Proteins in the form of strings of amino acids are essential for the growth and maintenance of human body tissue. They initiate thousands of biochemical reactions, and protect the body from pathogens through the immune system. To better understand proteins and their functions, Fulton Schools Associate Professor Shaopeng Wang (pictured), a researcher in ASU’s Biodesign Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors, has helped to develop sophisticated means to see and study them through advanced microscopy by improving light detection, imaging software and the integration of advanced hardware systems. A recent study by Wang and ASU colleagues describes a new technique that cold revolutionize the imaging of proteins and other vital biomolecules. That would mean being able to visualize these tiny entities with unprecedented clarity and by simpler means than existing methods. This breakthrough could lead to safer and more effective medicinal drugs.