CRISPR-Cas Mechanism of Action
CRISPR-Cas is both a bacterial immune defense system and a derived suite of tools and technologies for gene editing, visualization, and regulation. The discovery and re-engineering of these tools has been amongst the most groundbreaking milestones in biochemistry in the 21st century. Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier were awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their contributions to the development of a gene-editing method based on the CRISPR-Cas9 effector.
CRISPR-Cas is both a bacterial immune defense system and a derived suite of tools and technologies for gene editing, visualization, and regulation. The discovery and re-engineering of these tools has been amongst the most groundbreaking milestones in biochemistry in the 21st century. Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier were awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their contributions to the development of a gene-editing method based on the CRISPR-Cas9 effector.
Project Goal
Create an educational animation about CRISPR-Cas effectors and technology
Native Cas9 effector
Bacteriophage approaching bacterial cell
Cas9 complex on DNA
“Molecular animations are an essential way to demystify and explain complex biological systems. Through the use of stunning imagery and attention to detail, Visual Science has captured the dynamic mechanisms of CRISPR-Cas proteins and their use as research tools.”
“Molecular animations are an essential way to demystify and explain complex biological systems. Through the use of stunning imagery and attention to detail, Visual Science has captured the dynamic mechanisms of CRISPR-Cas proteins and their use as research tools.”
Professor of the Depts. of Molecular and Cell Biology
and Chemistry at the UC Berkeley,
Executive Director of the Innovative Genomics Institute
Professor of the Depts. of Molecular and Cell Biology
and Chemistry at the UC Berkeley,
Executive Director of the Innovative Genomics Institute
Professor of the Depts. of Molecular and Cell Biology
and Chemistry at the UC Berkeley,
Executive Director of the Innovative Genomics Institute
Cas9 fused with Krueppel-associated domain
Cellular vesicles and cytoskeleton
Repeats and spacers in bacterial CRISPR loci
“Attention to detail, beautiful imagery and in-depth information about the CRISPR-Cas mechanisms. This is a perfect example of how complex biochemical processes on the molecular level can be visualized. Visual Science has produced excellent work!”
“Attention to detail, beautiful imagery and in-depth information about the CRISPR-Cas mechanisms. This is a perfect example of how complex biochemical processes on the molecular level can be visualized. Visual Science has produced excellent work!”
Scientific and Managing Director, Acting Head of Administration,
Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens
The Process
Animation type:
High end 3D + 2D
Project timline:
16 weeks
Review:
10+ zoom calls and e-mail feedback sessions
Team:
Find out which of our 26 scientific animation options works best for investor relations and communications:
We collaborated with molecular and computational biologists from a range of universities and laboratories to create this animation. The process involved extensive molecular modeling and dynamic simulation, with the aim of generating scientifically accurate models of various CRISPR effectors, recreating their functions, and depicting the intracellular environments in which these molecular complexes operate.
From many perspectives, this project marked an innovative breakthrough for the Visual Science team and garnered significant positive feedback from prominent scientists in the field. Collaborative educational projects like this can be undertaken in partnership with large scientific and educational institutions to raise public awareness of major scientific breakthroughs.
Why did we use this
animation type?
This high-end 3D animation showcases both natural (bacterial) and genetically engineered CRISPR systems, while explaining their potential applications in human gene editing. To ensure the highest level of accuracy in these visualizations, we employed our most advanced approach, applying the full range of computational biology methods available to our team.
The animation’s visual style is the result of close collaboration among multiple look-development and compositing artists. Throughout the animation, we incorporated schematic 2D overlays to help viewers navigate the visuals, enhancing comprehension of complex molecular structures.
Full animation
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Visual Science team has just the right blend of scientific acumen and digital animation expertise to pull off these challenging projects.”
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Visual Science is a fantastic partner, capable of rendering the most complex science in compelling ways. They understood the science, and their production was excellent.”
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Beautiful work that is detailed and thoughtful. Great final output.”
