Tackling human diseases at the single-molecule level requires the convergence of multiple efforts and the pursuit of interdisciplinary research. In the past year, single-molecule science has made considerable progress. The novel columnar structure of human telomeres has been unraveled by electron microscopy and single-molecule technologies. Elusive mechanisms of chromatin DNA looping dynamics have been illuminated by single-molecule imaging techniques. The intricate signal pathway switching mechanisms of GPCRs have been deciphered with single-molecule precision. The structural diversity and translation dynamics in the RNA world are also brilliant at the single-molecule level. What is even more exciting is that integrated semiconductor devices have achieved real-time dynamic single-molecule protein sequencing. The cross-disciplinary research of single-molecule biology is continuously advancing people’s understanding of human health. 

Chairs

Long Mian

Research fellow, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Guo Xuefeng

Professor, Peking University 

Invited speakers & reports

Tan Weihong

CAS academician, Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Report: Protein molecular maps of single cells 

Wang Hongda

Research fellow, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Report: Multiple single-molecule techniques for studying cell membrane structure 

Cao Yi

Professor, Nankai University

Report: Design and regulation of mechanical properties of protein materials 

Chen Chunlai

Associate professor, Tsinghua University

Report: Single-molecule fluorescence technique to elucidate dynamics and functions of biomolecules

Lou Jizhong

Research fellow, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Report: Single-molecule sequencing and personalized therapy  

Du Yu

Research fellow, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Report: A multi-cellular micro-physiological system for studying cholestatic liver disease 

Liu Zheng

Professor, Institute for Advanced Studies at Wuhan University

Report: Conduction dynamics of cellular mechanics: From single cells to single molecules

Jiao Fang      

Institute of Physics, CAS

Report: HS-AFM-based research on mechanisms and kinetics of Perforin-2 protein perforation

Le Shimin

Xiamen University

Report: Mechanical regulation of the alpha-actinin dimer

Wang Ling

Southern University of Science and Technology     

Report: Visualize convergent transcription by single-molecule techniques

Yu Hao

Huazhong University of Science and Technology    

Report: Mechanistic insight into the mechanical unfolding of the integral membrane diacylglycerol kinase

Zhao Bailin

Xi’an Jiaotong University

Report: The molecular basis of DNA synapsis during non-homologous end joining repair