Texas A&M Researchers Invent Laser-Based ‘TRIP’ Spectroscopy to Quantify Noncovalent Quantum Forces in Drug Discovery
Mohamed Abdel-Kareem2026-06-29T19:46:28-07:00(A) Aromatic π-π stacking interactions exist in protein and protein complexes. (B) Overview of the workflow using TRIP for direct measurement of π-π stacking in the dimers of SARS-CoV-2 main protease, Mpro. A interdisciplinary research team spanning the Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering (IQSE) and the departments of Chemistry, Biology, and Electrical & Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University has invented a label-free optical platform called Thermostable Raman Interaction Profiling (TRIP). Published in the journal Science Advances, the biophysical breakthrough achieves the first direct, non-invasive quantification of aromatic π–π stacking interactions within complex protein environments under near-physiological aqueous conditions. By [...]