Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR)
NMR is a technique for determining molecular structure, and can also be used to examine the changes that take place when molecules interact or bind to one another. The technique applies powerful external magnetic fields to align the nuclei of certain atoms and then measures the responses of those atoms when they are disturbed by electromagnetic radiation. Trained specialists can use the data gathered to deduce the precise structure and arrangement of molecules of interest, and the ways that their structure changes as they interact with one another.

RNA/DNA Structure
DNA, the genetic material, and RNA, which has numerous functions in the expression of genetic information and the production of proteins, forms weak chemical bonds between complementary subunits (bases) to generate unique three-dimensional structures that are stable and important to the function of the molecules. These structures can be deduced by techniques such as NMR.

Retroviral Replication
Retroviruses are RNA viruses that copy themselves into the DNA of the host cell, using an enzyme known as a reverse transcriptase. Studies related to retroviral replication have medical importance in the prevention and treatment of viral infections such as HIV, the virus that causes AIDS in humans.

G Protein Coupled Receptor (GPCR) Signaling
GPCR represent a large family of cell membrane-bound proteins involved in numerous cellular signaling processes, ranging from allergic reactions to normal functioning of the brain and responses to mood-altering drugs. GPCR have a characteristic folding pattern that is threaded in and out of the cell membrane, such that a receptor portion on the cell surface can bind to specific signaling molecules. The portion of the GPCR protein that is inside of the cell then changes its shape in response to that signal binding event, and this triggers a cascade of cellular signals that is mediated by G-proteins.