Over the past few decades, it has become increasingly evident that nucleic acids can fold into a wide range of 3D structures and perform vital biological functions. Importantly, the biological function of a particular oligonucleotide is intimately coupled to its sequence of nucleotides and their ability to dynamically form specific intramolecular interactions. Our lab studies how the conformational dynamics of these nucleic acids are influenced by other types of molecules (i.e., cosolutes) found within the cellular milieu.