University of California-San Francisco · PharmacologyMolecular Insight Lab
Thomas E Ferrin · San Francisco, California
Research Focus
Professor Thomas E Ferrin's lab focuses on creating advanced software tools for visualizing and analyzing complex molecular structures. Their primary program, ChimeraX, allows researchers to interact with detailed biological data, helping to uncover insights about diseases and drug targets. The lab aims to make these powerful tools accessible to scientists worldwide, enhancing our understanding of molecular biology and contributing to improvements in biomedical research.
software developmentmolecular visualizationcomputational biologyinteractive tools3D structuresstructural biologydrug designbiomedical researchprotein engineering
Research Aims
5AIM 01Develop cutting-edge software tools for molecular visualization.
AIM 02Enable detailed analysis of molecular assemblies and structures.
AIM 03Support researchers in identifying drug targets and designing new therapeutics.
AIM 04Provide comprehensive documentation and tutorials for software users.
AIM 05Disseminate advancements in visualization techniques through publications and educational resources.
Skills the Lab Values
computer graphicssoftware engineeringdata visualizationmolecular modelingPython programming3D cryo-EM analysisbioinformaticsalgorithm developmentuser interface design
Output against the department
Publications132bottom 37% of dept.289th of 462
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations82ktop 2% of dept.8th of 462
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.