The mission of the Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics (RCSB) Protein Data Bank (PDB) is to sustain a unique Findable-Accessible-Interoperable-Reusable (FAIR) living data resource of three-dimensional (3D) biomolecular structure information. PDB structures are the molecules of life. Knowledge of 3D structures (shapes) of biological macromolecules, how they evolved with time, and their functions are essential for understanding critical areas of science, including fundamental biology; health and disease of humans, animals, and plants; food and energy production; and other topics of concern to global prosperity and environmental sustainability. Structure data are equally important for biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, driving discovery of new therapeutics, biomaterials, and medical devices. RCSB PDB services span the entire PDB data lifecycle. Archive Management/Access services safeguard this single global archive of over 137,000 3D structures of biological macromolecules, with an estimated replacement cost of nearly $14 billion. Deposition/Biocuration and Data Exploration services support over 30,000 data contributors and over 1 million data users worldwide. The PDB has a 19-year history of scientific and technical leadership in sustaining an open-access global data resource that has become central to research and education in biology and medicine, by curating, integrating, and disseminating biomolecular structure information in the context of biological function, biochemical pathways, cellular processes, disease states, and molecular evolution. RCSB PDB websites supporting research (rcsb.org) and education (pdb101.rcsb.org) foster a molecular understanding of fundament biology, biomedicine, and energy in three-dimensions at the atomic level. Access to PDB data and RCSB PDB services will continue to drive patent applications, drug discovery and development, publication of innovative research, in scientific disciplines ranging from Agriculture to Zoology, development of life-changing biopharmaceutical products and formation of new US companies.
RCSB PDB outreach, education, and training efforts leverage PDB data and RCSB PDB staff expertise. More than 620,000 researchers, educators, students, and members of the public use the Outreach/Education services. Online materials supporting exploration of fundamental biology; biomedicine; energy; biotechnology drug discovery; and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, are consumed by researchers, educators, students, and the public. RCSB PDB educational resources are designed for global reuse in homes and classrooms, requiring only modest desktop computers, smartphones, or digital printers to experience the full impact of the project's online offerings. These free-of-charge materials are hosted at pdb101.rcsb.org, including the popular Molecule of the Month series that highlights the structure and function of molecules, and the Guide to Understanding PDB Data that introduces structural biology tools to a broad audience. RCSB PDB also produces and distributes online curricular materials for high school and college educators and students, explaining how molecular structures inform fundamental biology, medicine, energy, biotechnology, and drug discovery, with a focus on global public health concerns.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
