Searching for Target Sites on DNA
Client:
Johan Elf’s research group consists of approximately 20 physicists, engineers, computer scientists, molecular biologists, mathematicians, and microbiologists working together on the development of experimental techniques to test different models of how the cell functions at the molecular level. Their work involves formulating mathematical theories to generate precise predictions and test models; however, the majority of their efforts are focused on developing experimental techniques that are sensitive enough to validate specific predictions.
Johan Elf’s research group consists of approximately 20 physicists, engineers, computer scientists, molecular biologists, mathematicians, and microbiologists working together on the development of experimental techniques to test different models of how the cell functions at the molecular level. Their work involves formulating mathematical theories to generate precise predictions and test models; however, the majority of their efforts are focused on developing experimental techniques that are sensitive enough to validate specific predictions.
Client:
Project goal
Create an educational molecular animation that accurately depicts different strategies employed by enzymes that search for specific target sites on the DNA molecules.
Bacterial nucleoid with DNA and various proteins
TF and the target DNA changing conformation
Lac repressor not attached to the DNA
“That is really beautiful! You all did a very good job with it. It looks (and sounds) fantastic!”
“That is really beautiful! You all did a very good job with it. It looks (and sounds) fantastic!”
“That is really beautiful! You all did a very good job with it. It looks (and sounds) fantastic!”
Research Coordinator at Uppsala University
Research Coordinator at Uppsala University
CRISPR-Cas complex in the bacterial cytoplasm
CRISPR-Cas complex attaches to a PAM
CRISPR-effector unwinds and probes the DNA
The Process
Animation type:
High-end 3D
Project timline:
12 weeks
Review:
1 zoom call + 5 e-mail feedback sessions
Find out which of our 26 scientific animation options works best for investor relations and communications:
The animation showcases two molecular complexes—the Lac repressor and the CRISPR/Cas effector—that search for specific DNA target sites. The Lac repressor spends approximately 90% of its time bound to DNA, sliding along it, whereas CRISPR complexes move predominantly through three-dimensional space and probe DNA sites adjacent to PAM sequences. For this project, our team employed a wide range of computational biology methods to model and depict these complex molecular interactions as accurately as possible. The models were based on existing PDB entries, which we modified and used in molecular dynamics simulations. We applied the constant force pulling method to guide proteins toward DNA, and for certain steps we employed a less computationally intensive approach involving adiabatic mapping and interpolation between starting and intermediate states.
Why did we use this
animation type?
Because the project required extensive molecular dynamics simulations and advanced computational biology techniques, the resulting animation was produced in our most sophisticated high-end 3D style, placing it among our most technically complex scientific animations.
This style is the most resource-intensive; however, even when only part of an animation is rendered this way, high-end scenes typically serve as highlights and the most visually engaging elements of a project. High-end 3D is particularly well suited for educational projects aimed at advanced and professional audiences, supporting scientific content development services.
Full animation
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“Fantastic team to partner with throughout the entire process. Excellent output and management!”
"Visual Science produced an excellent website with incredible imagery, working in a professional, efficient manner to create a stunning final product! They were engaged through every step of the process and were attentive to the ideas we had in mind for our website. They continue to work with us on all updates and requests in a timely and helpful manner!"
“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.”
“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.
“Visual Science has a unique ability to communicate complex science with both accuracy and visual impact. Their team combines scientific understanding with creativity, helping bring sophisticated biomedical concepts to life.”
“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.”
“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.”
"Visual Science was a great partner in the development and delivery of scientific animations; the combination of their understanding of the science and their artistic expertise resulted in a visually stunning and impactful video."
“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.”
“Visual Science team has just the right blend of scientific acumen and digital animation expertise to pull off these challenging projects.”
“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.”
“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!”
“The creativity, scientific competency and professionalism of the Visual Science team not only enabled the generation of high-quality images, but also made it a pleasure to work with them.”
"Incredible animations that really help bring our science to life. I strongly recommend Visual Science!"
“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.”
"We were impressed with the Visual Science team's attention to detail and ability to extract key messages out of a complex scientific story. Their deep understanding of the science enabled them to turn our cryo-EM structures into a beautiful visual that shows the key aspects of the bridge recombination mechanism."
"The Visual Science team did an outstanding job delivering beautiful MOA videos for us. The animations and attention to detail were exceptional, and their flexibility throughout the process made a huge difference."
"Excellent work by the Visual Science team!"
"Excellent work and project management."
"Visual Science produces high quality animations to support our unique science with agility and speed. I do value their partnership and look forward to working on more projects with them."
"The VS team was outstanding to work with on this project. From the outset, the level of communication, organization, and attention to detail was exceptional. The VS team moved a complication MoA project forward on-schedule, with scientific rigor, and the result was a beautifully composed video that distilled complex biology in a visually accurate way. I highly recommend this team."
"Thank you very much for such a great deliverable on a very tight timeline. I have been doing things like this for a long time and your incorporation of the Atsena insights to this with a very fast turnaround is very much appreciated and impressive."
"Very responsive and efficient. Thank you!"
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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.
Contacts
Address
200 Vesey Street, 24th floor,
New York, NY 10281, USA
© 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.
Contacts
Address
200 Vesey Street, 24th floor,
New York, NY 10281, USA
© 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.
Contacts
Address
200 Vesey Street, 24th floor, New York, NY 10281, USA
© 2026, Visual Science. All rights reserved.
