QnAs with W. E. Moerner

Abstract

The interplay of light and matter has long preoccupied Stanford University physical chemist W. E. Moerner. As a scientist at IBM Research during the late 1980s, Moerner developed then-novel techniques to configure holograms by altering the light-refracting properties of a polymer. Today, Moerner uses the power of light to probe how individual biological molecules behave within and without the seeming clutter of living cells. Moerner was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in recognition of his work, in particular the optical detection and spectroscopy of single molecules. Those studies opened a window into the nanoscale world of cells, offering biologists a view into the workings of life-sustaining proteins, one molecule at a time. Over the years, that view has grown into a vista with highlights on protein clumping, enzyme kinetics, and neuronal function, thanks to a growing suite of sophisticated biophysical tools. Single-molecule studies, says Moerner, fill a gaping information void in biology by revealing nuances in molecular structure and function, often buried in averages in traditional biological studies. Moerner explains the essence of his single-molecule research to PNAS. W. E. Moerner. > PNAS:What can single-molecule studies reveal that traditional biophysical and biochemical methods cannot? > Moerner:A living cell is like a busy factory with dozens of machines …