Dish Life - New app offers playful insights into the tasks of a stem cell researcher

The “Dish Life” app shows the everyday life of scientists and gives an insight into the work behind biotechnological advances. The game simulates various career aspects of stem cell scientists and aims to educate and inform the players about the scientific processes involved in stem cell research. It also addresses the personal, social and ethical dilemmas involved. The players create their own avatar and then embark on a stem-cell career from  inexperienced undergraduate student to renowned professor. Through working in the lab, publishing research papers, assuming management responsibilities, facing challenges such as solving  ethical issues and, last but not least, differentiation and nutrition of stem cells, the players can climb up the career ladder. The app trailer offers a taste of what being a stem cell researcher can be like. The Dish Life app is available free of charge in the App Store and on Google Play from July 5, 2022.

The game was developed in collaboration with sociologists and stem cell scientists from the renowned University of Cambridge. It has been very well received and is even used to train student assistants and technical staff. It has been featured on BBC news. The Stem Cell Network NRW arranged and edited the German translation of the app. This was made possible thanks to funding from the Ministry of Culture and Science of the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Following English, German is the second language in which the app will be available. The translation initiated by the Stem Cell Network NRW has laid the foundation for the implementation of further languages.