Equinox Graphics

@e-nox.net

360 Followers 95 Following

Science illustration and animation studio, based in Cambridge UK. We take science and engineering and make it pretty!

Illustration of the concept of protein evolution. It is based on The March of Progress, which shows early human ancestors changing step by step into humans, from left to right. But these figures are made up of protein structures, which increase in complexity and activity from left to right.
A sample of four of the twenty-four protein renders I made as part of #ArtAdventCalendar, with a variety of materials/styles/colours
The poster I presented at VIZBI 2025, showing a series of gorgeous protein visualisations with a range of materials, lighting and styles
Visualisation of the inner part of the human nuclear pore, with the inner part of the ring in green, and the outer part highlighted in red, to look like a Christmas wreath
Visualisation of the structure of the urea channel from helicobacter pylori. It is six-sided, and has a gap in the centre that opens up to allow the urea to pass through
Visualsation of the structure of aspartate transcarbamoylase showing its three repeating sub units in blue, orange and purple
Visualisation of six zinc fingers (blue) wrapped around a short section of DNA (red)
Visualisation of a TAL effector protein (purple) wrapped around a section of DNA (red)
Visualisation of the helical structure of the measles nucleocapsid, which forms around the RNA genome, protecting it from attack.
Visualisation of the structure of the piezo1 mechanosensitive channel. Changes in force/pressure cause the protein to change shape, opening up its ion channel. This allows ions to flow into a cell, triggering the cell's sensory response. It is made up of three repeating units (coloured shades of yellow/pink/purple) and has a propellor-like appearance
Me on my laptop making an image of a coronavirus protease, while oblivious people do fencing in the background. They're missing out on so much science.....
Visualisation of the coronavirus protease, shown as the ribbon structure with a semi-transparent surface around it. The two parts of the protease form a heart-shape (from a certain angle)
Visualisation of secretory antibodies. The antibodies (red/yellow) are joined together via secretory proteins (purple) which can hold two or more antibodies
Visualisation of the structure of PhotoSystem II supercomplex from an algae that is accustomed to low-light conditions (Chlamydomonas reihardtii). It has six yellow antennae complexes which gather light for photosynthesis.
Visualisation of the structure of the eastern equine encephalitis virus, shown as bluey/purple, with pinkish red surface glycoproteins
Visualisation of the human apoptosome, which is like a seven-starred shuriken. Shown here with a light shining through it like a waxy candle. The cytochromes are shown in pink, and the main body of the apoptosome in yellow.
Visualisation of the structure of earthworm haemoglobin (erythrocruorin), with colours highlighting the various components. It is 144 chains compared with our four chains, and it is thought that its enormous size is because they are not safely packaged in red blood cells like ours, so need to be a bit more robust to freely float, and because having the same effectiveness with fewer particles keeps the viscosity of their blood low.
Visualisation of the structure of the Zika virus capsid, which is made up of 60 copies of a repeating unit (five copies makes a star shape, which repeats 12 times). Here it is shown with different coloured stars, and some translucency for effect
VIsualisation of the structure of the human papillomavirus, showing the capsid units which make up the virus shell, which contains its circular DNA genome.
Visualisation of the structure of Acetohydroxyacid Synthase, shown as a ribbon structure, with a semi-transparent surface. Catalytic subunits are shown in turquoise, regulatory subunits in blue, and valine in red. The structure is clover-shaped with four arms
Visualisation of the structure of a plant resistosome, a molecular machine in the plant's immune system. It has a five-fold symmetry with curved arms, and the funnel (centre, yellow) is responsible for forming a pore in infected cells, leading to that cell's death
Visualisation of the structure of the malaria parasite PTEX protein pump. The blue/green section is a pore that penetrates the membrane, the pink part is an ATP motor that unfolds and threads effector proteins through the centre of PTEX, and the yellow part joins the motor to the pore
Visualisation of a membrane-bound protein (green) in a nanodisc, which is a tiny section of lipid membrane (clear), and you can see the two stabilising bands (pink/purple) that go around the disc
Visualisation of the structure of HLA-A2, presenting a peptide (protein fragment). HLA-A2 is shown in blue/purple with its surface translucent and an internal ribbon showing its structure. The peptide is shown bound to a crevice in magenta.
Visualisation of the structure of HLA-2, presenting a peptide (protein fragment). HLA-2 is shown in blue/purple with its surface translucent and an internal ribbon showing its structure. The peptide is shown bound to a crevice in magenta.
Visualisation of the molecular structure of a AAA+ protease, with its structure shown as ribbons. The purple ends are the protein pumps, and the red is the chamber where proteins are destroyed. It is backlit by a strong light
