International Union of Crystallography (IUCr)

International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) Official account for the activities of the IUCr: dedicated to advancing structural science globally.

The IUCr is a not-for-profit union that empowers a thriving structural science community.

Over the past decade, magnetic crystallography has been transformed by advances in magnetic symmetry, computational tool...
18/06/2026

Over the past decade, magnetic crystallography has been transformed by advances in magnetic symmetry, computational tools, data standards and methods for structure determination. These developments have made magnetic structure analysis more accessible while improving the rigour and reproducibility of published results.

The Acta Crystallographica Section B Special Issue on Magnetic Structures brings together reviews, methodological papers, software resources and practical guidance that showcase the progress made across the field and the tools now available to the crystallographic community.

Explore the special issue: https://journals.iucr.org/special_issues/2025/mag_struct/

Interactive visualization can transform how crystallographic symmetry is taught and understood.A new Acta Cryst. Section...
16/06/2026

Interactive visualization can transform how crystallographic symmetry is taught and understood.

A new Acta Cryst. Section C Best Practice Series article introduces the Jmol Space Group Symmetry Visualizer, a browser-based resource for exploring space groups, symmetry elements, Wyckoff positions and group–subgroup relationships through interactive 3D models.

Designed for students, educators and researchers, the platform provides an accessible way to investigate complex symmetry concepts that are often difficult to grasp from static diagrams alone.

Read the article: https://doi.org/10.1107/S2053229626004559

Few technologies have transformed structural biology as profoundly as cryo-EM. Now, combined with AI, it is helping to d...
11/06/2026

Few technologies have transformed structural biology as profoundly as cryo-EM. Now, combined with AI, it is helping to drive a new era of digital biology.

This IUCrJ Lead Article, authored by special issue editors Sriram Subramaniam, Werner Kühlbrandt and Richard Henderson, introduces the upcoming special issue CryoEM in the Fast Lane of Structural Biology and reflects on the remarkable evolution of the field.

Read the article: https://doi.org/10.1107/S2052252526003842

Today, cryo-EM enables researchers to investigate biological complexity across multiple scales, ranging from atomic-resolution structures of protein assemblies to visualizing proteins within intact cells. It can capture multiple conformational states, reveal dynamic biological processes, and provide insights into the molecular mechanisms that underpin life.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into structural biology workflows, the potential of cryo-EM is expanding even further. Together, advances in imaging, computation and accessibility are helping to drive what may be the next revolution in digital biology.

A new study demonstrates how neutron tomography can uncover hidden corrosion, internal cracks and structural features wi...
08/06/2026

A new study demonstrates how neutron tomography can uncover hidden corrosion, internal cracks and structural features within a Western Han dynasty shu dao excavated from the Hu Chang Han tomb in China.

By exploiting neutrons' ability to pe*****te iron and distinguish corrosion products from the intact metal core, researchers were able to non-destructively investigate the artefact's condition and construction in unprecedented detail.

Read the article:
https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600576726000981

ISFC-2026 brought together international experts, researchers, and students for a week of learning, discussion, and hand...
04/06/2026

ISFC-2026 brought together international experts, researchers, and students for a week of learning, discussion, and hands-on training in crystallography.

For many participants, it was their first opportunity to attend an international crystallography school, engage directly with leading scientists, and build connections that will support their future research careers.

The lasting impact of events like these extends far beyond the lectures—helping to strengthen scientific networks, support emerging researchers, and foster the next generation of scientific discovery.

The school was supported by the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr), helping make these valuable learning and networking opportunities accessible to participants.

Join the next Distinguished Lecture on Quantum Crystallography and Complementary Fields, taking place online on 11 June ...
02/06/2026

Join the next Distinguished Lecture on Quantum Crystallography and Complementary Fields, taking place online on 11 June 2026 at 16:00 CET.

"The Source Function Concept in Chemistry" by Carlo Gatti (CNR-SCITEC, Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche and Istituto Lombardo, Accademia di Scienze e Lettere, Milano, Italy)

The lectures are free and open to all, with this session lasting approximately 45 minutes followed by Q&A.

Register here: https://qcrwebinar.chem.uw.edu.pl/

These lectures are organized under the auspices of the Quantum Crystallography Commission of IUCr and the European Crystallographic Association SIG 2 on Quantum Crystallography with a support of the Department of Chemistry and the Institute for Advanced Studies of the University of Warsaw (Poland) and Crystallography Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

IUCr was pleased to support the CCP4 Central European Workshop 2026, which brought together 30 researchers in Nové Hrady...
29/05/2026

IUCr was pleased to support the CCP4 Central European Workshop 2026, which brought together 30 researchers in Nové Hrady, Czechia, for a week of intensive training in macromolecular crystallography and electron cryo-microscopy.

Through lectures, tutorials and hands-on evening sessions, participants worked directly on their own experimental datasets covering diffraction data processing, cryo-EM reconstruction, AI-based structure prediction, model building and refinement.

The workshop highlighted the strong international demand for advanced practical training in structural biology and crystallography.

26/05/2026

This IUCrJ review explores how advances in cryo-EM, now accelerated by AI-driven image analysis, transformed our understanding of the membrane attack complex, the immune system’s pore-forming machinery.

The article also includes an incredible supplementary animation showing how these giant immune pores assemble and remodel membranes in molecular detail.

Read the article:
https://journals.iucr.org/m/issues/2026/03/00/eh5025/index.html

Watch the full supplementary movie:
https://youtu.be/lWXHfooG4QY?si=0vdPbzCIeLODEBVQ

“I am grateful to be part of a field where precise structural insight continues to drive progress in chemistry and mater...
21/05/2026

“I am grateful to be part of a field where precise structural insight continues to drive progress in chemistry and materials science.”

Erik Svensson Grape, recipient of the 2026 Struchkov Prize

In this IUCr Newsletter feature, Erik Svensson Grape reflects on research spanning pharmaceutical compounds, porous framework materials and nanocrystals — connecting structure across length scales through X-ray and electron diffraction techniques.

The article highlights how crystallography continues to reveal the relationship between atomic structure and material behaviour, driving advances across chemistry and materials science.

Read the full feature:
https://www.iucr.org/news/newsletter/volume-34/number-2/connecting-structure-across-length-scales-erik-svensson-grape,-recipient-of-the-struchkov-prize

Unexpected arrangements of spheres in cubic space groups can reveal remarkably elegant space-filling geometries.In this ...
19/05/2026

Unexpected arrangements of spheres in cubic space groups can reveal remarkably elegant space-filling geometries.

In this IUCr Newsletter feature, Zbigniew Dauter and Mariusz Jaskolski explore an unobvious arrangement of rhombohedra that connects crystallographic symmetry, geometry and sphere packing in visually striking ways.

The article offers a fascinating look at how complex spatial order emerges from simple geometric principles.

Read the full article:
https://www.iucr.org/news/newsletter/volume-34/number-2/interesting-packings-of-spheres-in-cubic-space-groups.-a-case-of-an-unobvious-arrangement-of-space-filling-rhombohedra

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