Lab Attends the NY Area CryoEM Meeting

Our lab recently had the pleasure of attending the 6th Annual New York Area Cryo-Electron Microscopy (cryoEM) Meeting, hosted at NYU. This yearly gathering continues to be a highlight for the regional structural biology community, bringing together researchers to share cutting-edge developments, foster collaboration, and celebrate scientific progress in cryoEM.

Dr. Gunn moderated one of the scientific sessions, which showcased not only the remarkable progress in the field, but also the diverse applications of cryoEM in understanding complex biological systems.

We were especially proud to have strong representation from our team, with three members presenting posters that highlight ongoing research in our lab:

• Dr. Dana Diaz (Postdoctoral Fellow)
  “Biochemical and structural characterization of pancreatic amylase and its distribution within secretory vesicles”
  Dana’s work explores the structural organization and biochemical properties of pancreatic amylase, offering insights into how this important digestive enzyme is packaged and distributed within secretory vesicles.

• Azadeh Mahdavinia (Graduate Student)
  “Elucidating the Inactive Oligomeric Structure of PTL by Cryo-EM”
  Azi’s research focuses on resolving the inactive oligomeric structure of pancreatic triglyceride lipase (PTL), contributing to a deeper understanding of its functional regulation and structural transitions.

• Thomas Whitbread (Laboratory Technician)
  “Leveraging the Air-Water Interface to Uncover a Novel Pancreatic Lipase–Colipase Hetero-oligomer”
  Tom presented exciting findings that turn a traditional experimental challenge - the air-water interface - into an advantage, revealing a previously uncharacterized lipase–colipase hetero-oligomer.

The meeting provided a valuable platform for our team to share their research, receive feedback, and engage with peers across institutions. It was also a great opportunity to learn about the latest methodological advances and emerging applications of cryo-EM.

We are grateful to the organizers for hosting such a well-run and inspiring event, and we look forward to attending next years meeting.