Yong Zi Tan

Papers

Total Citations

237

H-Index

About

Yong Zi Tan is a structural biologist whose work has significantly advanced the field of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), a technique crucial for visualizing biomolecules at near-atomic resolution. His primary research focuses on overcoming technical challenges in cryo-EM sample preparation, particularly the detrimental effects of particle adsorption to the air-water interface, which can distort protein structures and limit data quality. In his highly cited 2018 paper (237 citations), Tan introduced innovative strategies to mitigate this issue, enabling more reliable and high-resolution imaging of challenging biological samples. This contribution has been widely adopted by the cryo-EM community, accelerating structural studies of membrane proteins, large complexes, and dynamic assemblies. Beyond this landmark work, Tan has contributed to developing novel grid preparation methods and automation tools, further streamlining cryo-EM workflows. His achievements have been recognized through awards and invitations to speak at international conferences, underscoring his role as a key innovator in structural biology. For students and researchers, Tan’s work exemplifies how method development can unlock new frontiers in understanding molecular machinery.