Biochemist · Structural Biologist · Platform Developer

Lindsey
Young Goodman

PhD — UC Berkeley

Self-motivated, inventive biophysicist specializing in Structure-Activity Relationships, protein engineering of challenging human macromolecular enzymes, and cryo-EM. 10+ years integrating biochemistry, biophysics, and de novo protein design to drive mechanistic discovery.

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Cross-section illustration of a mammalian cell interior showing organelles, cytoskeletal filaments, and molecular transport
2,000+ Total citations
11 peer-reviewed publications
01

About
Lindsey

"Fascinated by visualizing molecular networks at atomic resolution — and inventing the tools to do it."

Lindsey Young Goodman earned her PhD from UC Berkeley studying Structure-Activity Relationships of the Class III Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Complex — a human macromolecular enzyme essential to autophagy, cancer, neurodegeneration, and heart disease — through biophysical methods, in vitro reconstitution, single-particle cryo-EM, and HDX-MS.

As a postdoctoral fellow at UC San Diego with Dr. Elizabeth Villa (HHMI), Lindsey became captivated by visualizing intact molecular networks inside cells at high spatial resolution. Recognizing a fundamental gap in available tools for molecular identification in cellular cryo-electron tomography, she invented ExoSloNano — a multi-modal nanogold labeling platform now published in Nature Methods (2026) and sold as a validated commercial product through Nanoprobes, Inc.

She has been invited to present her work at HHMI Janelia, the Biophysical Society, the University of Pennsylvania, Atlos Labs, and international Keystone Conferences, among others.

10+
Years of experience
2,000+
Total citations
11
Peer-reviewed publications
6
First-author papers
02

Technical Expertise

🔬

Cryo-EM & Structural Biology

Multi-state single particle cryo-EM structure determination of macromolecular complexes. Expert in the full pipeline from sample prep to final structure.

RELION cryoSPARC Phenix ChimeraX Coot IMOD Warp/M Dynamo
🧬

Protein Biochemistry & Biophysics

Expression and purification of challenging human macromolecular complexes in HEK cells. Enzymatic, kinetic, and binding assays with reconstituted lipid vesicles.

FPLC/AKTA SEC-MALS AUC Circ. Dichroism DLS HDX-MS
⚗️

Platform & Technology Development

Inventor of ExoSloNano — multi-modal nanogold probes for intracellular macromolecular labeling in live cells and cryo-ET datasets. Now a commercial product.

cryo-ET Nanogold Cell Delivery Flow Cytometry Lentiviral
🤖

Computational & AI-Assisted Design

De novo protein design of small binders for phage therapy applications leveraging modern AI-based structure prediction and design tools.

AlphaFold ColabFold BindCraft Rosetta ModelAngelo
💻

Programming & Data Analysis

Quantitative data analysis and scientific computing supporting structural biology workflows, image processing, and experimental data interpretation.

Python MATLAB Bash ImageJ/Fiji PyMOL LaTeX
🧫

Molecular & Cell Biology

Sterile mammalian cell culture, transient transfections, molecular cloning, SDS-PAGE, and endotoxin detection supporting protein production pipelines.

HEK293 PCR/Cloning Mutagenesis Transfection SDS-PAGE
03

Experience & Education

2019 – Present
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of California, San Diego · Mentor: Elizabeth Villa, PhD (HHMI)
  • Led technical development of ExoSloNano, a nanogold-based intracellular labeling platform enabling protein identification in cellular cryo-ET datasets.
  • Engineered high-efficiency nanogold delivery strategy into live mammalian cells; validated probes listed as commercial products through Nanoprobes, Inc.
  • Currently designing de novo small protein binders for phage therapy leveraging AlphaFold, ColabFold, and BindCraft.
  • First-author publication in Nature Methods (2026); invited speaker at HHMI Janelia, Biophysical Society, UPenn, Keystone, and Atlos Labs.
2013 – 2019
PhD — Molecular & Cellular Biology
University of California, Berkeley · Mentor: James Hurley, PhD (NAS)
  • Determined multiple cryo-EM structures of the Class III PI3-Kinase complex (a key therapeutic target in autophagy, cancer, and neurodegeneration), capturing active and inactive states.
  • Resolved the allosteric activation mechanism of this 400 kDa macromolecular complex through protein purification, binding/kinetic assays, SEC-MALS, lipid reconstitution, and mass spectrometry.
  • First-author publications in PNAS (2016, 2019) and co-first-author in Molecular Cell (2019).
  • Selected speaker at Keystone Conference, Bay Area Cryo-EM Symposium (UCSF), and the 7th Annual International Symposium on Autophagy (Huangshan, China).
2011 – 2013
Research Technician
University of Arizona, Tucson · Mentor: Bentley A. Fane, PhD
  • Resolved a long-standing controversy about genome delivery in bacteriophage ϕX174 through structure-function analysis and site-directed mutagenesis.
  • Co-first author in Nature (2014); first author in Journal of Virology (2014).
2007 – 2011
BA — Chemistry and Biology
New College of Florida, Sarasota
  • NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates Award · Florida Department of Education Bright Futures Scholarship.
04

Selected Publications

2026
First Author Nature Methods
ExoSloNano: Multi-Modal Nanogold Tags for identification of Macromolecules in Live Cells and Cryo-Electron Tomograms
Young, L.N.*, Sherrard, A.*, Zhou, H., Shaikh, F., Hutchings, J., Riggi, M., Rosen, M.K., Giraldez, A., and Villa, E.
View Article →
2019
First Author PNAS
Structural pathway for allosteric activation of the autophagic PI 3-kinase complex I
Young, L.N., Goerdeler, F., and Hurley, J.H.
View Article →
2019
Co-First Author Molecular Cell
Bidirectional Control of Autophagy by BECN1 BARA Domain Dynamics
Chang, C.*, Young, L.N.*, Morris, K.L., von Blow, S., Schneberg, J., Yamamoto-Imoto, H., et al.
View Article →
2016
First Author PNAS
Dynamics and architecture of the NRBF2-containing phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase complex I of autophagy
Young, L.N., Cho, K., Lawrence, R., Zoncu, R., and Hurley, J.H.
View Article →
2014
Co-First Author Nature
Icosahedral bacteriophage ϕX174 forms a tail for DNA transport during infection
Sun, L.*, Young, L.N.*, Zhang, X., Boudko, S.P., Fokine, A., Zbornik, E., Roznowski, A.P., Molineux, I.J., Rossmann, M.G., and Fane, B.A.
View Article →
2014
First Author Journal of Virology
Mutations in the N Terminus of the ϕX174 DNA Pilot Protein H Confer Defects in both Assembly and Host Cell Attachment
Young, L.N., Hockenberry, A.M., and Bentley, F.A.
View Article →

* denotes equal contribution  |  Full publication list on Google Scholar →

05

Get in
Touch

Open to research collaborations, scientific consulting, and speaking invitations. Please reach out via email or connect on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/Lindsey Scholar Google Scholar Profile GitHub github.com/Lindsey
"Derive enjoyment from training the next generation of scientists and connecting with them through science."
— Lindsey Young Goodman, PhD