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We were impressed by the Visual Science team’s ability to use exact protein structures to depict complex mechanisms in <90 seconds. The visuals are beautiful and tell a clear story.”
President & CEO, ROME Tx
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Excellent scientific partner and first class imagery. This team runs a tight ship and the process is clear. The tech and final product are first rate.”
VP, Corp Dev, Revolution Medicines
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We are very pleased with Visual Science — they are a very responsive group to work with and the final product is exactly what we had envisioned.”
CEO, Atsena Therapeutics
10/10
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The scientific expertise really showed in the discussions and final products. Everybody was responsive and great to work with, and the animations were both engaging and accurate!”
Program Manager, American Chemical Society
10/10
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Visual Science team has just the right blend of scientific acumen and digital animation expertise to pull off these challenging projects.”
CEO, Apton Biosystems
9/10
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Visual Science is a fantastic partner, capable of rendering the most complex science in compelling ways. They understood the science, and their production was excellent.”
VP, Head of Communications, Scorpion Tx
7/10
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The structural biology models from Visual Science are stunning! Visual Science implemented our guidelines into beautiful scientific imagery for our website and scientific slide decks.”
Science Content Lead, Dewpoint Tx
9/10
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I was very impressed with scientific knowledge of the Visual Science team, which led to a fantastic visualization of the MOA of our drug. Attention to scientific details was extraordinary.”
Vice President, R&D, Unicycive Tx
10/10
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We were impressed by the scientific sophistication of the Visual Science team and their skill in capturing the concepts we wanted to communicate. The final video was exceptional.”
CSO, Enterin
10/10
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The quality of the work from Visual Science was outstanding. They provide a bespoke service that was responsive to our requests and I would recommend them highly.”
CEO, UNITY Biotechnology
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Beautiful work that is detailed and thoughtful. Great final output.”
Sr. Comms & IR Associate, Candel Tx
10/10
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We were impressed by the Visual Science team’s ability to use exact protein structures to depict complex mechanisms in <90 seconds. The visuals are beautiful and tell a clear story.”
President & CEO, ROME Tx
10/10
“
Excellent scientific partner and first class imagery. This team runs a tight ship and the process is clear. The tech and final product are first rate.”
VP, Corp Dev, Revolution Medicines
10/10
“
We are very pleased with Visual Science — they are a very responsive group to work with and the final product is exactly what we had envisioned.”
CEO, Atsena Therapeutics
10/10
“
The scientific expertise really showed in the discussions and final products. Everybody was responsive and great to work with, and the animations were both engaging and accurate!”
Program Manager, American Chemical Society
10/10
“
Visual Science team has just the right blend of scientific acumen and digital animation expertise to pull off these challenging projects.”
CEO, Apton Biosystems
9/10
“
Visual Science is a fantastic partner, capable of rendering the most complex science in compelling ways. They understood the science, and their production was excellent.”
VP, Head of Communications, Scorpion Tx
7/10
“
The structural biology models from Visual Science are stunning! Visual Science implemented our guidelines into beautiful scientific imagery for our website and scientific slide decks.”
Science Content Lead, Dewpoint Tx
9/10
“
I was very impressed with scientific knowledge of the Visual Science team, which led to a fantastic visualization of the MOA of our drug. Attention to scientific details was extraordinary.”
Vice President, R&D, Unicycive Tx
10/10
“
We were impressed by the scientific sophistication of the Visual Science team and their skill in capturing the concepts we wanted to communicate. The final video was exceptional.”
CSO, Enterin
10/10
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The quality of the work from Visual Science was outstanding. They provide a bespoke service that was responsive to our requests and I would recommend them highly.”
CEO, UNITY Biotechnology
10/10
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Beautiful work that is detailed and thoughtful. Great final output.”
Sr. Comms & IR Associate, Candel Tx
10/10
“
We were impressed by the Visual Science team’s ability to use exact protein structures to depict complex mechanisms in <90 seconds. The visuals are beautiful and tell a clear story.”
