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With support from the U.S. National Science Foundation, researchers at the University of Houston have captured the dynamics of microscopic cholesterol crystal formation on video for the first time. Understanding these mechanisms could help scientists develop more effective treatments for managing high cholesterol, a condition that affects 25 million adults in the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A better understanding of crystal formation could also enhance optoelectronics, which are electronic devices that work by controlling and sensing light.

NSF-supported researchers Jeffrey Rimer and Peter Vekilov are known for their work in crystal engineering and therapeutics that help prevent crystallization in human diseases. Their latest achievement shows the fundamental layered process involved in crystal formation in environments that mimic the human body. This is the first time anyone has taken images of the surface growth of cholesterol crystals in real time at near-molecular resolution. The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.