Did you know you’re mostly not human? Trillions of bacteria—outnumbering your own cells—live in and on your body. This complex microbial community, called the microbiome, plays a huge role in your digestion, metabolism, immunity, and even mental health.

Beyond yogurt and kombucha, cutting-edge research shows that your microbiome might influence how well you fight cancer. In particular, scientists have discovered that the microbiome can shape how your body responds to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies—powerful treatments that help unmask tumors so the immune system can attack them. Some bacteria help these treatments work better; others do the opposite.

A healthy, diverse microbiome is often linked to stronger immune responses and better outcomes in cancer treatment. On the flip side, lower diversity or harmful microbes have been connected to weaker responses. In this game, you’ll explore how microbes, immune cells, and cancer therapies interact—and learn how tweaking your internal ecosystem might change your fate. Choose wisely: the bugs in your biome could tip the balance between remission and resistance!

Created for 20.465- Engineering the Immune System

Thank you so much to my teammates Hannah Cevasco, Miguel Franco, Ishika Govil, and Kristi Liivak for making this idea come to life!