Vaccine development process–still from the award-winning animation Outsmarting Infectious Diseases by MScBMC alum Mimi Yuejun Guo
Mimi Yuejun Guo, MScBMC ‘22, received the Social Impact Award in the student category for Motion and Interactive Media at the July 2023 annual Salon of the Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI) in Henderson, Nevada.
Guo’s winning animation Outsmarting infectious diseases was completed as part of her master’s research project for the Master of Science in Biomedical Communications.
“The primary goal of this animation is to combat vaccine hesitancy. I wanted to engage the audience in the vaccine development process and foster appreciation for the research and the regulatory process behind vaccination,” says Guo. She also wanted to reach a broad audience.
Guo used the metaphor of personified vaccine bottles, immune cells and a virus, allowing them to engage in a dialogue with an initially vaccine-hesitant protagonist. She designed the characters to be ethnically non-specific and gender inclusive. “We hired a transgender narrator to bring the characters to life,” says Guo.
These primary characters engage the audience through storytelling. They share science-based information to promote behavioural changes and positive health outcomes.
Guo employed plain language narration to make the animation accessible to those with limited science literacy. She included English subtitles and timed keyword labels to enhance accessibility for hearing-impaired viewers and non-native English speakers. She presented the vaccine development and regulatory process without naming countries or regulatory bodies to make the animation relevant to a global audience.
“Mimi successfully addressed an important social issue, and she did it in an accessible and inclusive way,” says Jodie Jenkinson, director of the Master of Science in Biomedical Communications program and Guo’s research supervisor.
Guo’s AMI award-winning animation was an official selection in the World Health Organization’s fourth annual Health for All Film Festival in 2023.
Mimi Yuejun Guo, MScBMC ‘22. (Photo provided by M. Guo.)
Guo is now a communications specialist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, part of the University Health Network in Toronto, where she creates visual and written communication materials to improve public awareness of cancer research.
“I’d like to thank my supervisor Dr. Jodie Jenkinson, content expert Dr. Tania Watts and committee member Professor Nicholas Woolridge for their guidance and feedback throughout the animation production journey,” says Guo.
Outsmarting infectious diseases was narrated by Kay Eluvian, with sound design by Michael Guglia, and funded by the Science Visualization Lab at the University of Toronto.
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Web sites referenced.
Mimi Guo’s online portfolio https://www.mimiguoart.com
Outsmarting infectious diseases animation https://vimeo.com/754004965
Science Visualization Lab https://sciencevis.ca/
