معرفی
Joshua Atkinson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Omenn-Darling Bioengineering Institute at Princeton University. His interdisciplinary research program integrates synthetic biology, protein engineering, and electrochemistry to understand and control microbial electron transport across biological scales—from intracellular metabolic circuits to ecosystem-level geochemical cycles.
Dr. Atkinson earned his PhD in Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology from Rice University in 2019, where he developed ligand-gated protein switches in Escherichia coli. He was an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Southern California and Aarhus University, focusing on electromicrobiology and electron transport in microbial systems.
- PhD, Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology, Rice University, 2019
- BS, Microbiology, University of Michigan, 2012
His research aims to decode the biophysical principles underlying electron transfer in proteins and microbial communities and to engineer novel biotechnologies for sustainability, environmental monitoring, and bioelectronics. Key research themes include programming electroactive proteins, building living electronic devices, and manipulating microbial ecosystems for environmental remediation. The Atkinson Lab develops synthetic electron transport chains, protein switches, and biohybrid materials for applications in sensing, catalysis, and computation.
His recent work, published in Nature, ACS Synthetic Biology, and Nature Chemical Biology, demonstrates breakthroughs in real-time bioelectronic sensing of pollutants, light-induced patterning of biofilms, and engineered living electronic components. These studies reveal a strong focus on modular, tunable biological systems that interface with electronic materials to create responsive, low-power devices.
Scientific Awards:
- NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology (2020)
- Best Presentation, ISMET North American Meeting (2018)
- Lodieska Stockbridge Vaughn Fellowship (2018)
- DOE Office of Science Graduate Research Fellowship (2017)
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (2014)
Dr. Atkinson actively mentors graduate and undergraduate researchers through independent studies, senior theses, and funded summer programs such as BE-SURE and High Meadows Environmental Internship. He has secured research support through prestigious fellowships and collaborates with leading scientists in bioengineering and electromicrobiology. The Atkinson Lab emphasizes diversity, peer mentorship, and interdisciplinary training in engineering biology.
The lab is structured around three interconnected research thrusts: (1) Cells – engineering electron flow in metabolic circuits; (2) Devices – integrating engineered cells with electroactive materials for biosensing and catalysis; and (3) Ecosystems – controlling microbial community structure and geochemical cycles using electron transfer principles. Current lab members include postdoctoral fellows, PhD students, and undergraduates from diverse scientific backgrounds.
