Workshops and courses

ELIXIR node event From structures to figures: scientific visualization and communication with PyMOL3

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Date: 5 October 2026 @ 09:00 - 17:00

Language of instruction: English

Three-dimensional molecular structures are an important source of information for understanding the function, interactions, and mechanisms of biological macromolecules. As structural data from experimental methods and computational predictions become increasingly accessible, researchers ar often expected to both analyse structures and to communicate structural insights clearly to others. This training provides an introduction to PyMOL3, a molecular visualization tool widely used in structural biology and related fields. Participants will learn how to load and navigate structures, inspect protein features, apply common visualization techniques, and perform basic structural analyses. It will place particular emphasis on creating figures and animations for scientific communication. Through hands-on exercises, participants will learn how to produce clear images for publications, posters, and presentations, and how to create simple movies that illustrate features, conformational changes, or molecular interactions. By the end of the training, participants will be able to use PyMOL3 to explore molecular structures and to generate visual material suitable for research presentations and publications. 

Keywords: basic bioinformatics

Venue: Brussels - Learning & Innovation Center Brussels (LIC), Pleinlaan 2

City: Brussels

Country: Belgium

Postcode: 1050

Learning objectives:

  • Apply different molecular representations coloring schemes and display settings to highlight structural features
  • Create animations and movies to illustrate molecular structures conformational changes and interactions
  • Create clear and informative molecular figures suitable for presentations posters and scientific publications
  • Identify and examine structural elements such as domains secondary structure elements ligands binding sites, and molecular interactions
  • Navigate the PyMOL interface and efficiently load organize and manage molecular structures
  • Perform basic structural analyses including measurements of distances angles and contacts between atoms and residues

Organizer: VIB

Event types:

  • Workshops and courses

Instructors: Alexandar Kocev

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