Biomolecular Structure and Function Group

In collaboration with U.S. industry, government agencies, and scientific institutions, the Biomolecular Structure and Function Group develops precision measurement and modeling tools and standards to support determination of biomolecular structure, dynamics, energetics and function. The group also advances innovative approaches for engineering biological systems to support applications in biotechnology and bioscience research.

Our group is located at the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR), a joint institute of the University of Maryland and NIST. For information on group activities please visit IBBR.

News and Updates

A gloved hand holds a glass flask partly full of pinkish liquid, with a label in marker saying in part "NISTCHO RCB."

NIST, Partners Develop Living Reference Material for Producing Monoclonal Antibodies

January 11, 2023

Publicly available NISTCHO cell line expands the biomanufacturing and research applications of NIST’s monoclonal antibody standard, NISTmAb.

Alex Grishaev leans over a counter full of scientific equipment, looking down at his work.

Spotlight: NIST Researchers Analyze the Novavax Vaccine From Multiple Angles

August 29, 2022

A team of three NIST researchers, each with unique expertise, is studying a vaccine developed by biotech company Novavax for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes

A red cylinder made of lipids has five protruding multicolored proteins.

NIST Clarifies Structure of Prospective Vaccine for Respiratory Virus

December 16, 2020

No approved vaccine exists for RSV, a life-threatening virus that attacks the respiratory system. State-of-the-art neutron and X-ray scattering performed at the

NIST 2D NMR ‘Fingerprinting’ Study Gives Biopharmaceutical Sector New Power to Assure High Quality Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics

December 20, 2018

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently completed a large international study* that establishes two-dimensional

Projects and Programs

Biomanufacturing Initiative

Ongoing

Protein drugs are the top selling pharmaceuticals worldwide, a hundred billion dollar industry, but also the fastest growing category of health care costs. The

Consistency Analysis and Uncertainty in ‘omic Data

Ongoing

As ‘omics moves into industrial and commercial applications, there is a need for quality and process control to ensure safety and efficacy of products and

Metrologies for Protein Structure, Function, and Modeling

Ongoing

NIST researchers in the Macromolecular Structure and Function Group are involved in a joint research program with scientists from the University of Maryland

NIST Monoclonal Antibody Reference Material 8671

Ongoing

NOW AVAILABLE The NIST monoclonal antibody (NISTmAb) reference material, RM 8671, is intended for use in evaluating the performance of methods for determining

Publications

Circular Dichroism Spectral Similarity Plots to Extend Validation and Correction to All Measured Wavelengths

March 1, 2023

Author(s)

Curtis Meuse

Interlaboratory comparisons of circular dichroism (CD) spectra are useful for developing confidence in the measurements associated with biopharmaceuticals

Backbone NMR assignment of the yeast produced Fab fragment of the NISTmAb reference antibody

March 1, 2023

Author(s)

Tsega Solomon, Kinlin Chao, Genevieve Gingras, Yves Aubin, William Brad O'Dell, John Marino, Robert Brinson

The monoclonal antibody (mAb) protein class has become a primary therapeutic platform for the production of new life saving drug products. MAbs are comprised of

Solid-state NMR characterization of lyophilized formulations of monoclonal antibody therapeutics.

January 26, 2023

Author(s)

Jacqueline Perodeau, Luke Arbogast, Andrew Nieuwkoop

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are an important and growing class of biotherapeutic drug. Methods development for characterization of critical quality attributes

Design and characterization of a protein fold switching network

January 26, 2023

Author(s)

David Travis Gallagher, Biao Ruan, Yanan He, Yingwei Chen, Eun Jung Choi, Yihong Chen, Dana Motabar, Tsega Solomon, Richard Simmerman, Thomas Kauffman, John Orban, Philip Bryan

Protein sequences encoding three common small folds (3-alpha, beta-grasp, and alpha/beta plait) were connected in a network of mutational pathways that

Awards

2021 - Silver Medal Award---Jeffrey Hudgens, Kyle Anderson, Ioannis Karageorgos, Robert Brinson, III, Frank Delaglio, Luke Arbogast, John Marino, Ryan Evans, Anthony Kearsley

For developing and promoting adoption of methods to determine protein structure that increase patient access to life-saving biosimilar drugs.

2020 - Gold Medal Award---Nancy Lin, James Filliben, Lindsay Harris, Zvi Kelman, Sandra Da Silva, Steven Lund, Nathanael Olson, Jennifer Verkouteren

For developing a suite of standards, including the first NIST living reference material, to strengthen the nation's response to potential biothreats.

2016 - Silver Medal Award---Luke Arbogast, Robert Brinson, John Marino

For Nuclear Magnetic Resonance methods that determine the atomic structure of monoclonal antibody biopharmaceuticals with unprecedented resolution.

John Marino Honored with Hillebrand Prize

John Marino is recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to the field of biophysical characterization by high-resolution NMR and

Biomolecular Structure and Function Group

News and Updates

NIST, Partners Develop Living Reference Material for Producing Monoclonal Antibodies

Spotlight: NIST Researchers Analyze the Novavax Vaccine From Multiple Angles

NIST Clarifies Structure of Prospective Vaccine for Respiratory Virus

NIST 2D NMR ‘Fingerprinting’ Study Gives Biopharmaceutical Sector New Power to Assure High Quality Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics

Projects and Programs

Biomanufacturing Initiative

Consistency Analysis and Uncertainty in ‘omic Data

Metrologies for Protein Structure, Function, and Modeling

NIST Monoclonal Antibody Reference Material 8671

Publications

Circular Dichroism Spectral Similarity Plots to Extend Validation and Correction to All Measured Wavelengths

Backbone NMR assignment of the yeast produced Fab fragment of the NISTmAb reference antibody

Solid-state NMR characterization of lyophilized formulations of monoclonal antibody therapeutics.

Design and characterization of a protein fold switching network

Awards

2021 - Silver Medal Award---Jeffrey Hudgens, Kyle Anderson, Ioannis Karageorgos, Robert Brinson, III, Frank Delaglio, Luke Arbogast, John Marino, Ryan Evans, Anthony Kearsley

2020 - Gold Medal Award---Nancy Lin, James Filliben, Lindsay Harris, Zvi Kelman, Sandra Da Silva, Steven Lund, Nathanael Olson, Jennifer Verkouteren

2016 - Silver Medal Award---Luke Arbogast, Robert Brinson, John Marino

John Marino Honored with Hillebrand Prize

Contacts

Group Leader