Taming the complexity of protein folding
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Microfluidic Mixers for Studying Protein Folding
Published on: April 10, 2012
Gregory R Bowman1, Vincent A Voelz, Vijay S Pande
1Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Abstract:
Protein folding is an important problem in structural biology with significant medical implications, particularly for misfolding disorders like Alzheimer's disease. Solving the folding problem will ultimately require a combination of theory and experiment, with theoretical models providing a comprehensive view of folding and experiments grounding these models in reality. Here we review progress towards this goal over the past decade, with an emphasis on recent theoretical advances that are empowering chemically detailed models of folding and the new results these technologies are providing. In particular, we discuss new insights made possible by Markov state models (MSMs), including the role of non-native contacts and the hub-like character of protein folded states.
Related Concept Videos
Protein Folding
Protein Structure Is Critical to Its Biological Function
Proteins perform a wide range of biological functions such as catalyzing chemical reactions, providing...
Protein Folding
Protein Folding
Molecular Chaperones and Protein Folding
The...
Molecular Chaperones and Protein Folding
The...
Conservation of Protein Domains Over Different Proteins
A limited set of protein domains often duplicate and recombine during evolution. These domains can be organized in different combinations to form...