President & CEO, ROME Tx
10/10
“
Excellent scientific partner and first class imagery. This team runs a tight ship and the process is clear. The tech and final product are first rate.”
VP, Corp Dev, Revolution Medicines
10/10
“
We are very pleased with Visual Science — they are a very responsive group to work with and the final product is exactly what we had envisioned.”
CEO, Atsena Therapeutics
10/10
“
The scientific expertise really showed in the discussions and final products. Everybody was responsive and great to work with, and the animations were both engaging and accurate!”
Program Manager, American Chemical Society
10/10
“
Visual Science team has just the right blend of scientific acumen and digital animation expertise to pull off these challenging projects.”
CEO, Apton Biosystems
9/10
“
Visual Science is a fantastic partner, capable of rendering the most complex science in compelling ways. They understood the science, and their production was excellent.”
VP, Head of Communications, Scorpion Tx
7/10
“
The structural biology models from Visual Science are stunning! Visual Science implemented our guidelines into beautiful scientific imagery for our website and scientific slide decks.”
Science Content Lead, Dewpoint Tx
9/10
“
I was very impressed with scientific knowledge of the Visual Science team, which led to a fantastic visualization of the MOA of our drug. Attention to scientific details was extraordinary.”
Vice President, R&D, Unicycive Tx
10/10
“
We were impressed by the scientific sophistication of the Visual Science team and their skill in capturing the concepts we wanted to communicate. The final video was exceptional.”
CSO, Enterin
10/10
“
The quality of the work from Visual Science was outstanding. They provide a bespoke service that was responsive to our requests and I would recommend them highly.”
CEO, UNITY Biotechnology
10/10
“
Beautiful work that is detailed and thoughtful. Great final output.”
Sr. Comms & IR Associate, Candel Tx
10/10
“
We were impressed by the Visual Science team’s ability to use exact protein structures to depict complex mechanisms in <90 seconds. The visuals are beautiful and tell a clear story.”
President & CEO, ROME Tx
10/10
“
Excellent scientific partner and first class imagery. This team runs a tight ship and the process is clear. The tech and final product are first rate.”
VP, Corp Dev, Revolution Medicines
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10/10
“
We are very pleased with Visual Science — they are a very responsive group to work with and the final product is exactly what we had envisioned.”
CEO, Atsena Therapeutics
10/10
“
The scientific expertise really showed in the discussions and final products. Everybody was responsive and great to work with, and the animations were both engaging and accurate!”
Program Manager, American Chemical Society
10/10
“
Visual Science team has just the right blend of scientific acumen and digital animation expertise to pull off these challenging projects.”
CEO, Apton Biosystems
9/10
“
Visual Science is a fantastic partner, capable of rendering the most complex science in compelling ways. They understood the science, and their production was excellent.”
VP, Head of Communications, Scorpion Tx
7/10
“
The structural biology models from Visual Science are stunning! Visual Science implemented our guidelines into beautiful scientific imagery for our website and scientific slide decks.”
Science Content Lead, Dewpoint Tx
9/10
“
I was very impressed with scientific knowledge of the Visual Science team, which led to a fantastic visualization of the MOA of our drug. Attention to scientific details was extraordinary.”
Vice President, R&D, Unicycive Tx
10/10
“
We were impressed by the scientific sophistication of the Visual Science team and their skill in capturing the concepts we wanted to communicate. The final video was exceptional.”
CSO, Enterin
10/10
“
The quality of the work from Visual Science was outstanding. They provide a bespoke service that was responsive to our requests and I would recommend them highly.”
CEO, UNITY Biotechnology
10/10
“
Beautiful work that is detailed and thoughtful. Great final output.”
Sr. Comms & IR Associate, Candel Tx
10/10
“
We were impressed by the Visual Science team’s ability to use exact protein structures to depict complex mechanisms in <90 seconds. The visuals are beautiful and tell a clear story.”
