معرفی
Tom Perkins is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder and a Fellow at JILA, a joint institute of NIST and CU Boulder. His research focuses on single-molecule biophysics, particularly the study of membrane proteins, protein folding dynamics, and nucleic acid interactions using advanced techniques like atomic force microscopy (AFM) and optical trapping. Perkins has pioneered improvements in single-molecule assay precision, including ultrastable AFM cantilevers and high-resolution optical trapping systems. His work addresses fundamental questions about energy landscapes in biomolecules and the mechanical basis of biological processes.
- Expertise: Single-molecule spectroscopy, mechanobiology, membrane protein energetics, AFM technology development.
- Key Projects: Characterizing bacteriorhodopsin unfolding, studying PRC2-DNA interactions, and optimizing SMFS instrumentation.
- Awards: 2021 Outstanding Postdoc Mentor Award, NSF grants, and NIH funding.
- Lab Website: jila.colorado.edu/perkins
His research group develops novel tools like force-activated DNA substrates and site-specific conjugation strategies to enhance experimental throughput and accuracy. Recent work includes quantifying energy changes in membrane proteins and imaging DNA in native-like conditions.
