The impact of structural dynamics on three-dimensional bioimaging with X-ray free-electron lasers

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X-ray lasers can potentially determine the structures of biological molecules that are inaccessible to existing techniques. Intense ultrafast pulses encode the structure via diffraction faster than damage processes rip the molecule apart. In fact, damage processes begin during diffraction and remain problematic. It is not known if damage will prevent the determination of molecular orientations, a critical step in the experimental design. This project will solve this problem with a statistical theory, probing the feasibility and accuracy of the technique. The newly developed theory will enable us to perform experiments capable of measuring the effects of damage in biological molecules, paving the way for new methods of structure determination.