2025 ACA Transactions

The Evolving Landscape of Structural Science:  AI and Multi-Method Approaches

Session Co-Chairs:  Krystle McLaughlin, Carla Slebodnick, Thomas Proffen & George Lountos

Part I: Saturday, July 19, 2025 @ 8:30 AM CT

Part II: Saturday, July 19, 2025 @ 2:00 PM CT

Structural Science has seen a renaissance in recent memory. Our strengths in structural chemical science and the rise of macromolecular structure determination have provided unparalleled vision into the workings of molecules both large and small. We continue to drive technological change to increase the precision and capabilities of our experiments, and to push the envelope of what we can observe and questions to ask. The advance of AI methods such as AlphaFold have enabled us to approach structural science in new ways, Cryo-EM methods have increased the size of structures we can interrogate, and the growth of micro-ED, XFELS methods have enabled us to explore structure in new ways. And we continue to lead in chemical and macromolecular crystallography, materials science, X-ray scattering and multi-method approaches. As we celebrate the Diamond Jubilee meeting of the ACA, our Transactions seek to be both reflective and forward looking. We look forward to the evolving landscape of structural science and how we, through our diversity, lead the way in answering those questions of “so what does it look like?” across multiple disciplines, academic and applied.