R. Fourme

Papers

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About

Roger Fourme is a pioneering figure in high-pressure macromolecular crystallography, a field he has fundamentally shaped through innovative instrumentation and methodology. His work centers on understanding the structure and dynamics of biological macromolecules under extreme conditions, providing unique insights into protein folding, stability, and function. Fourme’s most notable contribution is the development of a pneumatic diamond anvil cell (DAC) designed for macromolecular crystallography, which allows for continuous pressure (0–2.5 GPa) and temperature (293–393 K) variations. This device, handled by a six-axis robotic arm, enables precise pressure and temperature annealing of samples, overcoming critical challenges in high-pressure data collection. His 2010 paper detailing this system, though with 9 citations, represents a foundational technical achievement that has enabled subsequent breakthroughs in the field. Fourme’s work has been instrumental in demonstrating that high-pressure crystallography can reveal subtle conformational changes and compressibility in proteins, offering a complementary approach to conventional cryo-crystallography. His legacy lies in expanding the experimental toolkit for structural biology, making the study of macromolecular systems under non-ambient conditions both feasible and insightful.