Dr. Robert Tycko is a distinguished biophysicist renowned for his pioneering contributions to nuclear magnetic resonance methodology and its applications in biological systems. He currently serves as an NIH Distinguished Investigator and Senior Investigator in the Laboratory of Chemical Physics at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Dr. Tycko received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in chemistry from Princeton University and the University of California at Berkeley followed by postdoctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania. After establishing himself as a Member of Technical Staff at AT&T Bell Laboratories in 1986 he joined the National Institutes of Health in 1994 where he has since made seminal contributions to the field of structural biology.
Dr. Tycko's laboratory is best known for groundbreaking developments in solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance methodology particularly for studying complex biological systems that resist conventional structural analysis. His work on the structural characterization of amyloid fibrils associated with Alzheimer's disease has provided unprecedented insights into the molecular architecture of these pathogenic protein assemblies including fibrils derived directly from human brain tissue. The development of time-resolved solid-state NMR techniques has enabled the study of dynamic biological processes such as protein folding and amyloid self-assembly with millisecond resolution representing a major methodological advance in the field. Additionally his innovative application of low-temperature dynamic nuclear polarization has pushed the boundaries of magnetic resonance imaging setting a new record for spatial resolution at 1.7 microns in three dimensions.
As a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Dr. Tycko has significantly shaped the trajectory of magnetic resonance research through his leadership as Past President of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance. His extensive publication record including highly influential papers on segmental isotopic labeling cryo-EM image analysis for helical reconstruction and polymorph-specific kinetics of amyloid fibril growth continues to guide researchers worldwide. Dr. Tycko's current research focuses on advancing millisecond time-resolved solid-state NMR initiated by rapid temperature jumps opening new avenues for studying previously inaccessible biomolecular dynamics. Through his continued methodological innovations and structural studies of protein assemblies Dr. Tycko remains at the forefront of biophysical research bridging the gap between physical methodology development and critical biological questions with profound implications for understanding neurodegenerative diseases.
