Understanding the structures of life at a near-atomic scale
Studying the biological structures of viruses, proteins and other tiny macromolecules is key to understanding how life systems function and what happens when disease or injury cause these systems to break down.
These macromolecules are so small that traditional microscopes can’t see them very well. Instead, it takes a special kind of microscope to view these samples at the scale needed to fully understand them. The more powerful the microscope, the better researchers are able to map out the samples’ unique structures and applications.
Scientists at Boston University have the tools to do just that. Enter the Cryogenic Electron Microscopy (CryoEM) Core Facility, launched in April 2024 at the Center for Advanced Biomedical Research on the BU Medical Campus.
Sean Tallman is an associate professor in the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, with secondary affiliations with the Department of Anthropology and Program in Archaeology on the Charles River Campus. He is a biological anthropologist who specializes in forensic anthropology, human skeletal biology, and forensic archaeology. In the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Dr. Tallman […]
CTE Can Cause Dementia, According to New Boston University Study The Brink; January 27, 2026 Read full story A recent article from The Brink highlighted a new study from the Boston University CTE Center that found people with advanced chronic traumatic encephalopathy have four times higher odds of getting dementia than those without the progressive brain disease. […]
BUGCP is New England’s only genetic counseling program located in an academic medical center with a safety net hospital on campus In 2007, the Boston University School of Medicine (now Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine) graduated its first cohort from the Master of Science in Genetic Counseling program. The five-person cohort began their academic […]
Mairelys Cabrera, a master's student in the Mental Health Counseling & Behavioral Medicine program, opened an art exhibition in the GMS Suite (L-317) on Wednesday, January 21, displaying paintings weaving together "nostalgia, whimsy, cultural influence, lived experiences, and the natural worlds that inspire their creative process." Check out a sample of Mairelys' art in the […]