Health Relevance

The structure of a molecule reveals important information about how it functions and can help scientists identify potential new therapeutic targets for vaccines and drugs to combat diseases and conditions. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) is a method used to image frozen biological molecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids, without the need for structure-altering dyes or crystallization. Not only can cryoEM image molecules in their natural shapes, but it can obtain structures of molecules that were impossible using other methods like X-ray crystallography. Recent advances in cryoEM methods and technology have greatly extended its resolution and the amount of information it can provide about viruses, proteins, and other important biomolecules.