MesoCraft enables interactive building and viewing of cell models online
MesoCraft: a web-based tool for interactive procedural modeling of mesoscale biological structures
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Summary
Understanding the structure inside cells can be complicated because many molecules arrange themselves in complex ways. The authors created MesoCraft, a tool you can use right in your web browser, that helps scientists build and update 3D models of these molecular arrangements easily. It uses rules to place molecules and shows the models visually so users can explore them interactively. The tool also helps make animations that explain how molecules are organized in cells, making it easier to share discoveries with others.
What this means in practice
- •For structural biology teams: Build and revise detailed 3D molecular models of cells interactively using procedural rules in a web browser.
- •For science communication teams: Create guided animations that highlight molecular spatial relationships to explain cellular structures to diverse audiences.
Authors
Donggang Jia, Alexandre Kouyoumdjian, Ondrej Strnad, Uros Smajdek, Ciril Bohak, Dilara Bayraktar, Alejandra Esparza, Peter Mindek, Tobias Klein, Stefan T. Arold, Ivan Viola
Abstract
Biological models bring the molecular world of cells into view, enabling experts and the public to explore and understand biological discoveries. Building mesoscale models requires organizing many molecular components into spatial arrangements that can be revised as evidence and interpretations develop. We present MesoCraft, a browser-based tool for structural biologists centered on interactive procedural modeling. User-defined rules generate collections of molecular instances, while a geometry-node editor and visual feedback support authoring and revision of their spatial relationships. Beyond model construction, MesoCraft integrates exploration and communication, enabling researchers to inspect molecular organization and create guided animations that highlight key spatial relationships. By connecting modeling, exploration, and explanation in a unified workflow, MesoCraft allows insights gained during exploration and communication to inform iterative model refinement, supporting the development of mesoscale models into visual narratives of cellular organization. A demonstrative deployment of the tool is available at https://mesocraft.kaust.edu.sa/.