Molecular Structures

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Molecular Structures

Understanding the shapes of biological molecules to learn more about how they function and interact—that's structural biology. Studies in structural biology focus on questions like:

Why does a protein's shape matter?
How can misshapen molecules make us sick?
How can we visualize the structural details of large and complex molecules?

Follow the links below to learn more about structural biology, including recent developments, and read profiles of researchers working in this field.

Booklets

The Structures of Life
Reveals how structural biology provides insight into health and disease and is useful in developing new medications.
Computing Life
Shows how combining chemistry and computers helps scientists understand and predict how proteins fold and interact and could lead to new medicines for protein-related disorders.

Other resources

Fact Sheets

Structural Biology
Structural biology is a field of science focused on understanding the shapes of biological molecules. Learn about why and how scientists study these structures.

All fact sheets

Biomedical Beat Blog

Twisting and Turning: Unraveling What Causes Asymmetry
Chirality is a type of asymmetry where something can’t overlap with its mirror image, like our hands. Michael Ostap, Ph.D., is researching what causes chirality on a molecular level to better understand embryonic development and how it can go wrong.
PECASE Honoree Sohini Ramachandran Studies the Genetic Foundations of Traits in Diverse Populations
NIGMS grantee and presidential award recipient Sohini Ramachandran, Ph.D., is challenging our understanding of genetic variation among human populations. In our latest blog post, she discusses her research on how the genetic composition of traits and diseases varies among populations, the value of statistical and computational work in human genetics, and what this all means for patient treatment.
Revealing a Piece of Cilia’s Puzzle
Cilia, hairlike projections on the surface of most human cells, are complex molecular machines that assist in moving fluids through the body and detecting environmental changes. Researchers recently mapped the full atomic structure of one of cilia’s key components, the doublet microtubule, which is essential for cilia's proper function.
Festive Flu Virus Structure
A playful image from Rommie Amaro and colleagues uses a festive approach to the serious science of understanding and finding ways to combat the flu virus.

Profiles: Meet a Scientist

HIV on the Brain
Graduate student George Hightower researches genetic mutations that affect HIV's ability to infect the brain.
The Family Business
Computational biologist David Baker custom designs computer software to predict the three-dimensional shapes of proteins.
Viral Voyages
Structural biologist Mavis Agbandje-McKenna studies how viruses infect cells.