This group seeks to deepen scientific understanding of how biological molecules are assembled, how they interact and how they function. Faculty, trainees and students in this research group use cutting-edge imaging techniques such as cryo-electron microscopy, combined with X-ray crystallography, to reach the basic structure of biological macromolecules, including proteins and multi-protein chains. By reverse engineering, examining and reassembling these macromolecular machines, we can better understand their physiological function in the body and their role in health and disease. And with emerging technologies and techniques on the horizon, such as artificial intelligence applied to electron microscopic data, we are breaking new ground in the field of structural biology.
Current areas of study in this research group with translational clinical implications include:
- Cardiovascular disorders
- Developing novel anti-fungal therapies
- Musculoskeletal disorders
- Neurodegenerative diseases
- Viral pathogens
Faculty
Carlos R. Escalante, Ph.D.
Professor and Graduate Program Director
Qinglian Liu, Ph.D.
Professor
I. Scott Ramsey, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Montserrat Samso, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
