The Unifying Theme of the Structural Biology Program is 3-Dimensional Structure.
SBP faculty use core technologies of X-ray Crystallography (X-ray), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM) to elucidate 3D structures of macromolecules that impact human health. The diverse problems under investigation include bacterial pathogenesis, virus assembly and replication, and fundamental cell processes that impact cancer, vaccine development and autoimmune disease.
SBP Faculty Elucidate Structure-Based Molecular Mechanisms.
There is a difference between making an observation and understanding the molecular mechanism behind that observation. Elucidating 3D structure information is only the beginning of scientific discovery. SBP faculty collaborate to apply multiple structural techniques (X-ray, NMR, Cryo-EM, and structural mass spectrometry) and cellular assays to define how macromolecules perform their molecular functions.