Position Title
Technical Director
Dr. Thomas Wilkop leads the UC Davis Molecular and Cellular Biology Light Microscopy Core, bringing more than two decades of experience in advanced optical microscopy, biophysical instrumentation, and interdisciplinary life science research. He specializes in the development and application of state-of-the-art imaging technologies—including lattice light-sheet, super-resolution, and high-content screening microscopy—to address complex biological questions from molecular to cellular scales.
At UC Davis, Dr. Wilkop has revitalized and expanded the Light Microscopy Core into one of the most efficient and comprehensive imaging facilities in the UC system, supporting users from over twenty departments. His work integrates custom instrument design, workflow optimization, and quantitative image analysis to enable high-impact, reproducible research across plant and animal systems.
Prior to joining UC Davis, Dr. Wilkop served as Associate Director of the Light Microscopy Core at the University of Kentucky and as Project Scientist in UC Davis’s Plant Sciences Department, where his research focused on cell division and endomembrane trafficking in plants. He has extensive expertise in fluorescence spectroscopy, nonlinear optics, and membrane biophysics, and has contributed to over 50 peer-reviewed publications.
Dr. Wilkop is passionate about mentoring researchers, promoting methodological rigor, and advancing microscopy accessibility through workshops, collaborations, and instrument innovation.