Protein conformation refers to the three-dimensional shape of a protein molecule, which is determined by the arrangement of its amino acid residues. The conformation of a protein is crucial for its function, as it determines how the protein interacts with other molecules and carries out its biological role. Research in protein conformation focuses on understanding how proteins fold into their specific shapes, how conformational changes affect protein function, and how external factors such as temperature, pH, and chemical modifications can influence protein conformation. Studying protein conformation is important for drug development, as many diseases are caused by misfolded proteins.