Structural Biology

Structural biology explores the three-dimensional shapes of biological macromolecules and their complexes at atomic resolution. Approaches such as X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance, solution X-ray scattering, and electron microscopy are used to determine the myriad physical forms that proteins and nucleic acids adopt. An understanding of these architectures allows researchers essential views into the molecular world that can explain how the cellular machinery works and drive new lines of experimentation. Structural studies in the department are facilitated by an impressive array of instrumentation both on campus and off, including the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility at Madison (NMRFAM) and the Advanced Photon Source synchrotron located nearby in Argonne, Ill.

Relevant Labs: Brow, Coon, Keck