St. Jude scientists discovered anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) 30 years ago. This target is important in cancers such as pediatric neuroblastoma. The details of how #ALK is activated by ligands has been unknown until now. Scientists used #structuralbiology techniques to find the answer. This animation shows how they captured the shape of a part of ALK called the extracellular region. They visualized the ALK extracellular region alone and when bound to ligands. Ligands are molecules that bind to