Physics Problems in Structural Genomics
The revolution in molecular biology has been fueled by genomics - the sequencing and deciphering of the genetic codes of organisms - and by structural genomics - the determination or prediction of the 3D molecular structures of the proteins coded for by these genes, and elucidation of their function based upon these structures. Most protein structures are determined by performing X-ray crystallography on crystallized proteins. There are a large number of problems in the gene to structure pipeline that can be addressed by physicists. We have been exploring many of these problems, and have developed new methods to address them and simple technologies that have been commercialized.
Click on the links below to find out more:
- New approaches to cryo- and variable temperature protein crystallography
- Mechanisms and mitigation of radiation damage in protein crystallography
- Protein crystal growth and liquid contact line pinning
- Disorder and structural transitions in protein crystals
- CryoSAXS for determining protein structural envelopes