Many cryo-EM studies are limited by preferred particle orientation and damage at the air–water interface, especially for flat or elongated macromolecules, resulting in anisotropic image distributions and lower-quality 3D reconstructions. This project aims to encapsulate macromolecules within spherical metal–organic polyhedral cages to promote random orientations on grids and protect samples from interface-induced damage. The work builds on the Nitschke group’s expertise in constructing molecular cages and encapsulating diverse cargoes, including biomolecules.

This is a joint postdoctoral project between Astex and Prof. Jonathan Nitschke’s group at the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge. Jiankang is currently a Postdoc at the University of Cambridge.