Sunil Saxena

Sunil Saxena is Professor of Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh's Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. His research develops pulsed electron spin resonance (ESR) methods to study protein-DNA interactions, biomolecular dynamics, and conformational changes in biological systems.

The Saxena Group innovates ESR methodology for distance measurements (1-9 nm) in spin-labeled complexes and pioneered site-directed Cu(II) labeling for proteins and nucleic acids. This enables direct measurement of protein backbone dynamics and high-precision structural analysis. Research combines spectroscopy with molecular dynamics simulations to investigate transcriptional regulation and enzyme mechanisms.

Awards and leadership roles include Vice-President of the International ESR/EPR Society (2025-2028), Provost's Award for Doctoral Mentoring (2024), and NSF CAREER Award (2004-2009). The lab trains students in interdisciplinary techniques spanning spectroscopy, molecular modeling, and protein biochemistry.