Crystallography Made Crystal Clear

"Crystallography Made Crystal Clear" makes crystallography accessible to readers who have no prior knowledge of the field or its mathematical basis. This is the most comprehensive and concise reference for beginning Macromolecular crystallographers, written by a leading expert in the field. Rhodes' uses visual and geometric models to help readers understand the mathematics that form the basis of x-ray crystallography. He has invested a great deal of time and effort on World Wide Web tools for users of models, including beginning-level tutorials in molecular modeling on personal computers. Rhodes' personal CMCC Home Page also provides access to tools and links to resources discussed in the text. Most significantly, the final chapter introduces the reader to macromolecular modeling on personal computers-featuring SwissPdbViewer, a free, powerful modeling program now available for PC, Power Macintosh, and Unix computers. This updated and expanded new edition uses attractive four-color art, web tool access for further study, and concise language to explain the basis of X-ray crystallography, increasingly vital in today's research labs.It helps readers to understand where models come from, so they don't use them blindly and inappropriately. It provides many visual and geometric models for understanding a largely mathematical method. It allows readers to judge whether recently published models are of sufficiently high quality and detail to be useful in their own work. It allows readers to study macromolecular structure independently and in an open-ended fashion on their own computers, without being limited to textbook or journals illustrations. It provides access to web tools in a format that will not go out of date. Links will be updated and added as existing resources change location or are added.

Gale Rhodes earned a B.S. in applied mathematics at North Carolina State University, and then a Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of North Carolina. He is currently a professor of chemistry at the University of Southern Maine, Portland. His main duty, and first love, is teaching undergraduate biochemistry. He has received awards for outstanding teaching at three different colleges. His best known publication is the first edition of Crystallography Made Crystal Clear, which received very complimentary reviews in several journals. He has also published three book chapters, three book reviews, and about 30 articles on diverse subjects, including research articles in biochemistry, and articles on chemistry, science, and interdisciplinary education.

Praise for the first edition "Well-written...in my opinion is now the best reference for noncrystallographers who want to know more about X-ray diffraction and the data that result from it." -AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY