On June 24th, 2016, Dr. Michael G. Rossmann from Purde University, invited by Prof. ZHANG Xinzheng, visited IBP and gave a BEI Shizhang lecture entitled A Personal History of Structural Virology: Haemoglobin to Zika Virus. 

Prof. Rossmann determined the crystal structure of hemoglobin in 1959, from which he devoted himself to structural biology. In 1962, Prof. Rossmann invented the molecule replacement method for the determination of crystal structure. In 1973, Prof. Rossmann discovered a nucleotide binding motif named Rossmann fold in enzymes such as dehydrogenases or kinases that binding NAD. In 1985, Prof. Rossmann first mapped the structure of human common cold virus to atomic level. Prof. Rossmann focused on the study of structures of lipid enveloped viruses and determined the structures of Dengue, West Nile, Yellow Fever, Rubella, Chikungunya and Zika virus by X-ray crystallography or cryo-EM. Prof. Rossmann also shared the stories and experiences following each research.  

The audience spoke highly of the wonderful speech and the 86-year-old scientist.