This course explores the structure and function of biologically relevant macromolecules and their visual representations. The main goal of this course is to equip you with the fundamental knowledge, language, and practical skills necessary to create accurate visual depictions of these biologically important macromolecules and associated processes for different audiences.
This 36-hour course comprises two components: lectures and practical labs. The lecture component focuses on teaching you the fundamental concepts in molecular structural biology that are relevant for the accurate visual depiction of macromolecules. These concepts will be presented in the context of both historical and contemporary molecular visualization best practices. The laboratory component will give you hands-on experience in acquiring, evaluating, exploring, and visualizing molecular data from a variety of sources through in-lab tutorials and assignments. Practical issues such as dealing with missing data, integrating data from multiple sources, and evaluating whether a dataset is suitable for a project will be addressed.