Beyond the Resolution Revolution: The Next Era of Cryo-EM and Structural Biology

Dear Colleagues,  

With its ability to capture biomolecular structures at near-atomic resolution, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has ushered in a new era in structural biology. Over the past decade, continuous advancements in detector technology, image processing algorithms, and sample preparation have dramatically expanded the scope of cryo-EM—from small protein complexes to large macromolecular assemblies, membrane proteins, and dynamic molecular machines. 

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent breakthroughs, methodological innovations, and emerging applications of cryo-EM in understanding the structure and function of biological macromolecules. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that address the following topics:

• Novel cryo-EM methodologies and data analysis approaches;
• Integrative structural biology combining cryo-EM with complementary techniques such as X-ray crystallography, NMR, and computational modeling;
• Structural insights into membrane proteins, ion channels, and other dynamic biomolecular complexes;
• Advances in sample preparation, cryo-tomography, and time-resolved cryo-EM;
• Applications of Cryo-EM in drug discovery, structure-based inhibitor design, and disease-related biomolecular studies.

Through this collection, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state and future directions of Cryo-EM in biomolecular research, fostering discussion on how structural insights can drive mechanistic understanding and therapeutic innovation.

Dr. Gaya P. Yadav
Guest Editor

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