Ellen Zhong

Ellen Zhong is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Princeton University. Her research sits at the intersection of AI and the molecular sciences, where she develops algorithms that drive new scientific discoveries. Her group’s research spans methodological research in AI and computer vision, as well as close collaboration with experimentalists in structural biology and chemistry. Previously, she has worked on the AlphaFold team at Google DeepMind and at D. E. Shaw Research on molecular dynamics for drug discovery. She obtained her Ph.D. from MIT in 2022 before joining the Princeton faculty.

AI2050 Project

Proteins are the molecular machines that carry out all essential biological processes, but their structures are dynamic and difficult to visualize. Zhong’s project develops new AI tools that integrate biological imaging data with protein structure prediction models to generate detailed, atomic-level pictures of proteins in action. By capturing how these molecules move and interact in their native environments, the work will help scientists better understand disease mechanisms, design new therapies, and explore the fundamental machinery of life.