NBB Research Topics

Structural Biology & Biophysics

“A picture is worth a thousand words” - an idiom that today applies to structural biology research conducted in atomic details and providing 3-dimensional image representations of biological molecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. Our scientists use these images to gain insights into the complexity of biological processes. We use a variety of approaches including x-ray crystallography, single particle cryo-electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and additional biophysical methods to generate atomic resolution images of proteins and protein-complexes structures.

We seek to understand how these molecules interact with each other and how their structures relate to their specific biological functions. These structures also aid in developing new drugs and therapies for diseases. Using these tools allows us to study a wide range of biological questions, including cellular and tissue patterning, signal transduction, the evolution of biological macromolecules, protein sorting, DNA structures, and the immune response. Learn more about the exciting research taking place using the structural biology preceptive by scrolling through the researchers below.