Fall 2012 winner of the COMP Graduate Student and Post Doc Image Competition

Post date: Jun 14, 2012 3:58:14 PM

The COMP Programming Board is proud to announce the latest COMP Graduate Student and Post Doc Image Competition winner, Tigran Abramyan.

About the cover image. The image is a snapshot from a molecular dynamics simulation for the study of lysozyme (PDB ID: 1gxv) proteins adsorption on high-density polyethylene material surface. We compare our simulation results with those obtained by our experimental group in order to tune and validate current CHARMM force field for the accurate representation of protein adsorption behavior. Understanding of molecular-level details accompanying protein adsorption is fundamental in many applications ranging from the design of biocompatible surface chemistry of implant materials in the biomedical engineering field, to the design of effective decontamination strategies in the area of biodefense. The image was generated using CHARMM molecular dynamics software package and Chimera software. The project is funded by DTRA.

About the cover image artist, Tigran Abramyan. Tigran earned a MPharm from First Moscow State Medical University in 2007 and later a MS in Drug Discovery (Pharmaceutics & Biochemistry) from University College London’s School of Pharmacy in 2009. Tigran is pursuing his PhD at Clemson University’s Department of Bioengineering in the laboratory of Professor Robert A. Latour. His PhD research is focused on the "Computational study of molecular mechanisms mediating protein adsorption, desorption and decontamination on environmental material surfaces." Connect with Tigran on LinkedIn (direct link to his public LinkedIn page).

Are you interested in participating? Submissions for the New Orleans ACS meeting (spring 2013) The COMP Graduate Student and Post Doc Image Competition are now being accepted! Images are due by 5pm Eastern Time on November 6, 2012. Please email your image to Emilio Xavier Esposito ( emilio.esposito AT gmail.com ). The image must be 3 inches wide by 4.5 inches tall, at least 300 dpi, and a PNG, EPS, JPEG, or PDF. Only one image per submitter. The creator of the winning image will be notified by email no later than Friday, December 21, 2012.

More information and to view images of past winners, please visit The COMP Graduate Student and Post Doc Image Competition website.