Steve Pressé, professor at Arizona State University’s School of Molecular Sciences and Department of Physics, has been appointed director of the Biodesign Institute Center for Single Molecule Biophysics.
Pressé will succeed Stuart Lindsay — founding director of the center and one of the first Biodesign Institute center directors — and lead the center’s efforts to advance discoveries at the intersection of physics, biology and computation. His research background spans chemistry, physics and quantitative biology; he has built an extensive network of interdisciplinary collaborations, an experience he says has prepared him to lead a center where scientific breakthroughs depend on bringing together expertise from across fields.
“The center is at an exciting stage in its evolution,” Pressé said. “Over the past two decades, advances in single-molecule science have progressed from highly controlled in vitro studies to increasingly sophisticated investigations within living systems.”
Looking ahead, he hopes to build on the center’s strong foundation while expanding its impact in quantitative biology, health and precision medicine by strengthening collaborations across biology, physics, chemistry, engineering, computation and medicine.
Pressé believes the future of single-molecule biophysics lies in the convergence of advanced imaging technologies, quantitative modeling, artificial intelligence and physics-based approaches. Together, he said, these tools will enable researchers to extract deeper insights from complex biological data and better connect molecular-level processes to cellular, tissue and clinical outcomes. Such advances could improve early disease detection, accelerate therapeutic development and support more personalized approaches to medicine.
As director, Pressé aims to cultivate a research community that supports scientists at every career stage while driving innovation across disciplines.
“I am committed to supporting students, postdoctoral scholars and early-career researchers while strengthening collaborations across ASU, health care partners and industry,” he said. “Ultimately, I want the center to remain a leader in fundamental discovery while expanding its impact on human health and medicine.”
By Rithwik Kalale | July 22, 2026 | Original article