The PolyBio Research Foundation is advancing research into complex diseases like Long Covid and ME/CFS, diseases that remain poorly understood and often leave patients searching for answers. PolyBio supports groundbreaking research efforts, collaborating with leading scientists to explore these intricate conditions at their roots.
Pentagram was invited to develop an interactive digital platform that would serve as a new way for PolyBio to communicate its findings—a living, breathing repository that brings their scientific discoveries to life. This project reimagines how data can be explored, turning PolyBio’s research into an accessible journey for both scientists and the broader public.
At the heart of this digital experience is a central interactive tool: a multi-layered human body figure that serves as a visual map for exploration. The platform includes different entry points to discover and reveal data, such as hovering above the 10 different body systems and their location on the body, clicking on the names of institutions, or through exploring the legends. PolyBio’s research projects are linked directly to the organs and tissues being studied, as well as the universities and institutions behind these critical investigations. As users navigate the figure, delicate lines are drawn to encode connections and project features, unveiling the intricate pathways of PolyBio’s research to showcase the cross-collaboration of major institutions for the first time. A novel access to several complex and different studies and the sharing of samples and findings - creating a visual data driven code.
The design has two main views, one being the main body explore and the other being a structured grid view that reveals 45 specialized illustrations created for each unique study. This allows for users to easily toggle between different layers of information—from molecular biology to clinical trial data—while keeping the user grounded in the overall narrative.
Part of the process was building a dedicated database to store and categorize the projects both with qualitative and quantitative data. The visual system is flexible, allowing the platform to evolve as new findings emerge. Each update will reinforce PolyBio’s mission of making science not only understood but felt—inviting a more profound connection between research and the human experience.
By blending a human-centered approach with the rigor of scientific data, the platform creates a new language for understanding the invisible battles happening within our bodies. The result is an experience that is both informative, functional and poetic at the same time, a fusion of data and empathy, designed to inspire and empower.
The project was developed by Accurat Studio.