President & CEO, ROME Tx
10/10
“
Excellent scientific partner and first class imagery. This team runs a tight ship and the process is clear. The tech and final product are first rate.”
VP, Corp Dev, Revolution Medicines
10/10
“
We are very pleased with Visual Science — they are a very responsive group to work with and the final product is exactly what we had envisioned.”
CEO, Atsena Therapeutics
10/10
“
The scientific expertise really showed in the discussions and final products. Everybody was responsive and great to work with, and the animations were both engaging and accurate!”
Program Manager, American Chemical Society
10/10
“
Visual Science team has just the right blend of scientific acumen and digital animation expertise to pull off these challenging projects.”
CEO, Apton Biosystems
9/10
“
Visual Science is a fantastic partner, capable of rendering the most complex science in compelling ways. They understood the science, and their production was excellent.”
VP, Head of Communications, Scorpion Tx
7/10
“
The structural biology models from Visual Science are stunning! Visual Science implemented our guidelines into beautiful scientific imagery for our website and scientific slide decks.”
Science Content Lead, Dewpoint Tx
9/10
“
I was very impressed with scientific knowledge of the Visual Science team, which led to a fantastic visualization of the MOA of our drug. Attention to scientific details was extraordinary.”
Vice President, R&D, Unicycive Tx
10/10
“
We were impressed by the scientific sophistication of the Visual Science team and their skill in capturing the concepts we wanted to communicate. The final video was exceptional.”
CSO, Enterin
10/10
“
The quality of the work from Visual Science was outstanding. They provide a bespoke service that was responsive to our requests and I would recommend them highly.”
CEO, UNITY Biotechnology
10/10
“
Beautiful work that is detailed and thoughtful. Great final output.”
Sr. Comms & IR Associate, Candel Tx
10/10
“
We were impressed by the Visual Science team’s ability to use exact protein structures to depict complex mechanisms in <90 seconds. The visuals are beautiful and tell a clear story.”
President & CEO, ROME Tx
10/10
“
Excellent scientific partner and first class imagery. This team runs a tight ship and the process is clear. The tech and final product are first rate.”
VP, Corp Dev, Revolution Medicines
10/10
“
We are very pleased with Visual Science — they are a very responsive group to work with and the final product is exactly what we had envisioned.”
CEO, Atsena Therapeutics
10/10
“
The scientific expertise really showed in the discussions and final products. Everybody was responsive and great to work with, and the animations were both engaging and accurate!”
Program Manager, American Chemical Society
10/10
“
Visual Science team has just the right blend of scientific acumen and digital animation expertise to pull off these challenging projects.”
CEO, Apton Biosystems
9/10
“
Visual Science is a fantastic partner, capable of rendering the most complex science in compelling ways. They understood the science, and their production was excellent.”
VP, Head of Communications, Scorpion Tx
7/10
“
The structural biology models from Visual Science are stunning! Visual Science implemented our guidelines into beautiful scientific imagery for our website and scientific slide decks.”
Science Content Lead, Dewpoint Tx
9/10
“
I was very impressed with scientific knowledge of the Visual Science team, which led to a fantastic visualization of the MOA of our drug. Attention to scientific details was extraordinary.”
Vice President, R&D, Unicycive Tx
10/10
“
We were impressed by the scientific sophistication of the Visual Science team and their skill in capturing the concepts we wanted to communicate. The final video was exceptional.”
CSO, Enterin
10/10
“
The quality of the work from Visual Science was outstanding. They provide a bespoke service that was responsive to our requests and I would recommend them highly.”
CEO, UNITY Biotechnology
10/10
“
Beautiful work that is detailed and thoughtful. Great final output.”
Sr. Comms & IR Associate, Candel Tx
10/10
“
We were impressed by the Visual Science team’s ability to use exact protein structures to depict complex mechanisms in <90 seconds. The visuals are beautiful and tell a clear story.”
President & CEO, ROME Tx
10/10
“
Excellent scientific partner and first class imagery. This team runs a tight ship and the process is clear. The tech and final product are first rate.”
