Rate My Professor John Girkin

Professor John Girkin is a Professor in the Department of Physics at Durham University, where he holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Oxford and a PhD from the University of Southampton. His research focuses on the application and development of advanced photonics and optical technologies to address challenges in the life sciences. Key areas include the adaptation of astronomical adaptive optics for deep optical sectioning microscopy, both confocal and multiphoton, applied to diverse samples ranging from brain tissue to early dental decay detection. He has pioneered novel imaging techniques for beating zebrafish hearts using single plane illumination microscopy, funded by the British Heart Foundation, and advanced optogenetic applications with KillerRed in vivo. Girkin contributes to the Proteus project for in vivo human lung imaging via fluorescent lifetime imaging and collaborates on near-infrared methods for dental caries detection with NirVisio. His work is inherently multidisciplinary, closely linked with the Biophysical Sciences Institute.

Girkin began his career in industry at Photon Control, designing the first commercial diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser, followed by seven years at Keeler Ltd developing ophthalmic instrumentation. In 1996, he joined the Institute of Photonics at the University of Strathclyde, founding the applications team and the Centre for Biophotonics, and serving as theme leader for Physics and Life Sciences within SUPA. He moved to Durham University in 2009 as part of the Biophysical Sciences initiative, becoming Director of the Biophysical Sciences Institute in 2011 and currently directing the Centre for Advanced Instrumentation. A Fellow of the Institute of Physics and elected Fellow of the Optical Society of America in 2017, Girkin has authored the book "A Practical Guide to Optical Microscopy" (CRC Press, 2021). His highly cited publications include "Optical ferris wheel for ultracold atoms" (Optics Express, 2007; 447 citations) and "Practical implementation of adaptive optics in multiphoton microscopy" (Optics Express, 2003; 331 citations). He has held editorial roles such as Deputy Editor of Optics Express (2019–2025) and Editor of Biosensors and Bioelectronics (2010–2018), and committee positions including Chair of the EPSRC Strategic Advisory Team in Healthcare (2019–2025). Girkin delivered the Jeremiah Horrocks Public Lecture in 2016.