Penn program teaches scientists to improve communication skills using art to make science more accessible to the public.

In a remarkable intersection of science and art, students from various academic backgrounds recently presented their research through a unique creative lens at the Institute of Contemporary Art in West Philadelphia. Among them was Christina Simms, a student from Howard University, who articulated her scientific exploration of bacteriophages through visual art. Her internship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia involved investigating wastewater to find bacteriophages capable of combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, which account for approximately 13,000 infections and 1,100 deaths annually in the United States.

As part of her internship, which culminated in an exhibition featuring 13 emerging scientists turned artists, Simms painted a ceramic shield to depict her research. Her work, titled “What Lies Inside,” features vibrant blue waves encircled by representations of bacteria and viruses, illustrated through green and red blobs. These artistic choices symbolize the wastewater processed by the hospital, framed in a manner that invites viewers to reflect on the significance of scientific research.

This exhibit is a key component of the 2025 Translational Research Immersion Program at the University of Pennsylvania. The program’s intent is to equip undergraduates with not only research skills but also the ability to translate complex scientific ideas into accessible art, fostering better public understanding of scientific work.

The educational initiative, founded by physician-scientist Carsten Skarke, was inspired by the need for enhanced communication between the scientific community and the public. Skarke emphasizes the importance of engaging future generations of physicians and researchers in innovative ways, enabling them to effectively convey their work beyond the confines of academic papers which can often be inaccessible to non-specialists.

Each student at the exhibition creatively reinterpreted their research, covering a diverse range of topics that included the use of lipid nanoparticles in drug delivery and machine learning models aimed at predicting medication efficacy. Artists involved, like Marguerita Hagan, a resident artist at Penn’s Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, underscored the role of art in bridging the gaps in scientific discourse. Hagan guided the students as they transformed their research into visual narratives, asserting that this interaction has the potential to unify various scientific fields in an impactful way.

The process of art-making also provided personal insights for participants such as Haverford College student Louisa Coughlin, who studied Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for depression treatment. Coughlin’s artistic expression reflected the complexities of clinical research and the varying experiences of participants, depicting both the exhaustive nature of clinical trials and the hope offered by effective treatments.

Overall, this innovative program exemplifies how merging art with science can not only enhance understanding but also engender a deeper trust in scientific inquiry among the general public. With efforts like these, the future of research communication appears brighter, promising a generation of scientists skilled in both their disciplines and the arts.

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