Phenix software for crystal structures and cryo-EM
Official title: Phenix: providing high quality software to the research community for crystallography and cryo-EM
Funded at University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab · NIH-11421046 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A long‑standing software package called Phenix will be renewed to help researchers accurately determine and study 3D structures of proteins and other macromolecules using crystallography and cryo-EM.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project start | May 3, 2021 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,560,342 |
| NIH project number | 2R24GM141254-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11421046 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Researchers and trainees who generate or analyze macromolecular structures, including those studying drug targets and disease mechanisms, would be ideal users.
✕Less likely to help
Patients will not directly undergo any intervention as part of this grant, and individual patient participation is not described.
What this research studies
Phenix provides a comprehensive set of computational tools that researchers use to turn experimental data into 3D models of macromolecules. The grant supports ongoing development and accessibility of this software, which is widely used by structural biologists to understand function and to aid drug development. Researchers, students, and clinicians could benefit from improved tools and training resources to analyze X-ray, cryo-EM, and related data. The project emphasizes sustaining an internationally used platform with training and community outreach to ensure broad access.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit indirectly through faster and more accurate structure-based drug design and a deeper understanding of disease-related proteins.
How similar studies have gone: The Phenix software suite has a long track record and widespread use, with ongoing development and demonstrated impact on NIH-funded projects.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab
Berkeley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Adams, Paul David — University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab
- Study coordinator: Adams, Paul David
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.