Human Practice

Biology is an all-encompassing domain of science, that enormously influences human life. Therefore there is a high necessity of giving young people an insight into its consequences. Thus our team together with the team of Marburg decided to create a boardgame explaining the basic principles of biology and evolution. Fortunately our competent colleague from iGEM team Marburg (Tresor) came up with the idea of designing a board game called "Game of Cells" for our human practice collaboration.
The expressive name Game of Cells suggest the exploring and investigation of evolutionary processes and the construction of a cell. For this purpose the cell and its components are compared to a medieval castle so that young player can comprehend easily. The principle item - the nucleus - is the king living in his castle (endoplasmic reticulum) and governing his kingdom. Vesicles illustrate carriages, which are needed for the transport of nutritions and proteins. A protecting, solid and reliable plasma membrane compartimentalizes the kingdom from the extracellular section. At the beginning of the game the players' cell only has the plasma membrane on hand, but as the game progresses further cell components can be gained. Additionally the players can acquire mutations which could lead either to positive or to negative effects for the cell. The first player who managed to gain all cell organells and who reaches the finish, wins and the game is over.