David Goodsell

David Goodsell studied a BSc in biology and chemistry at University of California Irvine. After this, he did a PhD in X-ray crystallography of DNA at the University of California Los Angeles, completed in 1987.{{Cite web|url=https://vivo.scripps.edu/display/GoodsellDavid|title=CV of Goodsell, David|website=vivo.scripps.edu|language=en|access-date=2019-07-11}}{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Michelle |date=2019-06-17 |title=The Intersection of Art and Science |url=https://www.laboratoryequipment.com/article/2019/06/intersection-art-and-science |url-status= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618022455/https://www.laboratoryequipment.com/article/2019/06/intersection-art-and-science |archive-date=June 18, 2019 |access-date=2019-07-11 |website=Laboratory Equipment |language=en}}

Since completing his PhD he has worked as a structural biologist at the Scripps Research Institute (with a 2-year period in University of California in 1992-94). His research topics have included the use of structural biology and molecular dynamic simulations to investigate symmetry in protein oligomers, protein-protein interactions and for computer-aided drug design. In particular he is a developer of AutoDock, the most widely-used program used for molecular docking.{{Cite journal|last1=Sousa|first1=Sérgio Filipe|last2=Fernandes|first2=Pedro Alexandrino|last3=Ramos|first3=Maria João|date=2006|title=Protein–ligand docking: Current status and future challenges|journal=Proteins: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics|language=en|volume=65|issue=1|pages=15–26|doi=10.1002/prot.21082|pmid=16862531|s2cid=21569704|issn=1097-0134}} His main research focus areas are HIV drug resistance and structure and function of bacterial cells.{{Cite web|url=https://ccsb.scripps.edu/goodsell/science/|title=Goodsell Home Page: Science|last=Goodsell|first=David|website=scripps.edu|access-date=2019-07-20}}

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|image1 = 181-CascadeAndCRISPR 1vy8.tiff

|image2 = 197-Zika Virus-ZikaVirus.tif

|caption1 = Example of individual protein: Cascade surveillance complex of the Type I CRISPR bacterial immune system from Escherichia coli (2015). The Cascade protein complex (blue) bound to the crRNA guide strand (orange). ({{PDB|4tvx}})

|caption2 = Example of molecular landscape: Zika Virus (2016). Viruses top and left with envelope proteins (red), membrane proteins (magenta), lipid membrane (light purple), RNA genome (yellow), and capsid proteins (orange). Target host cell bottom-right with cell surface receptors (green). Blood plasma molecules (yellow).

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Goodsell has developed a signature style of scientific drawing. He started painting early in his childhood but did not study art in college. In graduate school, Goodsell became interested in scientific illustration while writing molecular graphics programs to visualize protein and DNA structures.

Goodsell's signature style uses generally very flat shading, with strong and simple colour-schemes.{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/05/28/479744737/its-the-zika-virus-in-action-drawn-by-a-scientist-artist|title=It's The Zika Virus In Action, Drawn By A Scientist-Artist|last=Zackowitz|first=Maggie|date=2016-05-28|website=NPR.org}} As is typical in medical illustration, the images are simplified representations of the subject that still retain accuracy of the important features.{{Cite web|url=https://www.science.org/content/article/meet-scientist-painter-who-turns-deadly-viruses-beautiful-works-art|title=Meet the scientist painter who turns deadly viruses into beautiful works of art|last=Cohen|first=Jon|date=2019-04-11|website=Science}}{{Cite journal|last1=Goodsell|first1=David S.|last2=Franzen|first2=Margaret A.|last3=Herman|first3=Tim|date=2018-10-19|title=From Atoms to Cells: Using Mesoscale Landscapes to Construct Visual Narratives|journal=Journal of Molecular Biology|volume=430|issue=21|pages=3954–3968|doi=10.1016/j.jmb.2018.06.009|pmid=29885327|pmc=6186495|issn=0022-2836}} His illustrations fall broadly into two categories: individual proteins, and cellular panoramas.

