G　protein-coupled　receptors　(GPCR)　are　the　most　studied　drug　targets,　responding　to　over　30%　of　modern　marketed　drugs.　The　molecular　structures　and　functions　of　this　large　family　of　transmembrane　proteins　have　been　the　subject　of　heavy　research　by　both　the　pharmaceutical　industry　and　academia.　Recent　breakthroughs　in　GPCR　crystallography　have　led　to　high-resolution　structures　of　over　30　class　A　GPCR,　which　have　provided　the　structural　basis　for　rational　drug　design　and　functional　studies,　unveiling　new　drug　targets　and　ligand　design　strategies.　The　structures　also　have　been　widely　applied　to　computational　approaches　in　GPCR　research.　A　few　groundbreaking　studies　in　the　last　few　years　have　significantly　advanced　the　understanding　in　GPCR　structures,　dynamics,　activation　and　ligand　recognition.　This　mini-review　summarizes　the　recent　updates　on　class　A　GPCR　structure　and　function,　with　a　focus　on　the　applications　and　perspectives　of　molecular　modeling　in　GPCR　ligand　design.　©　2017,　Editorial　Department　of　Journal　of　Beijing　University　of　Technology.　All　right　reserved.