Structural Biology

Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) provides a visible and quantitative approach to investigate the function of

structural proteins of viruses, both in assembly and disassembly. Th e fundamental biochemical properties of metastable

intermediates and stable mature form of viral capsids, responsible for their capacity to resist extreme pH and digestive enzyme

degradation, are revealed through cryo-EM. In this presentation, the structural functionality of Hepatitis E viral nanoparticles

(HEVNP), as a multimodal delivery platform, is assessed for the delivery of medicals or agents to target tumors through

both circulation and mucosal routes. Aided by multimodal imaging and integrative machine learning networks, the targeting,

tissue distribution, and payload packaging are investigated and demonstrated. Together, cryo-EM and cellular tomography are

exemplifi ed in the recent outcomes of unveiling the molecular mechanisms essential for platform vector design towards the

success of constructing a non-invasive, mucosal targeting system.