Molecular Workspace

Frame a molecular shot in your browser.

Preview proteins and RNA, select residues, frame the camera, and export clips manually in your browser. Optional AI direction is billed from Molecule Studio credits. Cloud publication rendering is rolling out and is not currently available.

Open the Workspace Create a free account

Manual preview & export are free · AI chat consumes credits · cloud publication rendering is not currently available · sign-in required.

How it works

1 · Load and frame

Load a PDB structure, select residues, style the scene, and frame the camera with the free manual browser controls.

2 · Direct with AI when useful

Ask the optional AI director to make viewer changes in plain English. Each chat turn consumes Molecule Studio credits.

3 · Preview and export

Preview the scene and export a clip from the live canvas for free. Gated cloud publication rendering is rolling out and is not currently available.

Why structural biologists use it

Optional plain-English direction

A billable AI cinematographer can turn intent into viewer actions without requiring scripts.

Author-numbering selections

Cite "chain A residues 1250–1265" the way papers do; the viewer warns if a range falls outside the structure.

Free live preview + export

Record a turntable straight from the browser canvas. No queue, no credits, no install.

Capability-gated docking

Prepare and inspect docking runs only when the deployment exposes its certified docking workflow.

Cloud publication rendering

Gated cloud rendering is not currently available. Metered access with estimate-first confirmation is rolling out.

MIT-licensed engine

Built on Mol* and MolViewSpec (MIT) — safe for hosted, commercial use without DCC-licence friction.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to write PyMOL or any scripting?

No. You can load and manipulate a structure with the manual browser controls, or use the optional AI director to translate plain-English requests into viewer actions. AI chat consumes Molecule Studio credits.

Is the Molecular Workspace a PyMOL or ChimeraX alternative?

It covers common load, style, frame, and browser-export workflows with manual controls or optional AI assistance. It runs in the browser with nothing to install and is built on the MIT-licensed Mol* engine and MolViewSpec.

What does it cost?

Manual browser preview and clip export are free. AI director chat is billable and consumes Molecule Studio credits. Cloud publication rendering is not currently available; it will be metered with an estimate and explicit confirmation as access rolls out.

Which structures can I load?

Any structure in the public PDB archives by its four-character PDB id (for example 1CBS, 1HSG, or the adenine riboswitch 1Y26), covering proteins, nucleic acids, and ligand complexes.

Where does it run?

Interactive preview and manual clip export run in your web browser with no install. Cloud publication rendering is gated and not currently available while the service rolls out.

Ready to direct your first structure?

Open the Workspace, compose with the manual controls, and export a browser clip for free. Use billable AI direction only when you need it.

Open the Molecular Workspace

Mol* and MolViewSpec are used under the MIT licence. PDB archive structures are public data; cite the original structure authors and PDB IDs where appropriate. Molecule Studio is not affiliated with or endorsed by RCSB PDB, PDBe, or the Mol* project.