Thanks for Modeling with us at CAST!

Thank you to all 447 educators who modeled with us at CAST Houston last week! Whether you joined one of our 13 sessions or were one of the teachers who visited our booth, we're excited to have connected with such a fantastic group of teachers. You can find the resources for all the sessions we hosted on our website. 

Are you ready for more? Apply for Modeling the Molecular World! Join us for a week-long summer course in Milwaukee and dive into the fascinating world of molecular modeling. Early-bird pricing is available through Feb. 1, 2024, so apply today to ensure you receive these special rates. Click here for more information on all of our summer courses. We can't wait to model with you soon!

Model with Chromosomes at VAST!

Join 3DMD Model Teacher Alice Scheele at VAST! Visit room Crystal Ballroom D tomorrow for her session exploring the Chromosome Connections Kit^©, and experience the power of modeling for yourself. Thank you, Alice for presenting on our behalf at VAST and sharing your modeling tips and tricks with fellow educators. 

Science Spotlight

Dr. Katalin Kariko was awarded a 2023 Nobel Prize for her discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19. While her work is highly celebrated now, she faced adversity, and even threats of deportation. These obstacles never stopped Kariko from researching how  mRNA could change the world. Read about her incredible and inspiring story in her biography, Breaking Through. We also recommend watching the below interview with Dr. Kariko to learn more about the hardships and discrimination she faced while conducting research into what would become life-saving mRNA vaccines.

Dr. Kariko's commitment to learning and being open-minded is seen in this quote from her biography: "There is such a gap between what people know and what they need to know to fully understand vaccines and how they save lives. That gap is wide open for exploitation. We must somehow close it." – excerpt from Breaking Through. This mirrors what we believe at 3D Molecular Designs: "This is one of the many jobs of a high school biology teacher – to close that gap. In our new SEPA project, we are creating teaching tools that will help teachers explain how vaccines work." – Tim Herman, PhD, Chief Science Officer. We are excited to explore Dr. Kariko's research in Modeling Infection & Immunity, our newest summer course offering.

Explore Infectious Diseases with Your Students

Inspired by other Nobel Prize winners and researchers, the Antibody and Antigen Models^©, Coronavirus Models^©, and CRISPR Adaptive Immunity Kit^© allow students to investigate the cellular processes of infectious diseases. Model how a virus attacks a cell, then how the cell's immune response defends against infection. Students retain information for longer when they are engaged and active in their learning, and these kits and models will help your students better understand the science of infectious diseases.

Dive deeper into the science of the coronavirus with our Science of Coronaviruses series! Watch videos, use hands-on modeling activities, and explore computer visualization tutorials that students can use in the classroom. Explore what coronaviruses are, how they infect us, and how we can protect ourselves.