I always get a kick out of listening to colleagues describe what they do for a living. I came across this video and thought it was a nice ‘elevator pitch’.

When explaining what we do I normally use hand gestures. With one hand (the inhibitor) over the other (the protein) I’ll say, “If you want to stop a reaction you need to know the shape so the inhibitor can bind in the right spot.” I think this video could be helpful for a friend, spouse or parent that finds his/herself in an inquisitive mood.