Macromolecular Structures

The scientists of the department work in a large number of biological problems, in particular in the structural and functional characterisation of different molecular machines such as viral structures , DNA repair enzymes or molecular chaperones . These studies are carried out using different structural and biophysical techniques, most of them available at the CNB, which include X-ray diffraction, single-molecule techniques (optical and magnetic tweezers) and various spectroscopic techniques. 

Of special note is the development of microscopy techniques such as atomic force, optical, and X-ray microscopy, and particularly transmission electron microscopy in its distinct variants (single-particle cryoelectron microscopy, cryoelectron tomography and very recently crycorrelative microscopy), which is supported by the CNB cryoelectron microscopy facility, the first of this kind in Spain. This work is strongly supported by continuous software development in the field of image processing , which has led to the CNB hosting of the INSTRUCT image processing centre, a pan-European research infrastructure network facility that provides expertise and access to high quality instruments. Technical developments are also pursued in the field of proteomics, which resulted in the CNB being chosen to head the Spanish proteomic facilities network (PROTEORED) and participation in the Human Proteome Project.

Head José María Valpuesta