Nikhil S. Malvankar
Associate Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry
Nikhil Malvankar studying the structures, functions and mechanisms of conductive protein filaments (nanowires) Geobacter uses to transport electrons derived from metabolism to produce electricity and clean up toxic waste. Nikhil’s team discovered that these filaments show high conductivity due to continuous arrangement of cytochrome hemes. Nikhil’s team is now using these nanowires to develop new methods to control climate change and reduce hazardous health effects.