His images of individual proteins are typically computer generated, cell-shaded space-filling representations of proteins, often with cut-aways to show internal binding sites and cofactors. Conversely, his illustration of cell interiors (sometimes called molecular landscapes) are hand-painted in watercolours.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/this-painting-shows-what-might-look-like-when-zika-infects-cell-180959507/|title=This Painting Shows What It Might Look Like When Zika Infects a Cell|last=Fessenden|first=Marissa|date=2016-06-21|website=Smithsonian|access-date=2019-07-11}} They are typically slices through a cell with highly simplified protein structures in a flat style in order to capture overall organisation without overwhelming detail.{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/turning-a-killer-virus-into-award-winning-art-video/|title=Turning a Killer Virus into Award-Winning Art [Video]|last=Augenbraun|first=Eliene|date=2016-03-22|website=Scientific American Blog|language=en}} These cell interiors are often displayed at an effective 1,000,000x magnification for consistency.{{Cite web|url=https://www.asbmb.org/asbmbtoday/201108/features/Goodsell/|title=David Goodsell: The master of mol art|last=Shikov|first=Sergei|date=2011|website=www.asbmb.org|publisher=American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Today}}{{Cite journal|last=Goodsell|first=David|date=2016-02-26|title=Cellular Landscapes in Watercolor|journal=Journal of Biocommunication|language=en|volume=40|issue=1|pages=e6 |doi=10.5210/jbc.v40i1.6627|pmid=36407827 |pmc=9138463 |issn=0094-2499|doi-access=free}} The paintings therefore share a consistent style, aiming to make interpretation easy and as intuitive as possible.{{Cite journal|last=Goodsell|first=David S.|date=2011|title=Eukaryotic cell panorama|journal=Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education|language=en|volume=39|issue=2|pages=91–101|doi=10.1002/bmb.20494|pmid=21445900|s2cid=37998506|issn=1539-3429|doi-access=free}}

His illustrations are published in the "Molecule of the Month" series by the Protein Data Bank (PDB), an archive of protein structures.{{cite web|url=http://www.exploratorium.edu/traits/goodsell.html|title=Interview with David Goodsell|last=Miller|first=Mary K.|website=exploratorium.edu|publisher=Exploratorium Magazine|accessdate=3 April 2015}} His illustrations are used as teaching tools,{{Cite journal|last1=Goodsell|first1=David S.|last2=Franzen|first2=Margaret A.|last3=Herman|first3=Tim|date=2018-10-19|title=From Atoms to Cells: Using Mesoscale Landscapes to Construct Visual Narratives|journal=Journal of Molecular Biology|volume=430|issue=21|pages=3954–3968|doi=10.1016/j.jmb.2018.06.009|pmid=29885327|pmc=6186495|issn=0022-2836}} in textbooks, in scientific publications, and as journal cover art.{{Cite journal|last=Söderqvist|first=Thomas|date=2010|title=Selling point: David Goodsell|journal=Nature Medicine|language=en|volume=16|issue=9|pages=943|doi=10.1038/nm0910-943|pmid=20823862|s2cid=2731570|issn=1078-8956|doi-access=free}}

For individual proteins, Goodsell's illustrations are directly generated from solved protein structures deposited in the PDB using custom computer renderings that he wrote in Fortran (now released as an online illustration tool).{{Cite web|url=https://ccsb.scripps.edu/illustrate/|title=Non-photorealistic Biomolecular Illustration|website=ccsb.scripps.edu|access-date=2019-07-20}}

Representations of large macromolecular complexes or crowded cellular environments require interpretation and synthesis of multiple different types of scientific imaging.{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/sundayextra/finding-beauty-in-deadly-viruses/7580594|title=Finding beauty in deadly viruses|last=Calderwood|first=Kathleen|date=2016-07-08|website=ABC Radio National|access-date=2019-07-11}} These include X-ray crystallography and NMR for protein components, cryo electron tomography for larger complexes, and super-res light microscopy and electron microscopy for the cellular environment.{{Cite web|url=https://news.rutgers.edu/feature-focus/art-science/20110224|title=The Art of Science|last=Lally|first=Robin|date=2011-02-24|website=Rutgers Today|language=en}} In these cases, the focus is on portraying the relative scales, orientations and interactions between the components.

In 2022 Goodsell was the recipient of the Carl Brändén Award.{{Cite web |title=Outreach and Education |url=https://cdn.rcsb.org/rcsb-pdb/general_information/news_publications/newsletters/2022q4/outreach.html |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=cdn.rcsb.org}} The award honors an outstanding protein scientist who has also made exceptional contributions in the areas of education and/or service.

In addition to scientific papers, Goodsell is the author of several scientific books with a focus on illustration:{{Cite web|url=http://www.americanscientist.org/authors/detail/david-goodsell|title=Author: David Goodsell|date=2011-06-12|website=americanscientist.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612225149/http://www.americanscientist.org/authors/detail/david-goodsell|archive-date=2011-06-12|url-status=|access-date=2019-07-11}}

• Atomic Evidence: Seeing the Molecular Basis of Life (Springer International, 2016)
• Bionanotechnology: Lessons from Nature (J. Wiley and Sons, 2004)
• Our Molecular Nature: The Body's Motors, Machines, and Messages (Springer-Verlag, 1996)

• The Machinery of Life (Springer-Verlag, 1993).

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{{commons category|David Goodsell}}

• [http://pdb101.rcsb.org/motm/motm-by-date Molecule of the Month]
• [https://ccsb.scripps.edu/illustrate/ MotM Illustrator webtool]
• [https://twitter.com/dsgoodsell David Goodsell on Twitter]

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Category:Science in art