National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Dr. Levin received his B.S. degree from the University of Virginia and his Ph.D. degree from Brown University, as well as having engaged in postdoctoral experience at the University of Washington and having served a tour in the military. Having spent his professional career at the National Institutes of Health, he is currently Scientific Director (Acting) of the Division of Intramural Research in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, in addition to being Chief, of the Section on Molecular Biophysics, at the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. His research interests lie primarily in the applications of vibrational infrared and Raman spectroscopic techniques toward the elucidation of the conformational, dynamical, thermodynamic, and functional properties of both intact and model membrane assemblies and related systems. Emphasis is placed on investigating the specific lipid-lipid and lipid-protein interactions governing biomembrane reorganizations. In particular, his efforts are directed toward defining and characterizing lipid microdomain formation as it pertains both to the existence of lateral heterogeneities and transverse asymmetries within biological membranes and to the ability and extent of these fluctuating microclusters, or domain motifs, to modulate integral membrane protein behavior. He has been at the forefront of developing spectroscopic infrared, Raman and visible reflectance imaging instrumentation. Specifically, his laboratory has provided pioneering technologies and studies in spectroscopic Fourier-transform infrared and Raman microimaging. Current efforts are in actively translating laboratory imaging research into clinical venues ranging from monitoring disease progression by means of spectroscopic histopathologic classifications to in vivo hyperspectral visible reflectance imaging for assessing tissue perfusion, vascular disease and endothelial dysfunction. Recent research efforts also involve the use of vibrational infrared spectroscopic imaging to pharmacodynamically characterize, monitor and quantify molecular changes mediated by specific drug introduction.
Dr. Levin has been internationally recognized for his spectroscopic accomplishments and has been honored with many awards, including the Bomem-Michelson Award by the Coblentz Society, the Meggers Award (three separate award occasions) presented by the Society for Applied Spectroscopy, the distinguished Harold A. Iddles Lecture Series sponsored by the University of New Hampshire, and is a Fellow of the American Physical Society's Biophysical Division and, separately, a Fellow in the their Division of Chemical Physics. He has also received the Lippincott Award in Vibrational Spectroscopy presented by the Optical Society of America. Dr. Levin is a Fellow of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy and has received Honorary Membership in the Society for his pioneering technologies and studies in spectroscopic Fourier transform infrared and Raman microimaging. Dr. Levin has also received the New York Section of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy Gold Medal Award for his spectroscopic research contributions. He has served on numerous editorial and foundation advisory boards and committees in various leadership capacities, has lectured extensively, and has authored and coauthored approximately two hundred and thirty publications, in addition to several patents, over the course of his career. Dr. Levin is a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Physical Society, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the Biophysical Society, the Coblentz Society, and the Society for Applied Spectroscopy.
