“Looking small things with big microscopes”

Dr. Mrigank Singh Verma is committed to pioneering advancements in microscopy and spectroscopy, particularly through the development of state-of-the-art imaging techniques and microscopes. His objective is to seamlessly bridge fundamental science with practical applications, thereby significantly advancing biophysics, physical chemistry, and materials science. In his current role, Dr. Verma aspires to create cutting-edge microscopes and imaging systems for the multimodal characterisation of responsive materials and polymers. He seeks to surpass existing methodologies, enabling the detection of single-molecule level modulations in response to external stimuli.

Dr. Mrigank Singh Verma, born in India in 1993, embarked on an academic journey that began with the attainment of a Bachelor of Science degree in 2013, followed by a Master of Science in Chemistry in 2015. His scholarly pursuits culminated in 2022 with a doctorate from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur under super vision of Prof. Manabendra Chandra, where he conducted pioneering research in nonlinear plasmonics and dark-field microscopy.

Post-PhD, Dr. Verma had the opportunity to work under the mentorship of Prof. Gerd Ulrich Nienhaus at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany. Over a span of two years, he delved into the intricate world of single-molecule localisation of RNAs and proteins, significantly advancing the frontiers of this cutting-edge field.

He joined the group of Prof. Peter Zijlstra in 2024 for developing multimodal microscopes and imaging techniques for polymeric materials.