Taekjip Ha analyzes single molecules to understand how they act in complex biological systems. Ha and his team combine sophisticated biophysical manipulation techniques with fluorescence imaging to visualize and manipulate protein, RNA, and DNA molecules. Probing these molecules allows the researchers to decipher such innate properties as a molecule’s “bendability” and how it binds and interacts with other molecules. Ha’s team strives to emulate or work within natural cellular environments while studying single molecules, testing diverse protein-nucleic acid and protein-protein interactions at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution.