Single particle imaging: x-ray imaging of individual dynamic biomolecules

X射线激光产生强大的超短光脉冲，可以对小的辐射敏感的生物复合体进行瞬时快照。得益于超导技术，下一代x射线激光器将能够以比以往更高的速率产生x射线脉冲。但由于可能的分子构型数量庞大，这些分子电影每帧只有少量数据，这对当前的成像方法构成了巨大挑战。我的目标是通过开发一种创新的多构象图像重建算法来应对这一挑战。这将为生物系统的分子动力学提供一个新的窗口，生命的基石，并使合理的药物设计成为可能。

X-ray lasers produce powerful ultra-short pulses of light that can take temporal snap shots of small radiation-sensitive biological complexes. Thanks to superconducting technology, the next generation of x-ray lasers will be able to produce x-ray pulses at greater rates than ever before. But because of the sheer number of possible molecular configurations, these molecular movies will have only a small amount of data per frame, posing an enormous challenge for current imaging methods. I aim to meet this challenge by developing an innovative multi-conformational image reconstruction algorithm. This will provide a new window into the molecular dynamics of biological systems, the building blocks of life, and enable rational drug design.