Alexander McPherson

Papers

Total Citations

634

H-Index

About

Alexander McPherson is a pioneering structural biologist whose career has been fundamentally shaped by his dedication to understanding and advancing the science of protein crystallization. As one of the field's foremost authorities, McPherson has spent decades illuminating the principles underlying how biological macromolecules — including proteins, nucleic acids, and viruses — form ordered crystalline structures, knowledge that is essential for determining their three-dimensional architecture through X-ray crystallography. His most influential work, "Introduction to Protein Crystallization" (2013), has garnered an impressive 488 citations, reflecting its status as a definitive reference for researchers worldwide. McPherson has also contributed meaningfully to methodological innovation, proposing in situ X-ray crystallography techniques that streamline data collection by eliminating traditional, labor-intensive crystal mounting procedures. His interest in high-throughput structural biology is further demonstrated through his work on robotic micromanipulation systems designed to automate crystal harvesting, helping propel crystallography into the genomics era. Across multiple decades and publications, McPherson has consistently worked to make protein crystallization more accessible, reproducible, and efficient — cementing his legacy as an indispensable educator and innovator in structural biology and biophysics.