Xplore Health
Centre of the Cell / Barcelona Science Park / IrsiCaixa
Information
Xplore Health is an EU-funded educational portal developed by a consortium consisting of Barcelona Science Park, Centre of the Cell, European Schoolnet and the European Network of Science Centres and Museums.
The portal includes interactive games and virtual experiments aimed to inspire and inform teenagers and young adults about the latest discoveries in biomedical research. They cover various topics including biotechnology, mental health, skin cancer and obesity. In collaboration with 3D Animator Indi Hans, I designed and developed 10 interactives for this portal. All interactives are available in English, Spanish, French, Polish and Catalan.
The programme is promoted by IrsiCaixa, who also commissioned me to develop mobile app versions of the three most popular games.
Type
- Science Games
Role
- Design
- Programming
- Illustration
Technology
- Flash
- Actionscript
Client
- Centre of the Cell / Barcelona Science Park / IrsiCaixa
Links
Game: How are Drugs developed?
This game explains the process involved in developing a drug from its initial design up to when it is brought onto the market. Players need to find the best candidate and carry out animal and human testing before the drug can be approved and sold.
Game: Skin Cancer Exposed - The Unusual Suspects
In this game, players need to detect moles which could be suspicious and might develop melanoma. They also learn about factors that increase the risk of melanoma and how it can be prevented.
Game: A Crisis of Fat? Help shrink Belly Fat
Some obese people with large amounts of belly fat are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes due to insulin resistance. In this game, players move the insulin towards the cell receptors so that the glucose transporters are activated.
Game: The Biotechnology Revolution - Become a Medical Engineer
In this game, players are asked to find suitable artificial implants their patients. They select implants for different body parts and choose which design and material are the most appropriate depending on biocompatibility and the function they substitute.
Game: Rethinking mental health - Synapse
In this game, players try to make a person jump by making a target neuron transmit signals. It teaches about the functions of neurons, synapses and neurotransmitters.
Virtual Experiment: How are Drugs developed? Produce a Drug Target!
Users are asked to produce a drug target against some of the symptoms of schizophrenia. The enzyme known as POP is more active in people living with schizophrenia than it should be. Users can manipulate bacteria in the lab in order to achieve the required quantity of the enzyme.
Virtual Experiment: Develop a Drug
Once a drug target is found, the user can proceed to develop the drug. They need to purify the target and research its three-dimensional structure in order to identify a drug that will interact with it. They need to use different techniques in order to find a drug and check that it works.
Virtual Experiment: The Biotechnology Revolution - Engineer Skin
In this virtual experiment, users can explore the structure of skin and produce cells which will help a diabetic patient's wound to heal.
Virtual Experiment: Skin Cancer exposed - Investigate a suspect Skin Growth
In this virtual experiment, users carry out a biopsy on skin tissue using the right surgical materials. They can then check if the tissue is cancerous. This interactive teaches about the different treatments for melanoma and the characteristics of suspicious moles.
Virtual Experiment: A Crisis of Fat? It takes Guts
In the case of obese patients who do not respond to diets or drugs, there's always the option of surgery. In this virtual experiment, users can perform a gastric bypass operation and learn about the consequences of such an operation.
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