First Crystal Structure of LSD on 5-HT2A Receptor

The discovery reported by Kim at al. in the journal Cell sheds light on how compounds interact with and activate this canonical receptor.

September 2020

To solve the crystal structure of LSD bound to the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor, structural biologists used cutting-edge, high-resolution imaging techniques such as cryo-EM, cryogenic electron microscopy. In an interview with Inverse, Dr. Bryan Roth of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine said, “Now we know how psychedelic drugs work – finally!