Transformative Health Communication

IMMUNOVERSE: Design and evaluation of a metaverse-based, gamified platform for science communication 

(DFG - SFB1755 CASCAID Projektnummer 550296805 - WIKO in cooperation with Gamification Research Group  at Otto-Friedrich Universität Bamberg)

How can complex immunological processes be communicated in a way that is both understandable and engaging? This project uses storytelling, gamification and immersive technologies to translate scientific content into interactive experiences, thereby creating new ways of engaging with research.

Innovative cell-based therapies in particular are opening up new prospects for patients with systemic autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease. At the same time, their molecular mechanisms are highly complex and often difficult for those affected to understand, meaning there is a great need for clear information.

The content presented is based on the findings of basic and clinical research projects conducted by the CASCAID Collaborative Research Centre and is specifically translated into accessible, engaging formats.

We develop serious games that explain innovative cell-based therapeutic approaches in a clear and accessible way:

•    CAR-T cell therapy – “Catch me if you can,” says the B cell: The body’s own T cells are modified so that they track down disease-causing B cells and specifically eliminate them.
•    Regulatory T cells (Tregs) – Guardians of health: Specialised immune cells curb excessive inflammatory reactions and stabilise the immune system in the long term.
•    T-cell engagers – A fatal encounter: Molecular mediators link T-cells directly to disease-causing B-cells, enabling them to be specifically eliminated and the disease-causing processes to be precisely halted.

Playful scenarios, visual representations and interactive elements make it possible to understand what happens in the body, how therapies work and what changes can be expected.

A key component of the project is the scientific evaluation of these formats. The applications developed will be systematically examined to determine how they influence understanding, learning processes, motivation and trust. Cognitive, emotional and social effects will be analysed, as will usage behaviour and interaction patterns. The findings will be incorporated iteratively into the further development of the applications and will enable the derivation of evidence-based principles for effective science and patient communication.

A particular focus is on participatory science communication, which is implemented in IMMUNOVERSE as a central format. The IMMUNOVERSE combines the newly developed games with existing learning applications and bundles them into a central knowledge offering that meaningfully integrates different technologies and formats.

The focus here is on actively involving the public. They can not only make use of the content, but also help shape it through co-creation and citizen science initiatives, provide feedback and contribute their perspectives. Direct dialogue with researchers, medical professionals and other affected individuals provides guidance, fosters understanding and enables communication that is consistently tailored to the needs of the target groups. The aim is to develop formats that empower patients by making complex issues understandable, building trust and conveying the feeling that they are well supported in dealing with their condition and innovative therapies.

Doctor-patient communication: Immersive and digital decision support for CAR-T cell therapies

We are investigating how innovative, digital communication formats can improve patient-centred information provision and decision-making in the context of CAR-T cell therapy for autoimmune diseases. The aim is to convey complex immunological relationships and therapeutic principles in a way that is understandable, structured and experiential.

The focus is on the development and evaluation of a multimodal educational approach that combines standardised, guideline-based doctor-patient communication with immersive virtual reality applications and mobile apps offering equivalent content. The visual, interactive and narrative presentation of disease mechanisms and treatment processes promotes an intuitive understanding and supports active engagement with one’s own condition.

As part of a multicentre, controlled intervention study, the impact of these formats is being systematically investigated in comparison with conventional patient education approaches. The focus is on understanding the condition and treatment, perceived levels of information, the quality of the doctor-patient interaction, and the reduction of decision-making conflicts. The aim is to establish an evidence-based foundation for the use of digital and immersive technologies in medical education and, in the long term, to strengthen participatory, informed and self-determined decision-making.

INFLAMMANIA 3D on Roblox

Inflammania 3D – The Inflammation Game is an interactive 3D platform built on the widely used Roblox engine, designed to translate current research in inflammation into engaging digital experiences. In the immersive environment Catch me if you can - The CAR T cell Solution", users become part of the immune system and apply innovative CAR T-cell therapies to eliminate autoreactive B cells, illustrating therapeutic principles in autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus. Play the game “Catch me if you can - The CAR T cell Solution”

The platform is based on a prototype originally developed within the Sonderforschungsbereich (SFB) 1181 „Schaltstellen zur Auflösung von Entzündung“ (2015–2024) and is currently being further expanded and refined within the SFB 1755 CASCAID in collaboration with the Chair of Business Information Systems at the University of Bamberg. This ongoing development focuses on scaling immersive learning experiences and enhancing their educational and scientific impact.

A second game, “SteamScavenger: Empower macrophages" , allows players to take on the role of macrophages, making strategic decisions to regulate inflammatory processes. The game exemplifies how complex biological mechanisms can be conveyed in an accessible and motivating way. Play the game “SteamScavenger - Empower Macrophages”

Together, these applications demonstrate the potential of gamified, immersive formats to communicate sophisticated immunological concepts effectively to younger audiences and the broader public.

1. Wie Gamification kranken Menschen helfen kann. BR Rundfunk. www.ardmediathek.de/video/frankenschau-aktuell/wie-gamification-kranken-menschen-helfen-kann/br/Y3JpZDovL2JyLmRlL2Jyb2FkY2FzdFNjaGVkdWxlU2xvd
   C80MTA2MDY5ODE4MTNfRjIwMjNXTzAxMDU1NEEwL3NlY3Rpb24vMTNlNmEzN2MtNDhkNy00YjgwLThjZWItODc2NGFmMmRmM2M0
2. FAU Magazin. Zwei gegen Wolf – Spielerisch über schwere Krankheiten aufklären und neue Wege in der Patientenkommunikation eröffnen: Das kann die App „Fighting Lupus“, die von Sandra Jeleazcov und Benedikt Morschheuser entwickelt wurde. 2024. www.fau.de/2024/11/magazine/fau-magazin-2024/innovation-2024/zwei-gegen-wolf/
3. Jeleazcov S. INFLAMMANIA - Fight to Cure: Neue Wege der Wissenschaftskommunikation. Lecture / Webinar. Lange Nacht der Wissenschaft. Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie. 2023. youtu.be/FSMCTacL8Js. Erlangen, Germany
4. Greiner R, Merk S, Reiß S, Stief J, Wüllner C, Morschheuser B, Jeleazcov S. Inflammania 3D: Exploring the Use of the Metaverse Platform Roblox for Science Communication. Poster presentation at 7th Annual International GamiFIN Conference 2023, Lapland, FI. https://open.fau.de/handle/openfau/23201
5. Jeleazcov S, Bogdan C, Morschheuser B. (2022) Körper in Flammen – spielend gegen Entzündungen. Video. Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. youtu.be/u2whMu_RAq4
6. Jeleazcov S, Scherbel C, Rauner M. Osteoimmunologie – revisited: Neue Einblicke in das Wechselspiel von Immunsystem und Knochen. Osteologie. 2014. doi: 10.1055/s-0037-1622020.
7. Siggelkow H, Jeleazcov S. Osteoporose? Chronische Krankheiten im Fokus der Gendermedizin-spezifischen Betrachtung. In Kloepfer M., Kloepfer A., Kurscheid C (Hrsg): Jahrbuch Gendergesundheit 2014. ISBN 978-3-86216-149-2. 

Nominierungen