In 2016 I worked on an outreach project with the Oxford Genetics Department which has close links to The Welcome Trust who funded this project.

I was one or a group of artists (from Oxford Printmakers Cooperative) working with PHD students (in my case Rachel) to create artworks that explained their research to the general public. Rachel was working on the actions of a protein called P53 in relation to cell repair. I created an artwork that explained the actions of P53.

The Protein Dream Team

The magnificent 3 tumour suppressors

The story

• Hi, I am P53. I decide whether your cells live or die.
• Hi, I am BRCA1. I repair DNA most of the time.
• Hi, I am 53BP1. I also repair DNA and help your antibodies recognise pathogens.
• When your body is working normally we all work together to…Problem! P53 is absent from your cells 50% of the time. When not there, cells can't respond correctly to stress stimuli which results in uncontrolled cell proliferation!
• Problem! When BRCA1 is absent 53BP1 steps in to repair your DNA but messes it up sometimes!
• Problem! When 53BP1 is absent, your body can't tackle infections as 53BP1 helps your immune cells generate specific antibodies to target the pathogens.
• Raquel's major focus is how 53BP1 supports P53 in doing its job.

Roughs

Incorrect function of P53

Correct funtion of P53

Final artwork