Garrett M. Morris
The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA

13. Life Cycle
14. Arms Race

Garrett Morris combines his training in computational biology with an eye for composition in his computer graphics images.

"Life Cycle" depicts a small circular DNA composed of 100 base pairs, close in size to the smallest circle known, which contains about 80 base pairs. Most DNA is found in long strands, but some organisms contain small circles of DNA such as this. Garrett Morris writes about this work: "It is somehow fitting that a cyclic process, such as life, be reflected in a cyclic molecular structure built from its basic building blocks. The image evokes the cycles of life, and the rainbow hues celebrate its diversity. The cyclic passage from darker times to brighter ones is also suggested." The atomic coordinates were created in collaboration with Tom Macke. The image was created using the Application Visualization System, and finished in Adobe Photoshop.

"Arms Race" depicts a battle between HIV and antibodies. Garrett Morris describes the work: "This picture is much more experimental and figurative that most molecular graphics images I produce. The darkness of the image attempts to convey gravity. I have overlaid an optical illusion called the 'cafe wall' effect to convey the shifting nature of the virus."
Larsen - Carson - Gaber - Gillilan - Johnson - Maslak - Moldoff - Morris - Nutt
O'Donnell - Olson - Palay - Rothaus - Suzuki - Taylor - Winslow - Goodsell