Structural Biology Archives

May 28, 2019 Decoding our biological thermostat: Three questions for McKnight Scholar Dr. Juan Du

Our body temperature is kept in check by an elegant biological thermostat. But, despite its critical role in keeping us healthy and protecting us from…

May 28, 2019 Van Andel Research Institute’s Dr. Juan Du named McKnight Scholar

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (May 28, 2019) — The McKnight Foundation has awarded Van Andel Research Institute’s (VARI) Juan Du, Ph.D., a three-year, $225,000…

May 7, 2019 Research brief: Supercharging asthma treatment

The problem Asthma is a common respiratory disease that affects about 8 percent of the U.S. population. It causes a person’s airways to narrow and…

April 11, 2019 Near-atomic map of parathyroid hormone complex points toward more targeted therapies for osteoporosis, cancer

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (April 11, 2019) — An international team of scientists has mapped a molecular complex that could aid in the development of better…

March 27, 2019 Graduate student spotlight: Creating blueprints for life’s smallest components

Every other month, we highlight one of Van Andel Institute Graduate School’s doctoral students. This month features Wooyoung Choi, a graduate student in the lab of Dr.…

October 3, 2018 High-resolution “blueprint” reveals mechanism that helps E. coli infect the urinary tract

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (October 3, 2018) — A common gut bacterium uses a unique assembly apparatus to build hair-like structures that help it infect the…

September 24, 2018 Cryo-EM reveals structure of protein responsible for regulating temperature in the human body

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (September 24, 2018) — A team led by Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) scientists has revealed for the first time the…

May 10, 2018 Microbes from marine volcanic vents reveal how humans adjusted to a changing atmosphere

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., and ATHENS, Ga. (May 10, 2018) — Ancient microbes that thrive in some of the world’s most extreme environments and modern-day humans…