- Veronica Falconieri Hays
- Blooming Magnesium Channel
- Color
The magnesium ion channel CorA shifts between open and closed states depending on the concentration of magnesium ions inside of prokaryotic cells. Surprisingly, it abandons its symmetric closed shape (shown in the snowflake) for an asymmetric shape upon opening (multicolor "flower"). The molecular models were derived from 3D cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) data. Created with Maxon Cinema4D, ePMV, and Adobe Photoshop. The watercolor effect was created in the 2D compositing stage.
- Collections: Molecular
About the Artist: Veronica Falconieri Hays x
Veronica Falconieri Hays is a Certified Medical Illustrator in the Washington DC area specializing in medical, molecular, cellular, and biological visualization. She founded her company Falconieri Visuals in 2017 and works full time creating visuals for clients in biotech, pharma, and research fields.
Prior to founding Falconieri Visuals, Veronica earned her MA in Medical and Biological Illustration from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she studied medical subjects such as anatomy alongside medical students, as well as completing coursework in illustration and animation.
After graduating, Veronica worked within a cryo-electron microscopy lab at the National Cancer Institute. She collaborated extensively with researchers as they discovered structures of biological molecules, and is a published author in several journals including Science and Cell.
Education
MA, Medical & Biological Illustration, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
BA, Biological Sciences, Smith College