- Evelyn Maizels
- GPR40 Free Fatty Acid Receptor 1 with bound Allosteric Modulator
- VMD
- 954 x 1680 px
Collection: Molecular x
Allosteric modulator (AgoPAM AP8) bound in groove along the membrane-facing surface of the transmembrane helix bundle of the Free Fatty Acid Receptor FFAR1 a lipid-responsive G-protein coupled receptor also known as GPR40 (PDB:5TZY). Hydrophobic interactions with residues lining the groove stabilize the bulk of the modulator, while the carboxylate moiety at the tip of the modulator is stabilized by interactions with tyrosine residues both in the helical bundle and in the intracellular loop 2 (IL2).
Reference for 5TZY: Lu et al. (2017) Nat Struct Mol Biol 24: 570-577
- Subject Matter: Molecular and cellular illustration
- Collections: Molecular
About the Artist: Evelyn Maizels x
Having a career first in biomedical research focusing on signal transduction as a member of the research faculty of the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, I went on to complete the Masters in the Biomedical Visualization program at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2010. My course of study at UIC has allowed me to merge my interest in art with my scientific background, and introduced me to many new concepts, practices and technologies.
Upon graduating I stayed affiliated with the BVIS program through codeveloping the molecular pharmacology course for the BVIS Master’s program curriculum, and enjoyed teaching this course from 2012-2020, introducing molecular visualization concepts and techniques to over 100 students. I continue to enjoy opportunities to work with BVIS masters students, serving as committee member on Masters research projects, supervising independent studies on molecular topics, and consulting with students to assist them in meeting molecular visualization challenges for other courses.
Alongside my affiliation with the BVIS program I work closely with my husband on E-learning projects and have enjoyed a return to traditional media for personal projects, working primarily in colored pencil and gouache. Subject matters of interest for my personal work include natural sciences illustration and still life.