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Yifan Cheng is interested in the 3-D structures of macromolecular complexes. Using cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM), Cheng and his team work to determine the structural architectures of these complexes, the regulation of their function, and the dynamic processes of their assembly and disassembly. The team’s goal is to gain a full understanding of the complexes’ functions and processes by deciphering structural information at a wide range of resolutions; cryo-EM allows for study of macromolecules in their native conformations from sub-nanometer resolution (single particle cryo-EM) to the cellular level (electron tomography). The team is also addressing long-standing structural biology questions that are still a challenge with current technology.