Nature, Published online: 12 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01858-1 After years of effort, two research teams have developed ‘laser phase plate’ systems that could help cryo-electron-microscopy users to generate high-quality structures for a broad range of proteins.
After years of dedicated research, two teams have simultaneously achieved a breakthrough in cryo-electron microscopy technology, making now the opportune moment for this announcement.
This advancement significantly enhances the ability to determine high-quality protein structures, which is fundamental to drug discovery, fundamental biological research, and biotechnology innovation.
The ability to image a broader range of proteins with higher quality will accelerate research timelines and improve the accuracy of structural biology, potentially leading to faster development of new therapeutics and synthetic biological applications.
- · Biopharmaceutical companies
- · Academic research institutions
- · Cryo-EM manufacturers
- · Structural biologists
- · Traditional protein structure determination methods (e.g., X-ray crystallography
Improved resolution and accessibility of protein structure determination using cryo-electron microscopy.
Accelerated drug discovery and development of novel biological therapies due to better structural insights.
Enhanced capabilities for designing and engineering biological systems and synthetic pathways.
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