Sam Horrell
Beamline Scientist
Sam is a structural biologist working on method development around structural biology at Diamond Light Source, in particular for ways of better understanding how enzymes function through the production of structural movies. Sam is working through deposited structures related to SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 with a view to providing the most accurate protein structures possible for future drug design efforts. Sam is a keen scientific communicator, having participated in a number of science slams and public lectures on the healing power of crystals (drug design through crystallography), and is now live streaming his work on corona virus structures on Twitch.
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Posts of Sam Horrell
Christmas Special: Virus Snowflakes
by Lisa Schmidt on 2022/12/20
You don't want any more boring Christmas decorations? But something scientific? Back in 2021, we shortened our winter lockdown and decorated our windows with viral snowflakes.This year, we've translated Dr. Hutchinson's craft template into German. Since you are visiting our English site, you can just go ot the original source! Dr. Hutchinsons Virus Snowflakes Have […]
AlphaFold – a Game Changer in Structural Biology?
by Dr. Andrea Thorn on 2022/07/25
Knowing a protein’s 3D structure enables scientists to investigate its general shape and stability, deduce its potential function, and run drug-binding simulations to find a cure if the protein is from a pathogen. However, solving a structure is not an easy task, as proteins are too small to observe with optical microscopes. Furthermore, the process […]
Update: How to make your own 3D printed coronavirus model version 2
by Kristopher Nolte on 2022/07/18
The instructions and files below will allow you to create your own model of the virus! All you need is some spare time and a 3D printer. In addition, those without access to a 3D printer can still use the STL files to request printing from external services and then follow the instructions on assembling […]
Our new 3D printable model of SARS-CoV-2
by Dale E. Tronrud on 2022/07/18
Our goal was to create a 3D printable model of SARS-CoV-2 that is as close to the actual virus as possible, but there are a lot of confusing and contradictory descriptions of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in the literature. Combing through them in order to establish a complete understanding and a clear image of the virus […]
Where are the drugs?
by Katharina Hoffmann on 2021/06/17
Why are vaccines developed so quickly and treatments so slowly? In March 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Since then, 14 vaccines have entered the global market[1], and the number of immunized people grows every day. Even though vaccine development has never been this fast in history and will save many lives worldwide, people […]
Sizes of Viruses, Droplets, Aerosols, and the Construction of Masks
by Toyin Akinselure on 2021/06/10
This article looks deep into the internal structure of masks, and discusses different types of masks and how they work. Interesting!
Opinion: Can the Strategy of the Ongoing COVID-19 Vaccination End the Pandemic Fast Enough?
by Joshua Ezika on 2021/05/28
COVID-19 vaccines were developed in record time and vaccination exercise is of course ongoing in most countries. Everyone is anxious to see the pandemic come to an end for things to return to normal. As of 23rd April 2021, more than 966 million doses have been administered worldwide [1], however, we have to remember that […]
Babelian SARS-CoV-2 confusion
by Dr. Andrea Thorn on 2021/05/20
There is a secret code that virologists use to talk about the new coronavirus. This code is made up of synonymous words and abbreviations for each of the 28 proteins which facilitate the viral life cycle. In this article, we will shed some light on this mythical language. First of all, SARS-CoV-2 has three classes […]