Development of a model for determining fluid bilayer structure from cryo-EM images of biomembranes.

The ability to accurately measure biomembrane structure is critical for understanding its role in membrane functionality, but the complexity of the cellular environment makes this an exceedingly difficult task at present. This study aims to provide proof-of-principle for using cryogenic electron microscopy to quantify key membrane properties such as thickness and average molecular area, even in heterogeneous samples with multiple types of membrane domains. The knowledge gained from this project will help open a new window into the nanoscale architecture of the cell.