A better understanding of this phenomenon, which is crucial to many processes that occur in biological systems and materials, could enable researchers to develop light-sensitive proteins for areas such as biological imaging and optogenetics.

A better understanding of ‘checkpoint proteins,’ which protect cancer cells against immune system strikes, could lead to the development of more effective drugs.

A new study shows how soccer ball-shaped molecules burst more slowly than expected when blasted with an X-ray laser beam.

Both are professors at Stanford and SLAC, where Martinez is an investigator with the Stanford PULSE Institute.