FAS Launches Educational Immunology Game

The Federation of American Scientists have announced the launch of Immune Attack, a video game aiming to teach players the critical scientific facts of immunology. Immune Attack is designed to teach players how the immune system works to defend the body against invading bacteria. The visual elements and simulations are critical for grasping the complex interactions of the biological systems. FAS plans to use Immune Attack with teachers and students across the U.S. to research how to improve the design of video games for learning and how they may be used to encourage students to consider careers in bioscience, medicine and other health care professions. Preliminary surveys show that the students who’ve played Immune Attack show an increase in knowledge of immunology concepts when compared with students who did not play the game. After playing the game, students were also more likely to show a higher interest in biology. Said Michelle Lucey-Roper, director of the Learning Technologies Program at FAS: “Immunology is a complicated subject to learn. The challenges in Immune Attack give those who might not otherwise be interested in biology the chance to learn in a fun, hands-on manner they won't find in a text book.”