Molecular Genetics eXplorer (MGX) is a computing application that will help beginning biology students to understand connections among genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry. MGX will bring together three virtual biological laboratories (VBLs): (1) a virtual genetics lab known as VGL, (2) a gene exploration lab known as both GenExplorer/GeneX, and (3) a protein exploration lab known as Protex.

MGX will enable students to study hypothetical creatures in an interactive computing environment. In VGL, for example, the students will be able to determine the mechanism of inheritance for one particular trait by crossing creatures and examining their progeny. In Genex, they will be able to interpret the process of transcription and translation of genetic material (from gene to protein). In Protex, the students will be able to visulaize the unique structure and function of a protein, including protein folding and post-translation modification.

MGX eventually will be used by more than 350 students taking General Biology (Bio 111/112) at the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMB). It is being developed by a team of graduate students from the UMB Department of Computer Science.

The best place to find the production release of MGX is at https://sourceforge.net/projects/mgx.