Genomes are fun!

Client: Illumina

Contact: "Oldham, Scott" <soldham@illumina.com>

Design and implement a game (on iOs and/or Android) to teach the user about genomes or genomic sequencing, targeted to a GCSE or A level science student. The game should have a strong social element to it.

One suggested game could be bacterial genetics, where each user has a 'pet bacterium' with certain continuous characteristics, eg shape, size, ability to survive on a wide range of foodstuffs, resistance to antibiotics. Bacteria can exchange parts of their sequence (the social aspect) and the challenge is to evolve the overall fitness of your pet bacterium by interaction and exchange with others. The user can select which small part of the bacterial genome to exchange with a friend. Eventually users will be able to work out which parts of the bacterial genome define which of the characteristics and move up the leaderboard of 'fit bacteria'. (mobile apps, graphics, social networks, no background in biology required)