mammalian gene editing, and mechanisms of genome maintenance. His interdisciplinary approach combines single-molecule biophysics, high-throughput assays, and micro-/nano-scale engineering to study genomic integrity. The Finkelstein Lab has pioneered several innovative technologies including DNA curtains for high-throughput single-molecule imaging, the Fission Yeast Lifespan Microdissector (FYLM) for studying cellular aging, and the Chip-Hybridized Association Mapping Platform (CHAMP) for profiling protein-nucleic acid interactions.

Analysis of recent publications reveals a strong focus on CRISPR systems (particularly Cas13d and Cas12a), DNA repair mechanisms involving PARP1 condensates, and the biophysical principles underlying genome maintenance. His work bridges structural biology, molecular biophysics, and genomic engineering with significant implications for biomedical applications.

• National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2015)
• CPRIT Fellow in Cancer Research (2012)
• Norman Hackerman Award in Chemical Sciences, Welch Foundation (2021)
• Fellow, William H. Tonn Professorial Fund (2018)
• American Federation of Aging Research Junior Fellow (2014)

Dr. Finkelstein mentors numerous graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, with recent PhD graduates including Chia-Wei Chou, Ankur Annapareddy, and John Cooper. His research has been supported by multiple NIH grants, NSF funding including the CAREER Award, and cancer research initiatives through CPRIT. The Finkelstein Lab maintains active collaborations across multiple disciplines and institutions, contributing significantly to our understanding of genome maintenance mechanisms.

The lab operates state-of-the-art facilities for single-molecule fluorescence imaging, microfluidics development, and high-throughput genomic analysis. Current research directions include understanding CRISPR-Cas systems for genome editing applications, elucidating mechanisms of DNA repair in eukaryotic cells, studying the relationship between DNA damage and premature aging, and developing new biophysical methods for studying molecular machines.