Gummy proteins: a way for people with limited vision to appreciate science

Science for everyone!

Gummy model of a calcium-binding protein (left) vs a computer model (right)

Biochemist Bryan Shaw, together with his team of scientists at Baylor University in Texas, created gummy candy models of proteins which gives access to people who are blind or with limited vision to understand these macromolecules.

The inspiration behind the project comes from Shaw’s son, Noah, who is very fascinated about renderings of protein structures but could not appreciate them fully due to his retinoblastoma which left him with permanent blind spots in his vision.

“Most of the stunning imagery in science is inaccessible to people who are blind,” says Shaw. These edible gummy candy models can be explored using the mouth’s super sensitive touch sensors or by hand.

Shaw and his team created nine different protein models: Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), myoglobin (Mb), carbonic anhydrase II (CA II), apo-hexokinase (apo-HK), holo-hexokinase (holo-HK), apo-calmodulin (apo-CaM), holo-calmodulin (holo-CaM), apo-maltose binding protein (apo-MBP), and holo-maltose binding protein (holo-MBP). https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/22/eabh0691

To determine how well students can identify the protein structures using the gummy models versus 3D printed versions of proteins, Shaw and his team conducted a blindfold test on over 281 college students and 31 grade schoolers which limited their method of identification to only the hands and the mouth. Moreover, the team conducted a separate test with 84 college students who tried to identify computer protein models by sight.

The results of the said blindfold test were promising as students were able to correctly identify the protein structure about 85% of the time regardless of method of identification used.

The next phase of this project is to conduct the same identification test with people who are blind to determine how the models can be further improved. Currently, Shaw’s team has coordinated with the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired to achieve this objective.