The Sleepy Molecule: Melatonin
This mock Scientific American spread focuses on melatonin synthesis, melatonin’s effects on circadian rhythms and how melatonin binds with receptors to trigger a series of cellular events.
Audience
Educated lay audience
Client
Prof. Derek Ng
Format
2 page spread, Print
Date
June 2021
Media
UCSF Chimera
VMD
3D Protein Imaging
Maya
Blender
Adobe Illustrator
Procreate
Process work
Research
I first conducted a media audit of the existing visual graphics on the cellular mechanisms of melatonin. I then acquired the structural information for melatonin and melatonin receptors using Protein Data Bank (PDB).
Rough sketches
From several thumbnails I produced, I chose the last layout so the information flows logically between each section, from melatonin synthesis to melatonin binding to downstream cellular mechanisms.
Production
2D assets were created using Procreate. The molecular structures (MT1, MT2, Phospholipase C, G-proteins, Adenylyl cyclase) were isolated and edited using VMD and USCF Chimera. They were then exported to Maya for compositing and rendering. A lipid bilayer was created using Blender.
Details
