Leemor Joshua-Tor is interested in the molecular basis of nucleic acid regulatory processes. Joshua-Tor and her team study DNA replication and the gene silencing process called RNA interference, or RNAi. To get a complete understanding of how RNAi machinery works, the team employs structural, biochemical, and biophysical approaches to study how key proteins work at the molecular level. The goal of their DNA replication work is to understand the molecular motors involved in replication initiation, including helicase function and assembly as well as DNA melting and unwinding.
A new structural analysis of four norovirus strains reveals that the virus’s shell varies in size and molecular arrangement – a surprise finding that could help scientists developing vaccines.  Thirteen HHMI scientists have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences.