Anton Zilman, University of Toronto

Research

Biophysics Computational Modeling Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Macromolecular Partitioning Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Liver Cancer Modeling Nanotechnology

Latest papers

Ligand-induced receptor multimerization achieves specificity enhancement of kinetic proofreading without associated costs.
Physical review. E · 2025 · senior author
Specificity and tunability of efflux pumps: A new role for the proton gradient?
PLoS computational biology · 2025 · senior author
Mechanics limits ecological diversity and promotes heterogeneity in confined bacterial communities.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2024

All 31 publications

Latest funding

Biophysical principles of nucleo-cytoplasmic transport
CIHR · 2023 · Nominated PI
$344,250
Biophysics of biological transport and signaling "nanomachines": from theory to applications
NSERC · 2022 · Principal investigator
$100,000
Analysis of brain microcircuitry with statistical physics and machine learning tools
NSERC · 2018 · Principal investigator
$25,000

All 8 grants and awards

31 publications.

01

Ligand-induced receptor multimerization achieves specificity enhancement of kinetic proofreading without associated costs.

Kirby D, Zilman A

Physical review. E2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1103/physreve.111.024408 PMID: 40103052

02

Specificity and tunability of efflux pumps: A new role for the proton gradient?

Gerry M, Kirby D, Alexandrov BS, Segal D, Zilman A

PLoS computational biology2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012772 PMID: 39869656

03

Mechanics limits ecological diversity and promotes heterogeneity in confined bacterial communities.

Ma T, Rothschild J, Halabeya F, Zilman A, Milstein JN

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America2024

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2322321121 PMID: 38728226

04

Kinetic cooperativity resolves bidirectional clogging within the nuclear pore complex.

Zheng T, Zilman A

Biophysical journal2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.03.027 PMID: 38640928

05

Dynamic structure factor of undulating vesicles: finite-size and spherical geometry effects with application to neutron spin echo experiments.

Granek R, Hoffmann I, Kelley EG, Nagao M, Vlahovska PM, Zilman A

The European physical journal. E, Soft matter2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1140/epje/s10189-023-00400-9 PMID: 38355850

06

Spatial exclusion leads to "tug-of-war" ecological dynamics between competing species within microchannels.

Rothschild J, Ma T, Milstein JN, Zilman A

PLoS computational biology2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010868 PMID: 38039342

07

Proofreading does not result in more reliable ligand discrimination in receptor signaling due to its inherent stochasticity.

Kirby D, Zilman A

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2212795120 PMID: 37192165

08

Self-regulation of the nuclear pore complex enables clogging-free crowded transport.

Zheng T, Zilman A

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2212874120 PMID: 36757893

09

Effects of Sequence Composition, Patterning and Hydrodynamics on the Conformation and Dynamics of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins.

Vovk A, Zilman A

International journal of molecular sciences2023Senior author

DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021444 PMID: 36674958

10

Phenomenology and dynamics of competitive ecosystems beyond the niche-neutral regimes.

Leibovich N, Rothschild J, Goyal S, Zilman A

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2204394119 PMID: 36251996

Biophysical principles of nucleo-cytoplasmic transport

Nominated PICIHR2023Project Grant

Principal investigators: Zilman, Anton

Keywords: Biophysics; Computational Modeling; Intrinsically Disordered Proteins; Macromolecular Partitioning; Nucleocytoplasmic Transport

$344,250

Biophysics of biological transport and signaling "nanomachines": from theory to applications

Principal investigatorNSERC2022Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Zilman, Anton

$100,000

Analysis of brain microcircuitry with statistical physics and machine learning tools

Principal investigatorNSERC2018Engage Grants Program

Principal investigators: Zilman, Anton

$25,000

Integrated Nanotechnology and Biomedical Sciences Laboratory

Co-investigatorCIHR2017Foundation Grant

Principal investigators: Chan, Warren C

Keywords: Cancer; Nanotechnology

$2,100,092

A combined nanotechnology and surgical strategy to treating liver cancer

Co-investigatorNSERC2016Collaborative Health Research Projects

Principal investigators: Chan, Warren

$464,934

Understanding mechanisms of biological transport and signaling for nanotechnology applications.

Principal investigatorNSERC2016Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Zilman, Anton

$132,000

A combined nanotechnology and surgical strategy to treating liver cancer

Principal investigatorCIHR2015Collaborative Health Research Projects (NSERC partnered)

Principal investigators: Chan, Warren C; Mcgilvray, Ian D; Selzner, Markus; Zilman, Anton

Keywords: Liver Cancer; Modeling; Nanotechnology; Surgery

$464,934

Understanding the mechanisms of biological transport and signaling for nanotechnology applications

Principal investigatorNSERC2011Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Zilman, Anton

$135,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology
Physics
Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology

Co-authors at University of Toronto, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Sonya MacParland

Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology

1 shared papers, latest 2021

Suresh Gadde

Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology

1 shared papers, latest 2020

Lisheng Wang

Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology

1 shared papers, latest 2020

Markus Selzner

Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering

1 shared papers, latest 2016

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2023

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Biophysics Dear Professor Zilman, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Ligand-induced receptor multimerization achieves specificity enhancement of kinetic proofreading without associated costs." (2025), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "Biophysical principles of nucleo-cytoplasmic transport" (2023), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]