More Integrated Research--and Art!

How would it be to integrate visual arts, computer science, and cell biology? Sound like a strange combination? A recent video posted by the New York Times, "Animators of Life", not only reports on the amazing new animated films showing life in action at the level of proteins and DNA molecules, but also interviews the professional cell biologists who have begun to dedicate themselves to animating life as an instructional tool and a new art form. There is even an ongoing academic program at Harvard, the BioVisions program, that combines the different disciplinary instructions needed to become a microbiological animator. One cell biologist in the program talks about going to Hollywood for coursework in animation. Thus, synthetic worlds, including cyber worlds, are now modeling the real worlds of your cells. Check it out and consider the dizzying possibilities.