Legal

Terms of Service

Last updated: February 22, 2026

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using PicoFold at picofold.com ("the Service"), operated by Nanoworld Laboratory ("we", "us", "our"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

2. Description of Service

PicoFold is a web-based tool that predicts protein secondary structure from DNA codon sequences using the Ring-Granular Model. The Service provides:

  • DNA sequence file upload and storage
  • Per-residue secondary structure prediction
  • 2D secondary structure scheme (Code-4 / Code-9)
  • Job history and file management

3. Accounts

To use PicoFold, you must create an account with a valid email address. You are responsible for:

  • Maintaining the security of your password
  • All activity under your account
  • Notifying us immediately of unauthorized access

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms.

4. Credits and Payments

4.1 Free Credits

New accounts receive free prediction credits. Free credits are non-transferable and non-refundable.

4.2 Paid Credits

Additional credits can be purchased via credit card (processed by Stripe) or bank transfer. Prices are listed on the pricing page and are subject to change. Purchased credits do not expire.

4.3 Advance Credits

Eligible users may receive advance credits. Advance credits create a negative balance that must be settled before purchasing new credits.

4.4 Refunds

Credits are generally non-refundable once purchased. If you experience a technical issue that prevents you from using purchased credits, contact us at picofold@proton.me and we will review your case.

5. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

  • Use the Service for any illegal purpose
  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to accounts or systems
  • Upload malicious files or code
  • Circumvent rate limits or abuse the API
  • Resell or redistribute the Service without written permission
  • Use automated systems to bulk-access the Service beyond normal usage patterns

6. Intellectual Property

6.1 Your Data

You retain ownership of your DNA sequence files and prediction results. We do not claim any intellectual property rights over your uploaded data or generated outputs.

6.2 Our Service

The PicoFold software, Ring-Granular Model, website design, and associated materials are owned by Nanoworld Laboratory. You may not copy, modify, or reverse-engineer the Service.

7. Scientific Disclaimer

PicoFold predictions are computational results, not experimental data. The Ring-Granular Model predicts secondary structure from DNA codon assignments using a deterministic algorithm. Results should be validated experimentally before use in any critical application.

The 3D visualization feature is experimental and does not represent experimentally determined protein structures. Do not use PicoFold predictions as a sole basis for clinical, pharmaceutical, or safety-critical decisions.

8. Limitation of Liability

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We do not warrant that:

  • The Service will be uninterrupted or error-free
  • Predictions will be accurate for any specific protein
  • Results will be suitable for any particular purpose

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Nanoworld Laboratory shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Service.

9. Data and Privacy

Your use of the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, and protect your data.

10. Account Termination

You may delete your account at any time from the dashboard Account tab. Upon deletion:

  • Your uploaded files and prediction results are permanently deleted
  • Your account data is removed
  • Unused credits are forfeited
  • Payment records are retained as required by tax regulations

We may terminate your account if you violate these terms, with or without notice.

11. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated to registered users by email. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

12. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with applicable law. Any disputes shall be resolved through good-faith negotiation before pursuing legal remedies.

13. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact us at:

Nanoworld Laboratory
Email: picofold@proton.me