Project

Sickle Cell Anemia Infographic

Client

N/A

Year

2021

PROJECT Summary

This was a passion project for me to develop 3D software skills.

I chose to design an infographic about sickle cell anemia as it is a well-understood disease with known molecular mechanisms. The hallmark of the disease, sickled erythrocytes, also lends itself very well to interesting imagery for a 3D visualization.

Research

The first step for developing the infographic was to write the content. I compiled review articles and other important publications, then wrote content based on my reference articles.

I wanted the infographic to feature a main background image with secondary smaller figures throughout. The main imagery is a flow of erythrocytes, with the movement of the cells guiding the reader across the page.

Design Process

Cinema 4D was used to create the imagery in this infographic. As this was a new software for me, I dedicated upwards of 14 hours in learning the program through online tutorials and 20 hours actually designing the 3D models (and adjusting colour, texture, lighting, etc.)

In addition to the main blood cell imagery, supplementary models for sickle hemoglobin polymers, the ring form of Plasmodium falciparum, and the CRISPR-Cas9 complex were created. The ePMV plug-in was used to create atomically accurate protein structures of sickle hemoglobin and Cas9.

Final Deliverable

The final infographic effectively showcases different aspects of sickle cell anemia with a striking image of blood cells that creates movement, depth, and cohesion throughout.

I was successful in learning the Cinema 4D software on my own and developing some beginner modelling, composition, and lighting skills.

A readable PDF can be found here.