George T. DeTitta

Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute

Papers

Total Citations

463

H-Index

About

George T. DeTitta is a pioneering researcher in the field of biological macromolecular crystallization, whose work has significantly advanced the structural biology and structural genomics communities. Based at a high-throughput crystallography laboratory, DeTitta dedicated his career to developing systematic, efficient methods for growing protein crystals — a critical bottleneck in determining three-dimensional protein structures via X-ray diffraction. His most influential contribution, a 2003 paper outlining a deliberate screening approach for initial crystallization conditions, has garnered nearly 300 citations, reflecting its widespread adoption across the field. Complementing this, his 2001 work on high-throughput laboratory strategies and intelligent decision support systems demonstrated a forward-thinking integration of automation and artificial intelligence into crystallography workflows — particularly relevant as structural genomics initiatives began producing hundreds of proteins annually for structural characterization. DeTitta further refined the field with a 2007 methodology for optimizing crystallization conditions through manipulation of drop volume ratios and temperature, offering researchers a practical and efficient path from initial hits to diffraction-quality crystals. Collectively, his contributions have helped transform protein crystallization from an art into a more reproducible, scalable science, enabling faster and broader determination of protein structures worldwide.