Division/Committee: [PHYS] Division of Physical Chemistry

At the heart of many fundamental biological and pathological processes is the transformation and evolution of specific structures by protein and peptide assemblies. A persistent experimental challenge is the development of biophysical approaches that offer new insights into protein conformation and dynamics. Application of ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopies has led to successful experimental designs that leverage the nonlinearity of protein signals and provide site-specific structural constraints, akin to nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. More recent advances have augmented molecular spectroscopies with spatially-resolved imaging techniques, revealing individual structures within an ensemble. The advent of cryoelectron microscopy has furthered the potential of spatially-resolved structural mapping of biomolecular self-assemblies. Altogether, these approaches probe protein structure with unprecedented detail. This symposium will bring together experts in imaging, spectroscopic, and computational methods, and we encourage invited speakers to frame their talks with respect to recent advances and future challenges for the field, in the hopes of spurring conversations and collaborations that will advance our understanding of how protein structures evolve related to both biological function and pathological consequences.

Lauren Buchanan

Vanderbilt University

Appearances