Department Research
Specialty Areas
Nanobiology
The Purdue Structure Group and Markey Center
Today, nanotechnology gives us the ability to work at the molecular level, atom by atom to create materials and structures with new capabilities that will fundamentally change medicine, biotechnology, and many other industries. Spearheaded by members of the world-class Purdue Structure Group, researchers in the biological sciences pursue the study of tiny molecular machines and processes studied at the nanoscale, using x-ray crystallography, electron cryo-microscopy, NMR spectroscopy, and advanced computational tools. The group’s research will contribute to strategies for designing new drugs to combat deadly viruses and other diseases, and promote the development of the next generation of biomedical machines.
Resources in advanced Visualization
Acquired with the support of the W. M. Keck Foundation, the FEI CM 300 FEG Keck electron cryo-microscope is the centerpiece of a suite of electron microscopes available to researchers examining biological structures such as viruses, proteins, and cellular structures at high resolution and in as close to a native state as possible. The instrument is one of the most powerful ever applied to problems in structural biology. Coupled with superb visualization workstations, advanced imaging software, and supercomputing capabilities, researchers are able to construct detailed functional three-dimensional images of complex biological structures, revealing their inner workings.
Access to Outstanding Regional Instrumentation
Purdue researchers enjoy a close partnership with Argonne National Labs and have ready access to synchotron radiation via the Lab’s Advanced Photon Source. X-rays from the Advanced Photon Source determine three-dimensional structures of the protein molecules that support life.