Paul R Selvin

Paul R Selvin is a Professor of Biological Physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, affiliated with the Departments of Physics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Cell and Developmental Biology, and Chemistry. He earned his Ph.D. in Physics from UC Berkeley (1990) and joined UIUC in 1997. His research focuses on molecular motors, super-resolution microscopy, and biophysical techniques like FIONA (Fluorescence Imaging with One-Nanometer Accuracy). Selvin pioneered studies on motor protein mechanics, including kinesin and dynein, and developed quantum dot-based imaging technologies. He has received prestigious awards such as the Sackler Prize in Biophysics (2006) and the Gregorio Weber Award (2020).

Education: B.S. in Physics (University of Michigan, 1983), Ph.D. in Physics (UC Berkeley, 1990). Key research areas include neuroscience, single-molecule dynamics, and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Recent work explores in situ measurements in Planaria and C. elegans. His lab develops advanced imaging tools like STED and DNA-PAINT for cellular and subcellular visualization.

Notable contributions include discovering hand-over-hand motion in molecular motors and advancing quantum dot applications in live-cell imaging. His team collaborates across disciplines, integrating biophysics, nanotechnology, and cell biology. Awards also include the NSF CAREER Award (2000) and Fellowships from the American Physical Society and Research Corporation.