An illuminating way to learn about protein function is to explore high-resolution protein structures. Analysis of the proteins involved in genetic diseases has been used to introduce students to protein structure and the role that individual mutations can play in the onset of disease. Known mutations can be correlated to changes in protein activity, structure, or processing. Students gain the skills to manipulate high-resolution protein structures and an understanding of how structural changes can lead to disease. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)