I took full technical ownership of the molecular viewer, translating complex requirements into development epics, technical tasks, and deliverable features.
The project required me to work across several areas of development, including file parsing, data structures, procedural mesh generation, UI development, interaction systems, and XR optimisation. I also developed my understanding of molecular structures and the scientific conventions used to represent proteins.
Subject Knowledge
A key challenge was understanding how protein data is structured within PDB files and how that information could be translated into an accurate 3D representation.
I researched protein structures and the conventions used to visualise molecular chains, with a particular focus on cartoon-style representations. This included understanding how structural features such as alpha helices and beta sheets are identified and represented visually.
File Format & Data Processing
I developed a custom C# parser for the PDB file format, converting the raw file data into efficient, structured data models.
I designed the parser around a clean API, making it straightforward for other systems within the application to query and interact with protein data without needing to understand the underlying file format.
I developed a modular, spline-based mesh generation library to procedurally generate the cartoon-style representation of proteins.
The system was designed to accurately represent complex protein structures while maintaining the performance required for real-time desktop and VR experiences.
I implemented the interaction systems and developed the UI from Figma designs, including functionality for:
Selecting parts of a protein
Inspecting molecular components
Measuring distances
Comparing two proteins side by side
Navigating and interacting with the molecular model in VR
The interaction systems were designed to work across both desktop and VR environments while maintaining a consistent user experience.
