Kexin Zhang

Assistant Professor
Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry
Yale University

I am fascinated by how we can see and understand biomolecules from the noisy images that cryo-electron microscopy produces, especially the small, flexible, or transient species that have remained out of reach. My research sits at the intersection of cryo-EM, machine learning, and structural biology, where I develop computational methods to extend the physical limits of cryo-EM imaging.

I received my undergraduate training in chemistry at Nanjing University, where I worked with Prof. Xinghua Xia. I then moved to the University of Michigan for my PhD in Chemistry and Scientific Computing, where I worked with Prof. Aaron Frank on RNA structure prediction by integrating experimental NMR data with machine learning. After my PhD, I joined Prof. Nikolaus Grigorieff’s lab at UMass Chan Medical School for postdoctoral training, where I developed methods to push the cryo-EM detection limit toward sub-50 kDa complexes. This work lays the foundation for what we pursue in my own lab.

On September 1, 2026, I started the Kexin Zhang Lab in the Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University, where we develop new computational methods for cryo-EM and apply them to challenging molecular systems. Outside the lab, I enjoy reading, spending time with family and friends, and hanging out with my cats.