New method generates RNA conformational ensembles without averaging collapse

RNA molecules often function through multiple experimentally observed conformational states, and capturing that diversity is a long-standing problem in structural biology. A new preprint introduces REFLEX (RNA Ensemble Generation via Flexibility-Calibrated Stochastic Bridge), a generative method aimed at producing RNA conformational ensembles.

The authors identify a central challenge: ensemble generation must balance diversity against structural fidelity. In practice, samples may collapse toward averaged structures, losing the distinct states that are biologically relevant.

REFLEX addresses this with a flexibility-calibrated stochastic bridge, a framework designed to keep generated conformations both diverse and faithful to observed states. The preprint is available on arXiv (2610.26261).