A lot of modern research involves exploring the tiniest things in tremendous detail. Scientists can spend months and even years focused on a single protein.
Proteins are the molecular engines of our cells and much like mending a car the first step with developing therapeutic drugs is to understand how protein works. A hundred thousand times smaller than the cross section of a human hair, extremely small proteins are shaped like long necklaces with many beads. Shaped differently, these beads are called amino acids. Joined together they make thousands of protein structures that define their properties, function and activity.