Visualisation of the structure of ApoB100, showing the belts that it wraps around lipoproteins as it transports fat and energy around the body. The structure is backlit and shiny
Visualisation of the structure of the Arc protein, shown as an icosahedral capsid (protein structure depicted as a ribbon), with a point light at its centre, throwing out shadow rays into the surrounding space.
Illustration of the structure of the FOXP3 protein, here shown as a dimer (red translucent surface with ribbon structure visible inside) binding with two separate strands of DNA (glowing yellow)
Macho insanity in a motorbike from Mad Max: Fury Road
Image of a TOC-TIC translocon (PDB 7VCF), showing the molecular structure, coloured according to its pLDDT value (the degree of confidence/accuracy). Lots of JJ Abrams style lens flares. Much future, so wow.
Conference poster consisting of 8 pretty visualisations of proteins in different styles.
VIZBI logo, made up of protein/structural visualisations spelling out the letters
Image showing cris-crossing streams of qubits (quantum information), which are shown in groups of four engangled qubits, linked in different arrangements. Each stream also has faded variations behind it, because these are superpositions of all the qubit states
Image of DNA represented as balls-and-sticks, bound to the SOX gene, which is represented as a glowing backbone ribbon, with semi-transparent surface
Illustration of a pair of over-ear headphones, with swirly whirly purpleish streaks circling the ear cushions
Render of the structure of a fish inflammasome disk (RCSB structure 8EJ4), with a bright light source at the centre of the ring, and dramatic rays of light streaking outwards
Render of a planetary gearbox, as if it were made of glass, and the complex refractions give rise to lots of colour splitting/dispersion and caustics
Screenshot of the 3D scene in Modo, showing the geometry made of polygon meshes
Visualisation of a fish aquaporin protein, which are channels embedded in the lipid bilayer in cells, allowing water through the layer to maintain the right amount of water in a cell.
wireframe view of the testosterone molecule
Illustration of glowing testosterone molecules (ball and stick structure), floating in a soup. Yum yum
Visualisation of the Biomass satellite, which has an enormous umbrella-shaped antenna to pick up very weak reflections from the Earth
Visualisation of space objects orbiting the Earth. Data of thousands of actual tracked and classified objects was used, so this represents the actual position of everything at a single particular date and time. You can see a ring of geostationary satellites at 36000km above the Earth (useful because in this orbit they orbit once per day, and therefore always stay above the same point on the Earth), and a dense shell of low Earth orbit satellites (where they orbit much more quickly, but can observe and measure the Earth far more precisely). Active satellites are shown in blue, inactive satellites in red
Visualisation of the structure of the human sweet-sensing receptor. It is shown as yellowish ribbons within a transparent refractive volume representing the surface of the protein. Backlight with a fuzzy out-of focus light source
Visualisation of space objects orbiting the Earth. Data of thousands of actual tracked and classified objects was used, so this represents the actual position of everything at a single particular date and time. You can see a ring of geostationary satellites at 36000km above the Earth (useful because in this orbit they orbit once per day, and therefore always stay above the same point on the Earth), and a dense shell of low Earth orbit satellites (where they orbit much more quickly, but can observe and measure the Earth far more precisely)
Image of Saturn backlit by the sun, with sections of its rings illuminated and in shadow. Lots of lovely lens flare
Visualisation of erythromycin (shown as a stick model) binding to human serum albumin (HSA). The amino acids involved in hjydrogen bonding are labelled, and hydrogen bonds are drawn as glowing dotted lines
Visualisation of the Cryo-EM structure of the 6 hpf zebrafish embryo 80S ribosome, which is shown semi-transparent and backlit, with rays of light falling on it and making it glow
Abstract illustration showing a brain made out of water, being topped up by water pouring into it, and a cute little wave splashing up at the front
Image of two qubits trapped in neighbouring optical tweezers. Once trapped and isolated, quantum operations can be performed on them. These quibits are entangled, which is shown by coloured lightning joint the two qubits.
Animated gif of a T-cell squeezing and deforming through a bunch of tissue cells. Wireframe style, not our usual finished, pretty, end result
Visualisation of the ribbon structure of the LIGHT protein, with a point light at its centre, streaming out rays of light
Cover image of Science from 2nd September 2011, on the theme of synthetic biology. Our cover illustration is a swarm of bacteria, each built out of Lego bricks
Illustration of a pair of over-ear headphones, with swirly whirly purpleish streaks circling the ear cushions
Image of bacteria, with genome overlaid, and variations of these genes radiating outwards
Lego ideas box, featuring DNA that spirals in the wrong direction. AAAAAARGH
Render of a DNA structure, but made out of Lego blocks