VP, Corp Dev, Revolution Medicines
10/10
“
We are very pleased with Visual Science — they are a very responsive group to work with and the final product is exactly what we had envisioned.”
CEO, Atsena Therapeutics
10/10
“
The scientific expertise really showed in the discussions and final products. Everybody was responsive and great to work with, and the animations were both engaging and accurate!”
Program Manager, American Chemical Society
10/10
“
Visual Science team has just the right blend of scientific acumen and digital animation expertise to pull off these challenging projects.”
CEO, Apton Biosystems
9/10
“
Visual Science is a fantastic partner, capable of rendering the most complex science in compelling ways. They understood the science, and their production was excellent.”
VP, Head of Communications, Scorpion Tx
7/10
“
The structural biology models from Visual Science are stunning! Visual Science implemented our guidelines into beautiful scientific imagery for our website and scientific slide decks.”
Science Content Lead, Dewpoint Tx
9/10
“
I was very impressed with scientific knowledge of the Visual Science team, which led to a fantastic visualization of the MOA of our drug. Attention to scientific details was extraordinary.”
Vice President, R&D, Unicycive Tx
10/10
“
We were impressed by the scientific sophistication of the Visual Science team and their skill in capturing the concepts we wanted to communicate. The final video was exceptional.”
CSO, Enterin
10/10
“
The quality of the work from Visual Science was outstanding. They provide a bespoke service that was responsive to our requests and I would recommend them highly.”
CEO, UNITY Biotechnology
10/10
“
Beautiful work that is detailed and thoughtful. Great final output.”
Sr. Comms & IR Associate, Candel Tx
10/10
“
We were impressed by the Visual Science team’s ability to use exact protein structures to depict complex mechanisms in <90 seconds. The visuals are beautiful and tell a clear story.”
President & CEO, ROME Tx
10/10
“
Excellent scientific partner and first class imagery. This team runs a tight ship and the process is clear. The tech and final product are first rate.”
VP, Corp Dev, Revolution Medicines
Visual Science is an award-winning medical animation and digital scientific communications company, trusted by leading biotech and pharmaceutical organizations since 2007, including J&J, Pfizer, Novartis, Roche, Takeda, Gilead, AbbVie, and 100+ others.
We specialize in science-grade MoA and MoD videos, medical animation, and scientific storytelling, as well as digital and AI-driven solutions for Medical Affairs, marketing, corporate communications, and investor relations.
© 2026, Visual Science. All rights reserved.
Visual Science is an award-winning medical animation and digital scientific communications company, trusted by leading biotech and pharmaceutical organizations since 2007, including J&J, Pfizer, Novartis, Roche, Takeda, Gilead, AbbVie, and 100+ others.
We specialize in science-grade MoA and MoD videos, medical animation, and scientific storytelling, as well as digital and AI-driven solutions for Medical Affairs, marketing, corporate communications, and investor relations.
© 2026, Visual Science. All rights reserved.
Visual Science is an award-winning medical animation and digital scientific communications company, trusted by leading biotech and pharmaceutical organizations since 2007, including J&J, Pfizer, Novartis, Roche, Takeda, Gilead, AbbVie, and 100+ others.
We specialize in science-grade MoA and MoD videos, medical animation, and scientific storytelling, as well as digital and AI-driven solutions for Medical Affairs, marketing, corporate communications, and investor relations.
© 2026, Visual Science. All rights reserved.
Visual Science is an award-winning medical animation and digital scientific communications company, trusted by leading biotech and pharmaceutical organizations since 2007, including J&J, Pfizer, Novartis, Roche, Takeda, Gilead, AbbVie, and 100+ others.
We specialize in science-grade MoA and MoD videos, medical animation, and scientific storytelling, as well as digital and AI-driven solutions for Medical Affairs, marketing, corporate communications, and investor relations.
© 2026, Visual Science. All rights reserved.
