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WEN JIANG
| Assistant Professor LILY B-402a 496-8436 CV: Link |
Electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM) is an emerging technique for solving structures of large macromolecular machines. It does not require crystalline order for the studied specimens. This unique capability makes cryo-EM extremely valuable in imaging and solving the structures and the dynamics of macromolecular machines.
We are using cryo-EM to study the assembly, maturation, and infection mechanism of viruses including dsDNA tailed bacteriophages and enveloped flaviviruses. We are also heavily involved in the development of cryo-EM techniques including image processing algorithms, high performance computing, data collection automation and reliable sample freezing. These technical enhancements are critical in pushing cryo-EM towards near atomic resolution single particle 3-D reconstructions and high resolution tomographic 3-D reconstructions, and to improve the cryo-EM project throughput to ultimately transform the current laborious and lengthy cryo-EM technique into an easily accessible and high throughput tool at the disposal of any biologist.
Education
Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine, 2001
Professional Faculty Research
(electron cryomicroscopy; biophysics) Structure of bacteriophages (epsilon15, T7, P22), cyanophages (syn5, syn2, syn9) and flaviviruses (west nile); technique developments in cryo-EM for high throughput structural determination of macromolecular machines at high resolutions
Other Activities
Faculty Presentations
- Structure of Phage Epsilon15, XIX Biennial Conference on Phage/Virus Assembly, Winter Park, Colorado, USA, June 7-12, 2005
Conferences
- XIX Biennial Conference on Phage/Virus Assembly, Winter Park, Colorado, USA, June 7-12, 2005