RESEARCH SUMMARY

Knowledge of the structure of biological specimens is essential to understanding their functions at all scales. Electron microscopy (EM) combined with image processing allows the investigation of the three-dimensional (3D) structure of biological specimens over a wide range of sizes, from cellular structures to single macromolecules, providing information at different levels of resolution. Depending on the specimen under study and the structural information sought, different 3D EM approaches are used.

Single particle EM makes it possible to visualize macromolecular assemblies at subnanometer or even up to near-atomic resolution. Electron tomography turns out to be a unique tool to decipher the molecular architecture of the cell.

In all cases, the computational methods of image processing play a major role. Actually, computational advances have significantly contributed to the current relevance of 3D EM within structural biology.

Our research interests are mainly focused on the development of image processing methods for structural analysis of biological specimens by 3D EM.

We also devise high performance computing strategies to afford some of the computational challenges in this field. The next step is the application of these computational developments to the study of biological problems of interest.

For example, we are interested in the description of differences in the sub-cellular architecture of cells in normal and pathological conditions, particularly in neurodegenerative diseases, by electron tomography. Finally, we actively collaborate with other national and international groups in experimental structural studies.