Celebrating 20 Years of Molecule of the Month

01/02 

Since 2000, the RCSB PDB Molecule of the Month series has introduced millions of visitors to the shape and function of the 3D structures archived in the Protein Data Bank.

Created and illustrated by David S. Goodsell (RCSB PDB-Rutgers and The Scripps Research Institute), this feature tells stories about molecular structure and function, their diverse roles within living cells, and the growing connections between biology and nanotechnology. The growth and popularity of the column led to the development of the PDB-101 educational website. Molecule of the Month content has inspired readers around the world, and is a regular read for students and researchers alike. Columns are so compelling that they have been accessed nearly a million times in 2019.

To celebrate this milestone anniversary, Goodsell’s column for January 2020 offers a personal meditation on the growing revolution in structural biology that provides these amazing glimpses into biology.

The celebration continues all year long--the 2020 calendar highlights the top-accessed articles year after year, culminating in the highest-ranked articles Hemoglobin and Catalase.

The cover image, which highlights a Cross-Section of the Measles Virus, was recently selected as a winning entry in the FASEB BioArt Scientific Image and Video Competition.

Readers can also subscribe to a new electronic newsletter that will send alerts when new features are available.

Download the calendar as a PDF, PowerPoint, or set of image files.