
Our coolest superpower: Seeing all the atoms
Wouldn't it be great if we could just see all the atoms of all the molecules, any time we wanted?
If we were able to sample something — anything — and just tell what it's made of? Where all its atoms were? Which ones were connected or ready to react?
In about the span of a century, scientists have learned more about molecules and their components than we ever thought possible. In some cases, we can already pick up a bit of dust or a tiny droplet and see where the atoms of its resident molecules are. Or we can calculate predicted structures that are so accurate they can be used to predict function.
In old comic books, this kind of X-ray vision was the stuff of superheroes. Someday, in the not-too-distant future, we might all have it.
Submit an abstract
Abstract submission begins Sept. 14. If you submit by Oct. 12, you'll get a decision by Nov. 1. The regular submission deadline is Nov. 30.
Join us for a glimpse into the challenges and opportunities of building that future, so we can all scrutinize, predict, build, target and react to all the molecules.
Keywords: Structure, cryo-electron microscopy, microcrystal electron diffraction, alpha fold, tomography, artificial intelligence.
Who should attend: Absolutely everyone should attend. Who doesn't want a superpower?
Theme song: “” by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
This session is literally powered by electrons and photons.
New frontiers in structural biology
The rise of molecular assemblies

Chair: Rebecca Vorhees
Sarah Shahmoradian, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Lorena Saelices, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
New approaches enabling structural science
Chair: Jose Rodriguez
Roger Castells–Graells, University of California, Los Angeles
Hosea Nelson, California Institute of Technology
Hong Zhou, University of California, Los Angeles
Seeing the chemistry of life
Chair: Hosea Nelson
Lindsey R. F. Backman, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Douglas Rees, California Institute of Technology
Enjoy reading ASBMB Today?
Become a member to receive the print edition four times a year and the digital edition monthly.
Learn moreGet the latest from ASBMB Today
Enter your email address, and we’ll send you a weekly email with recent articles, interviews and more.
Latest in Science
Science highlights or most popular articles

ApoA1 reduce atherosclerotic plaques via cell death pathway
Researchers show that ApoA1, a key HDL protein, helps reduce plaque and necrotic core formation in atherosclerosis by modulating Bim-driven macrophage death. The findings reveal new insights into how ApoA1 protects against heart disease.

Omega-3 lowers inflammation, blood pressure in obese adults
A randomized study shows omega-3 supplements reduce proinflammatory chemokines and lower blood pressure in obese adults, furthering the understanding of how to modulate cardiovascular disease risk.

AI unlocks the hidden grammar of gene regulation
Using fruit flies and artificial intelligence, Julia Zeitlinger’s lab is decoding genome patterns — revealing how transcription factors and nucleosomes control gene expression, pushing biology toward faster, more precise discoveries.

Zebrafish model links low omega-3s to eye abnormalities
Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz developed a zebrafish model to show that low maternal docosahexaenoic acid can disrupt embryo eye development and immune gene expression, offering a tool to study nutrition in neurodevelopment.

Top reviewers at ASBMB journals
Editors recognize the heavy-lifters and rising stars during Peer Review Week.

Teaching AI to listen
A computational medicine graduate student reflects on building natural language processing tools that extract meaning from messy clinical notes — transforming how we identify genetic risk while redefining what it means to listen in science.