A New Interesting Course

Finally I finished my abstract for the ASCB in December at San Francisco, trying hard to present something which is not relevant to the core of my current studies...

One annoying thing of ASCB annual meeting is, there are too many weasels in it. If you present some preliminary data, very likely you will see a similar but incomplete study published on some mediocre journals 6 months later. It just happened on one postdoc in our lab last month (uh...okay, in his case, it is 7 months later)

Right after I submitted my abstract, I got an email notice about new courses provided this semester. One of them is very interesting. I definitely will "audit" it (unfortunately right now I just don't have the luxury to spend most of my time on one course).

Here it is. Pretty cool.
--
Visualizing Molecular Processes with Maya for Beginners
Course Director and Lecturer: Gael McGill, Ph.D. (Founder and CEO of Digizyme, http://www.digizyme.com)

This series of classes will offer students an introduction to advanced scientific visualization techniques using some of Hollywood’s leading 3D software packages (including Autodesk Maya, Luxology modo, and Maxon Cinema4D). Focus will be placed on existing modeling and animation tools for purposes of visualizing biological processes. Students will also become familiar with methods for importing PDB and other structural data into these 3D packages via a number of molecular graphics programs. Each session will be divided into a 1 hour lecture (during which general concepts will be reviewed) followed by 2 hours of computer lab (during which students will follow scripted tutorials). Guest lecturers will also share some of their unique production techniques for molecular animation. The culmination of all the lectures and lab-based tutorials will be for each student to complete a short scientific visualization – all take-home assignments will be geared towards the creation of this animation.

Please note: All HILS students are eligible to attend this series of courses. Students registering for this course must attend all 8 sessions and complete all assignments. All sessions will be held in the Countway Library at Harvard Medical School on Fridays from 9am-12pm. Students who fulfill these requirements will be awarded credit for 4 nanocourses.

Because of the significant time involved in completing the assignments outside of class, all students must have permission from their thesis advisors to participate. A ‘registration form’ for the course is attached. Please submit this registration form at nanocourses@hms.harvard.edu. We are limited to just 8 students so submit your registration asap if you are interested in participating.

Course dates are as follows...
Session 1: October 10th
Session 2: October 17th
Session 3: October 24th
Session 4: October 31st
Session 5: November 7th
Session 6: November 14th
Session 7: December 5th
Session 8: Decebmer 12th