MicroED and 3D Electron Diffraction: Pharmaceutical Literature, 2018–2026
Selected MicroED and 3D electron diffraction publications on pharmaceutical crystal structures, polymorphs, salts, cocrystals, solvates, drug products, and absolute configuration.
Selected for pharmaceutical relevance, methodological contribution, industrial evidence, and review value. This is an editorial collection, not a citation-count ranking or an exhaustive bibliography. Foundational 2018 studies are included.
Iryna Andrusenko; Mauro Gemmi WIREs Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology · DOI 10.1002/wnan.1810
This review examines three-dimensional electron diffraction for beam-sensitive small-molecule nanocrystals, with a pharmaceutical-industry perspective. It discusses experimental strategies, diffraction completeness, dynamical scattering, and structural applications that extend beyond conventional large-crystal requirements. It provides a methods-oriented framework for interpreting published demonstrations; it does not establish a universal preparation method or replace sample-specific feasibility assessment.
Why it is included: Pharmaceutical-focused review of practical 3D ED methodology and limitations.
Emma Danelius; Khushboo Patel; Brenda Gonzalez et al. Current Opinion in Structural Biology · DOI 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102549
This review connects advances in MicroED with examples spanning small molecules, peptides, and protein structures relevant to drug discovery. It explains how nanocrystalline material changes the range of accessible structural problems and surveys representative applications. The article is a guide to the evolving evidence base, rather than a new validation study or a general claim of routine success for every pharmaceutical sample.
Why it is included: Drug-discovery-focused synthesis linking diverse MicroED application areas.
Alison Haymaker; Brent L. Nannenga Current Opinion in Structural Biology · DOI 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102741
The review describes MicroED methodology and recent advances across small organic molecules, materials, and biological structures. It explains how diffraction from very small crystals extends the experimental toolkit. Pharmaceutical readers can use it for broader methodological context, while recognizing that its cross-disciplinary examples do not constitute a dedicated benchmark of routine API polymorph screening.
Why it is included: Provides background for readers entering the field and places pharmaceutical applications within the broader development of electron crystallography.
Mahira Aragon; Sarah E. J. Bowman; Chun-Hsing Chen; et al. Acta Crystallographica Section C · DOI 10.1107/s2053229624004078
This community overview summarizes developments discussed at a MicroED symposium and workshop. It covers access to instrumentation, small-molecule and biomolecular applications, data collection, processing software, reporting, and validation. For pharmaceutical readers, it helps connect individual experimental demonstrations to the operational requirements of a complete workflow, without presenting an industrial validation study.
Why it is included: A practical orientation for building or evaluating a MicroED service, with attention to the steps between measurement and defensible interpretation.
