June 1, 2008 (Vol. 28, No. 11)
Rating:
Strong Points: Very useful links/software
Weak Points: For true geeks only
Summary:
Self-described as “a curated, online electronic resource that organizes and presents relevant resources for physics-based simulation of biomedical structures and related entities in biology and life sciences,” Simbiome is not nearly as physics-oriented as its description makes it sound. Indeed, the emphasis is more what I would describe as physical biochemistry or biophysics. A gander at the resources section will confirm this. Here, visitors will discover links to useful applications from all over the world. Highlights include molecular dynamics simulations (Columbia University), molecular structure determination (Yale), improved crystal modeling (University of York), cardiovascular modeling and simulation (Stanford), and display/animation of large biomolecular systems in 3D (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign). A search engine helps to facilitate navigation. Yes, this is another site for propellerheads, but they seem to make the world go around these days, so it’s best to keep them happy.