Molli: Interactive Visualization for Exploratory Protein Analysis

Many programs have been designed to view the 3D structures of protein molecules in 2D. However, three types of linked information haven't been previously defined in a systematic way that highlights the interface design challenge. Specifically, a scientist must have sequence, structure, and homology information in working memory to manipulate and understand a protein structure or related protein structures. Categorizing information types enables the application of classical interaction principles to the design of an intuitive interface for both expert and novice users. In a comparative user evaluation, their Molli system enhances the exploratory process of manipulating proteins of varying complexity by preserving the underlying data's linkages and relations.