Contact: Andy Freeberg
afreeberg@slac.stanford.edu
650-926-4359
DOE/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Molecular Investigation of Sleeping Sickness

Caption: Researchers have revealed the detailed structure of an important protein involved in the transmission of African sleeping sickness. To do so, scientists used the LCLS X-ray laser and created diffraction patterns (shown in background) that were then reconstructed into the molecular structure (shown at center). The research is an important step toward developing a new drug to target the disease, which is carried by tsetse flies and is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths each year.

Credit: Greg Stewart / SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

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