YSIG Spotlight Pop-Up-24
The ACA is proud to support a vibrant community of young scientists, and we encourage you to connect with them. Last year, the YSIG organized a virtual session featuring the inspiring journeys of two outstanding members, along with insights from three career scientists who shared their experiences in structural science. We’re excited to bring you another series this year.
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Next Session:
December 13th at 12 PM EST
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Our spotlights will share their background and research, providing a glimpse into the future of our field. Each presenter will have 20-25 minutes to expand upon their abstract, followed by approximately 5 minutes for audience questions. Whether you're eager to hear about their research or want to show your support for emerging leaders in crystallography, this event is sure to be both engaging and inspiring.
YSIG warmly invites young professionals in structural science to share their work with the broader community. Nominations for speakers for a YSIG Pop-Up Zoom event can be submitted by colleagues, mentors, or the candidates themselves. Please send your nominations to the YSIG leadership.
If you're excited about our YSIG Pop-Up Zoom event, you may also enjoy our Young Scientist Spotlight initiative, where we highlight the profiles of emerging ACA members.
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Past Pop-Ups
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| October 11, 2024 |
Hosted by YSIG Representative to Council, Kenneth Childers, we were introduced to presenters Jacqueline Roberts (University of Michigan) and Prasadika Samarawickrama (Brigham Young University). Jacquelyn won a poster prize, and Prasadika was an honorable mention at the 3-minute thesis competition.
Jacquelyn presented her research on Legionella Pneumophila’s Type IV Secretion System (T4SS), focusing on the structure and function of the outer membrane core complex (OMCC) and key proteins like Dis2 and Dis3. She shared her plans for mutant analysis and cryo-electron microscopy studies to better understand the system's role in bacterial pathogenicity. She also discussed preliminary findings on a substrate that may block T4SS translocation and highlighted the potential role of Icmx as a structural plug.
Prasadika presented her work on Telsam protein crystallization chaperones, testing different fusion constructs for protein crystallization. Her team found that one-tail fusions produced the best results in terms of crystal quality and resolution. She concluded by discussing the need to optimize conditions for multi-tail fusions and shared her lab’s progress in improving protein crystallization techniques.
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| September 13, 2024 |
Hosted by YSIG Representative to Council, Kenneth Childers, we were introduced to presenters Manju Ojha and Nicholas Bragagnolo. Both presenters were winners of the 2024 ACA TMT Contest in Denver.
Manju, a graduate student at the University of Maryland, presented her research on the structure of translation elements in plant viral RNA, focusing on RNA crystallography challenges and the role of Fab antibodies in RNA crystallization. She discussed the unique structure of the Saguro Cactus Virus translation enhancer and its implications for viral genome translation. Manju also highlighted the importance of the G18 nucleotide in RNA-protein interactions and her ongoing efforts to understand these mechanisms using various experimental techniques.
Nicholas, a graduate student at York University, shared his work on the structural dynamics of bacterial secretion systems, emphasizing the type 4 secretion system's role in gene transfer and antibiotic resistance. He detailed his challenges in protein purification and crystallization and the use of AlphaFold to gain structural insights. He also discussed his research on protein dynamics and stability, particularly in relation to bacterial secretion systems and their potential as drug targets. Nicholas concluded by exploring future research directions and the use of cryo-electron microscopy for structural studies.
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| October 25, 2022 |
The second YSIG Spotlight Series in October of 2022, featured ACA members Allen G. Oliver, Corie Ralston, and James Kaduk, who shared their extensive experiences in crystallography. Allen discussed his career transition from New Zealand to the U.S., focusing on teaching and research in X-ray crystallography. Corie highlighted her role in developing X-ray footprinting and managing crystallography beamlines at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Jim recounted his career in crystallographic problem-solving, including his work with major corporations and contributions to powder diffraction, along with his extensive involvement in professional organizations and education. The event showcased their diverse career paths and significant contributions to the field.
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| September 22, 2022 |
The first of the YSIG Spotlight Series took place in September of 2022 and featured two early-career researchers presenting their work. Nathaniel Barker, a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University, discussed his research on platinum-based vapochromic sensors and polymorphic platinum salts through X-ray crystallography, as well as his role in managing X-ray diffraction experiments at Northwestern's IMSERC. Jadon Blount, a recent graduate from Western Washington University, shared his work on studying sortase enzymes using computational molecular modeling in Dr. Jeanine Amacher's lab, focusing on uncovering unique mechanisms in structural biology. The event included presentations and audience discussions.
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