2015 AAAS Annual Meeting (12-16 February 2015)

February 12 - 16, 2015

Emerging Trends in Visualizing Physical Models and Rapid Prototyping for Biological Systems

Advances in structural biology go hand-in-hand with better visualization and modeling techniques at the molecular and atomic level and provide insights into the fundamental relationships between structure and function at various scales. Scientists are now developing a variety of interactive, physical, or digital molecular models that provide highly skilled professionals as well as students a better understanding of the dynamics and spatial relationships involved in the 3D conformations of cellular and molecular structures. This symposium explores these new types of models, their interface to computers, and the extension of biological principles, e.g. chain folding, to macroscale architecture and bioinspired matter. Recent advances in 3D printing, protein structure and dynamics, augmented reality, and folding science are converging across scales to develop new technologies that enable both a better understanding of biomolecular structures, as well as insights into how to create new programmable macroscale architectures and gaming environments built on these concepts. These trends will influence the design of future biomodeling tools and will focus on design for insight, innovation, and empowerment.