Professor Naomi Chayen specialises in crystallizing proteins and other biological molecules of medical and industrial interest. Her Group is developing new nanomaterials and technologies (including high-throughput methods) for producing crystals that are pivotal to the structure determination of biological molecules at atomic resolution. These underpin rational drug design, the understanding of biochemical mechanisms and other biotechnological applications. Her lab is currently working on proteins related to cancer, HIV, diabetes and heart disease. She has also sent experiments into Space with NASA, the European and Russian Space Agencies and on the International Space Station.