Michael W. Davidson

{{infobox scientist

| name = Michael W. Davidson

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1950|11|14}}

| birth_place = Fort Lewis, Washington{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/13/science/michael-w-davidson-a-success-in-microscopes-and-neckwear-dies-at-65.html |first=Kenneth|last=Chang|title=Michael W. Davidson, a Success in Microscopes and Neckwear, Dies at 65 |newspaper=The New York Times|date= January 12, 2016 |accessdate= January 15, 2016}}

| death_date = {{Death date and age| 2015 |12|24|1950|11|14}}

| nationality = American

| alma_mater = Georgia State University

}}

Michael Wesley Davidson (November 14, 1950 – December 24, 2015) was an American research scientist and microscopist. He used microscopes to create images of crystallized substances like DNA and hormones, and he contributed to Nobel Prize-honored research about the inner workings of cells. He is credited by 2014 Nobel Laureate Eric Betzig with teaching Betzig and fellow researcher Harald Hess about fluorescent proteins and providing the samples that led to the development of photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM), a super-resolution microscopy technique.

He ran the optical microscopy laboratory at Florida State University's National High Magnetic Field Laboratory as a researcher.{{cite web|url=http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/45071/title/Renowned-Microscopist-Dies/|title=Renowned Microscopist Dies|first=Catherine|last= Offord | date=January 14, 2016|website=The Scientist}}{{cite web|url=http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/31907/title/Microscopy-Boot-Camp/|title=Microscopy Boot Camp|first= Jeffrey M.|last= Perkel |date= April 1, 2012|website=The Scientist}}{{cite web|url=http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/24416/title/Is-that-beer-on-your-tie-/|title=Is that beer on your tie?|first=Carlin|last= Flora |date= October 20, 2006|website=The Scientist}}

He was from Atlanta and a graduate of Georgia State University.{{cite web|url=http://www.tallahassee.com/story/opinion/columnists/ensley/2014/05/16/mag-labs-davidson-ailingbut-research-students-live/9180205/|first=Gerald |last=Ensley|title=Gerald Ensley: Mag Lab star ailing, but research lives on|date=16 May 2014|work=Tallahassee Democrat|accessdate=15 January 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2015/12/25/fsu-groundbreaking-researcher-davidson-dies/77910748/|first=Gerald |last=Ensley|title=FSU groundbreaking researcher Davidson dies|date=25 December 2015|work=Tallahassee Democrat|accessdate=15 January 2016}}