ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Structural biology

Structural biology is like building with legos. You know how you can build different things with legos by putting them together in different ways? Well, in structural biology, scientists use big machines and powerful computers to figure out how tiny things in our bodies are put together. These tiny things are called molecules and they are the building blocks of everything in our bodies.

Just like with legos, scientists can learn a lot about how molecules work by studying how they are put together. They use X-rays, lasers and other fancy machines to look at the shape and structure of the molecules. They can also use computers to create 3D models of the molecules.

By studying the structure of molecules, scientists can figure out how they interact with each other and with other molecules in our body. They can also figure out how medicines work and how to design new ones that might work better.

In the end, structural biology helps scientists understand how our bodies work at a really tiny level. It's like being able to see how the pieces of a puzzle fit together to make a bigger picture!