James Fraser, a faculty scientist in the Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging (MBIB) Division and professor in the Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences at UC San Francisco, was presented with the Carl Brändén Award during The Protein Society’s recent 39th Annual Symposium, held in San Francisco. The Brändén Award, sponsored by Rigaku Corporation, honors an outstanding protein scientist who has also made exceptional contributions in the areas of education and/or service to the field.
Fraser’s research focuses on discovering the macromolecular structure and dynamics of proteins—defining the conformational states essential for their function and understanding the transitions between these states. His work bridges structural biology, biophysics, and drug discovery, with implications for a wide range of therapeutic areas.
He was recognized for pioneering advances in room-temperature X-ray data collection techniques and ensemble modeling methods, which have enabled deeper understanding and engineering of proteins. He has also been a champion of collaborative, project-based learning and has advocated for greater accessibility in scientific publishing.
