GLUBs: games for learning and understanding biology

  • Authors:
  • Grigore D. Pintilie

  • Affiliations:
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

  • Venue:
  • Futureplay '10 Proceedings of the International Academic Conference on the Future of Game Design and Technology
  • Year:
  • 2010

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Abstract

This paper introduces GLUBs, which are games based on molecular mechanisms that take place in biological systems. Such games make use of interactive 3D graphics, and allow the player to interact with molecular components using simple 2D mouse gestures. They are similar to puzzle games, since the goal is to discover the correct interactions between molecular components. When the correct interactions are found, the player observes a molecular mechanism taking place. GLUBs thus have the potential to communicate much of the growing structural and biochemical knowledge in a fun and interesting way. In the game presented in this paper, the molecular mechanism involves the assisted folding of a protein by a chaperone.